2011 Hops crop

Kyle · May 25, 2011, 08:08:56 PM

As of now, I have six shoots that have broken ground (two with leaves) coming from 4 rhizomes. Still waiting on three of the rhizomes to show.

Shoots having broken ground: Cascade x2, Willamette x1, Centiennal x3.

Still waiting on: Chinook

Kyle · June 07, 2011, 09:07:18 AM

My hops are all doing well, but a word of warning for anyone using container hops like me:

The drainage holes on / near the bottom of the planters do not serve their function as well as they should when using rich soil (i.e. with compost/manure/etc), and as such the bottom part of the planter will collect standing water and may rot, killing the plant, or at least hurting it.

A cordless powerdrill (less risk of electrical shock from water contact) with a 1/2'' bit works nicely to make a few drainage holes at the bottom on the sides for added drainage.

When I did, some swampy water flowed out a couple of the pots right away.

If you are using clay or ceramic, drilling may crack the pot. This is best for plasic or wood pots.

Dave Savoie · June 07, 2011, 09:13:20 AM

should be using some bonemeal !!!

Kyle · June 07, 2011, 10:42:16 AM

I live with a vegetarian, so no to bonemeal, but probably yes to making a weeping tile at the base out of gravel next time.

Thomas · June 10, 2011, 02:38:12 PM

My hops so far:
willamette
[attachment=3:1vizw0pk]IMG027.jpg[/attachment:1vizw0pk]
cascade
[attachment=2:1vizw0pk]IMG028.jpg[/attachment:1vizw0pk]
nugget
[attachment=1:1vizw0pk]IMG029.jpg[/attachment:1vizw0pk]
and nugget
[attachment=0:1vizw0pk]IMG030.jpg[/attachment:1vizw0pk]

The cascade and nugget grew about a foot before they slowed down for a week. I fed them some miracle grow and they took right off again. From now on I will give all my plants a watering with miracle grow once a week to give them lots of nitrogen to grow. Also, does anyone know how much I should be watering them? I reasoned that hops are water hungry plants, and that a well developed root system in a 4 gallon pot will soak up lots of water when growing in hot summer temperatures, so I have been giving them each ~0.5L morning and eavening.

Brian_S · June 10, 2011, 04:11:04 PM

I'd give them plenty of water in thier first year, plus as they are in pots the excess should just run off.

For what its worth the parent Willamette and Cascade plants most of the rhizomes came from are at about 12 feet now. The Willamette has leaves the size of my hand.

B

Thomas · July 06, 2011, 01:27:57 PM

Does anyone know when to expect cones to start developing? I remember the Picaroons hops were ready for picking around the end of september. My hops are going crazy, and have succesfully taken over most of my deck, and the tomatoes. I'll post some up-to date pics soon.

Hawoh · July 06, 2011, 02:13:24 PM

Quote from: "Thomas"Does anyone know when to expect cones to start developing? I remember the Picaroons hops were ready for picking around the end of september. My hops are going crazy, and have succesfully taken over most of my deck, and the tomatoes. I'll post some up-to date pics soon.

You probably won't see development until the end of this month. The picture below is from August 5th

I have typically harvested in the September 20-26th range with mine.

Hawoh · August 20, 2011, 10:23:34 PM

How are people's hops looking now? Harvest isn't too far away... what are you planning to do with yours?

Richard · August 21, 2011, 12:24:25 AM

Quote from: "Hawoh"what are you planning to do with yours?

Mostly plot revenge for them not producing hop cones yet...

Next year I shall have a garden of my own rather than passing off rhizomes to casual gardeners.

Kyle · August 21, 2011, 09:23:15 AM

my 1st year container hops have lots of leaves, but no cones yet. I'm going to dig a hole in my garden plot, put them in (still in containers), cover with mulch, and they should be kept alive well over the winter. In the spring, I'll either plant them in the ground or get really big containers.

I got 7/7 rhisomes to grow so thats pretty good.

Hawoh · August 21, 2011, 11:02:35 AM

Quote from: "Richard"
Quote from: "Hawoh"what are you planning to do with yours?

Mostly plot revenge for them not producing hop cones yet...

Next year I shall have a garden of my own rather than passing off rhizomes to casual gardeners.

It will take a couple years for them to really produce much.

Brian_S · August 21, 2011, 08:52:32 PM

I did a bit of an unofficial experiment this year and got some pleasantly surprising results. I had ordered up 4 Teammaker rhizomes from Freshhops and as I was running low on space in my hop yard only 2 got planted, the other 2 went into 1 Gal pots. I had dug about a 1 Gal size hole for the ones in the yard and filled the holes with compost, I then filled the pots with an equal amount of compost.

It would appear the potted plants are loving it as they got to about 18 feet and have skads of cones while the plants in the ground got to about 4 feet and no cones.

My 2 thoughts on this are that A) my soil is too acid/basic for their liking or B) They really love heat, which they got more of being in black pots above ground. (I suppose a combination of both isn't out of the question.)

I still have to do some PH test on the compost and my soil but I think this fall each plant in the yard will get an extra does of compost and I'm considering that black plastic roll next season to help retain heat.

B

Hawoh · August 21, 2011, 08:58:59 PM

Quote from: "Brian_S"I still have to do some PH test on the compost and my soil but I think this fall each plant in the yard will get an extra does of compost and I'm considering that black plastic roll next season to help retain heat.

Please post the PH findings. I have anecdotal evidence in line with yours. One of my plants gets about 1 to 1.5 more hours of full sun and has performed 10x better. I also put compost on the plants to winter last year and they are both taller and producing more than last year. That said, the plants are a couple years old now, so maturity is likely coming into play there too.

Richard · August 21, 2011, 10:49:42 PM

Yeah I'm hoping it's mostly the maturity thing... The soil pH issue is also a good call, as the ones I have were just put in the ground and had manure-based fertiliser put on them on a somewhat irregular basis.

Mine have a very strange situation going on where one end of the row they're planted on is doing fairly badly, where the opposite end is doing very well. That ties in with the idea that they like a lot of direct sunlight, as the more exposed end is doing markedly better. I'll post some pictures next time I'm in the 'chi.

Hawoh: kinda jealous of your crop there... looks excellent

Anyone planning any wet-hop beers?