Keeping track of in-ground hops variety

[Kyle]

I have 4 varieties of hops now (Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Willamette) and I will probably add 2 or 3 more types in the spring. These will be planted in-ground, for the long term.

So:
1. How far apart to put different varieties so as not to confuse them?

2. Do you plant something else in between to act as a median, maybe virginia creeper or some other vine-thing?

3. If I just leave the bines up at the end of the season, will the next year's growth also come out of the old bine, or is it totally dead?

4. I am thinking a trellis would be nice, will they grow ok, say 8 vertical feet then 10 horizontal feet?

[sdixon]

Kyle I have a few questions for you:
- Where do you get hops to plant?
- Are they planted from seed, or do you have to buy plants or are they propogated from cutting?
- Are the varieties you have the best ones for our climate or are any ok for NB?

I would like to grow some in the spring. It would be fun to have a competition someday with everyone brewing with all the same ingredients, but using our own homegrown hops.

[Kyle]

Hi sdixon:

I ordered the cuttings from Crannog Ales in B.C. There are various unpleasant regulatory rules for importing hops as an individual, but by going through a Canadian based company, you can still get their stock of hops from the US.

I opted for North American cultivars and no organic ones to give them the best chance of growing in our climate.

A homegrown hops beer event sounds great! Harvest is typically in August, but you might not get any cones in the first year (I didn't, and I think Richard got only a few)

[sdixon]

Kyle - Thanks.

I say we start ASAP... even if there are only a couple of members with a harvest. We could have an annual "Home Hop Comp", which would grow each year.Styles could be different every year, as long as all ingredients are the same.

[Richard]

Would be a september event; only person I know of round here who managed it thusfar is Hawoh here.

[Brian_S]

I'm with Kyle, stick with the NA varieties as my Euro babies are not doing well ( Saaz, Hallertauer and EKG) however my Cascade, Nugget, Willamette and Teamaker and happy.

As for planting the general rule of thumb seems to be 4 feet between plants of the same variety and a bit more (six feet) for inter varietal relations  Harvest varies by variety (early, mid and late) so best to plant accordingly.

I'll have rhizomes again in the Spring should people be interested (this years didn't last very long).

B

[Kyle]

You'll have no problems getting interest in rhisomes, I'll take a few too.

[Richard]

Brian_S: how does one go about taking rhizomes from an established plant; I have some I planted in the Miramichi I'd like to establish elsewhere... You got a quick how-to, or do you think after one year they won't be developed enough to take rhizomes?

[Brian_S]

I wouldn't take any until they are 2 to 3 years old.  Depending on: how deep, how packed the soil is, what type of soil you seem to get a different experience rhizome pruning.  This is where how you planted comes into play as you've got to clear away a bunch of dirt from around the crown (if you planted deep its not so easy but if you planted in a mound its not bad).  With dirt cleared you'll have access to the crown, the very top level of root (closest to the surface) are the propagation roots/rhizomes and they generally head up.  The lower set are the feeding and tap roots which generally head down.

I just got a set of small hedge clippers and trimmed rhizomes making my way around the plant.  It would appear a well established plant is fairly hard to kill/damage as I'm pretty sure I've clipped feeding roots from time to time.  Once you have lengths of root clipped you can chop them up into segments but just make sure each segment as at least one little white growing tip/nodule thing on it.

I left my plants for 2 full seasons before pruning the first time and they seemed pretty happy and well settled.  I'll most likely get less gentle with each subsequent pruning.

I suppose if you wanted to relocate an entire plant you could dig up the whole damn thing although depending on its age you may need an ATV/tractor to pull it out.

These are just my views/experiences and I'm far from professional.

B

[Hawoh]

I have 4 varieties of hops now (Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Willamette) and I will probably add 2 or 3 more types in the spring. These will be planted in-ground, for the long term.

So:
1. How far apart to put different varieties so as not to confuse them? I believe at least 5 feet is recommended. Mine are slightly further than this.

2. Do you plant something else in between to act as a median, maybe virginia creeper or some other vine-thing? No, my lawn is between the two varieties. I can't say anything else in this regard.

3. If I just leave the bines up at the end of the season, will the next year's growth also come out of the old bine, or is it totally dead?
This year's growth is 100% dead. Cut it down to the ground and toss it on the compost. You will get full new vines next season.

4. I am thinking a trellis would be nice, will they grow ok, say 8 vertical feet then 10 horizontal feet? I don't have experience with this, but I understand if they run out of vertical room they will start going horizontal and thicken up at lower levels. I thought I read that scenario will affect the quality of the plant, but don't quote me on that.

[Kyle]

Thanks guys