# 1st time hop grow/ slow chinook/ need advice



## nicktron (10/9/13)

Hi guys, 
I bought some nice rhizomes off eBay about 6 weeks ago, I got a Chinook and a POR. 
The POR popped up in about 2 weeks after they were both planted and the shoots on the POR were very thick and strong looking and growing fast but the chinook took about a month to pop up and the shoots are very small and skinny and does not look like how the POR ones do. In 2 weeks the chinook has barely even grown. I'm growing them in a spot that gets all day sun and very rich soil with cow manure / blood bone/ and a bit of dynamic lifter mixed into the garden beds. 
Does anyone know if this is normal for chinook? I'm hoping its just one of those varieties that is just slow to get started but once it gets going it really gets going. 
Any advice from you lot?


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## stakka82 (10/9/13)

Many many variables could be at play, but coincidentally I planted a POR and Chinook 3 years ago.

The Por is huge now and the Chinook the size the Por was after one year. One possibility is that the Por has been bred for local conditions.


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## nicktron (10/9/13)

That is a good coincidence! The POR has been growing rapidly the last 3 weeks and I'm very happy with it, did you get much yield from them the first year? and roughly how tall did the POR get the first year?


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## HBHB (10/9/13)

Regardless of the species, once they get a foothold, they're like triffids. 

I've got Chinook, Cascade and Hallertau growing, just about to go nuts for their second year return. Cane knife at the ready to keep them under control.


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## nicktron (10/9/13)

I hope they do grow like the triffids! ....nothing wrong with a plague of hops, 
Cheers,


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## hoppy2B (10/9/13)

Its still early in the season. A lot of newly planted hops might not even be poking out of the ground yet. Remember to water them lots and don't be afraid to put liquid manure on them also. You should be able to harvest cones the first season if you know what you are doing.


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## Mardoo (11/9/13)

I'm still waiting on my first-ever Chinooks to pop up, but everyone I've heard from here who grows it says it's a slow starter.


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## Phillo (11/9/13)

My 2nd year Chinook just broke earth a few days ago. Don't worry mate, they go ape shit once a few shoots come up.


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## gunbrew (11/9/13)

Hops I have grown in Sydney - zome in ground date - what happened.
[SIZE=medium]*Chinook - 22.9.09 - my best growing plant, consistently starts late. kgs of hops.**[/SIZE]*
[SIZE=medium]*POR Gold - 17.10.10 - POR is shooting but has been small each year. 30g hops*[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]*Perle - 27.7.11 - tiny each year and no hops**[/SIZE]*
[SIZE=medium]*Halertau - 27.7.11 - tiny each year and no hops.**[/SIZE]*
[SIZE=medium]*Williamette - 27.7.11 - is shooting now, was massive last 2 seasons. kgs of hops.*[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]*Cascade - 23.5.12 – was small with hardly any hops. 20g**[/SIZE]*
[SIZE=medium]Using : Cow Manure, seasol, worm juice from worm farm and searless 5 in 1.[/SIZE]

Best hop growing advice I have seen on here was "relax and have a homebrew"

Sounds normal for Chinook to start late in Sydney, only going on my watching plant...
Have fun.


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## nicktron (11/9/13)

Thanks guys, ill take your advice and sit back and have a homebrew 
Cheers,


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## Midnight Brew (11/9/13)

In Melbourne the trend of my last three seasons have been that chinook pops up last but overtakes the rest in a matter of weeks. This is the first season I havnt split my rhizomes so I'm hoping for the crop to be double to triple of last years. I don't know what it is about tettnanger but she always fails to produce. Hoping for a good season as I've never seen it flower. Happy growing mate!


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## nicktron (11/9/13)

Awesome! That's reassuring news! It's only been a few weeks and there is 2 tiny little shoots so they are growing, just need a bit more patience. I'm hearing many good things about this chinook variety, I absolutely love the taste of it in tower 10 and it also go's really well dry hopped in my black rock and coopers pilseners. I'm looking forward to this season, 
Also got hooked up with 2 more rhizomes from a nice fella from the brew Adelaide forum! 
Thanks heaps dr smurto!


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## Dave70 (11/9/13)

Good to hear I'm not the only one fretting over Chinook.
Seems very active under the surface after I brushed away a little of the mulch and topsoil, just a little shy.

Both the cascade and hallertau are powering.


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## philmud (11/9/13)

I've only got chinook in, so no point of comparison. It took about 3 weeks for shoots to appear and now it all seems to be happening. At last count one rhizome has 10 little sprouts, most of them have no leaves yet, but after they all emerge I'll thin it back to four or five. Another couple of rhizomes I have in a pot have shot up, the larger one is about a foot high or so.


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## wide eyed and legless (12/9/13)

What yield can you get from growing hops ( how many brews ) and are they difficult to grow, I have the most least green fingers,
I tried growing Horseradish once, (which I love) ended up upsetting the kids when I had to put a screen around it and shoot it


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## nicktron (12/9/13)

Very disappointed..... What I thought was my chinook rhizome sprouting turned out to be just a weed.....Dug up the rhizome and it was pretty much rotted away..., Still waiting for my 2 extra chinook rhizomes from dr smurto from brew Adelaide forum to show up. Hope these ones grow. Least I got the POR growing nicely. It's growing rapidly but I really want chinook!! Right now I'm drinking my best home brew yet! Black rock pilsner with a infusion of 10g of chinook pellets, soooooo bloody nice!!! Very refreshing and feels like velvet to drink!


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## Dave70 (13/9/13)

wide eyed and legless said:


> What yield can you get from growing hops ( how many brews ) and are they difficult to grow, I have the most least green fingers,
> I tried growing Horseradish once, (which I love) ended up upsetting the kids when I had to put a screen around it and shoot it


If you can grow weeds, you can grow hops.
As I discovered last year though, they're much like an iceberg insomuch as what you can see above ground bears no resemblance to goings on at a subterranean level. The'll will take over any garden given the chance. Their_ only_ saving grace are those wonderful little cones, otherwise they're more an invasive pest. It's pots all the way for me these days. 

Plant em, throw your choice of poultry, equine or bovine shit on top and water every other day or when you remember.

We're not growing orchids here.


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## wide eyed and legless (13/9/13)

I will give them a go then next year, I have plenty of room for them, and big pots that my Horseradish once lived.


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## nicktron (24/9/13)

Just when I thought all hope was gone and I've gone out to plant my back up chinook rhizomes I received off Adelaide brewers dr smurto I found a thriving chinook plant with about 3 shoots coming out of the ground, so bloody happy!!!


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## brad81 (24/9/13)

My Chinook is starting its run now. Cascade is about halfway up the trellis and the Hallertau is bushing up.


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## sp0rk (24/9/13)

My chinook is just starting to peak out of the soil and my Victoria is about 2 inches long but has been stalled for the last 3 or so weeks


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## syl (24/9/13)

My Cascade are only just coming through as of yesterday. Only got them in the ground 10 days ago.


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## nicktron (24/9/13)

If its stopped growing I think that means the plant is concentrating on growing its roots down below. Just be patient, I think that's what my POR is doing right now as it got to around 2 feet high and slowed right down. 

I have a new problem now.... Where should I plant these 2 extra chinook rhizomes? Might be able to find another spot in the ground and maybe put one in a pot.


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## Phillo (24/9/13)

My Chinook went from one small shoot to 8 strong ones in the space of a week. Hostile takeover.


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## mosto (24/9/13)

syl said:


> My Cascade are only just coming through as of yesterday. Only got them in the ground 10 days ago.


That's good to know. Having my first crack at growing hops this year and put a Cascade in about a week ago. Eagerly awaiting my first shoots like an expectant father.



Dave70 said:


> If you can grow weeds, you can grow hops.
> As I discovered last year though, they're much like an iceberg insomuch as what you can see above ground bears no resemblance to goings on at a subterranean level. The'll will take over any garden given the chance. Their_ only_ saving grace are those wonderful little cones, otherwise they're more an invasive pest. It's pots all the way for me these days.
> 
> Plant em, throw your choice of poultry, equine or bovine shit on top and water every other day or when you remember.
> ...


Hmm, I talked SWMBO into putting my hops in where she wanted Ivy, in a small garden with some other plants. Hopefully it doesn't choke the rest out too much or I might be finding it another home.


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## nicktron (28/9/13)

The chinook has already outgrown my 5 week old POR in a little over a week. The vine is much thicker too. This variety is a beast!


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## Diggs (28/9/13)

syl said:


> My Cascade are only just coming through as of yesterday. Only got them in the ground 10 days ago.


 mine were the same, about 7 days to break soil. Just on 4 weeks planned now and both plants have 3 healthy bines, some over a foot high! Good soil, seasol and plenty of water is all I have done - beautiful QLD gave me awesome sunshine

https://db.tt/gLlzt8IR


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