# 2012 Hop Plantations



## Yob

a bit early for this malarky I thought until I did a bit of weeding this morning...





Cascade




POR




Tett

WTF?? I guess they know what they are doing? I think I will just chuck some compost over them for now and see what happens..

I'd better pull the finger out and get to work on the trellis MKII

Yob


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## RdeVjun

Whoa, now there's a few impatient bines! 
I'd just put some mulch over them to insulate from the frost, compost is probably a little too rich at that stage and may burn, plus they really don't need much nutrition yet. So, grab a heap of dry cane mulch or some raked leaves, a frost hitting them at this stage will be a disaster and we're a long way off the end of the season for that.


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## Yob

yeah thats what I though (bit early) 

Ive got some pea straw so will cover with that as a more neutral cover

:icon_cheers:


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## RdeVjun

I'm no expert but that sounds fine, tuck them back into bed for bit! :icon_cheers:


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## Yob

a bit of further 'rooting' about reveals a Smurto Chinook making a break for it into SWMBO's garden bed.. sure she's gunna be happy with bines springing up all over the place :lol: 







No nodes on it but if someone (local) wants it they are more than welcome to it otherwise it will be going in the bin




Yob

ed: (local)


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## Rob S

If you want to send it my way I'll be more than happy to take it off your hands :icon_cheers:


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## fraser_john

iamozziyob said:


> a bit of further 'rooting' about reveals a Smurto Chinook making a break for it into SWMBO's garden bed.. sure she's gunna be happy with bines springing up all over the place :lol:
> 
> View attachment 55411
> 
> 
> View attachment 55412
> 
> 
> No nodes on it but if someone wants it they are more than welcome to it otherwise it will be going in the bin
> 
> View attachment 55413
> 
> 
> Yob



Yeah, you will find them popping up 3 meters from where you planted the damn things, they become like weeds.


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## jyo

Hey, Yob. That just looks like a bit of the root sytem, mate. If there are no nodes, then it won't grow. 

Mine are doing the same as yours. I've gotta get some mulch on them to put them back to sleep as the snails are finding them quite tasty the little feckers.


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## cam89brewer

The only activity I have is one of the damn neighbours cats keeps crapping in my saaz pot!! <_<


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## Wolfy

iamozziyob said:


> WTF?? I guess they know what they are doing? I think I will just chuck some compost over them for now and see what happens..


They're going to freeze their _tips _off over winter.


iamozziyob said:


> No nodes on it but if someone (local) wants it they are more than welcome to it otherwise it will be going in the bin


Without nodes to shoot from, it's highly unlikely it will grow if replanted, it appears to be just part of the root system that has escaped.
The rhizome (which will also 'shoot' up to 3m away from the parent plant) is usually found growing just under the surface and will usually be thicker and have nodes every couple of inches - so it's easy to tell it apart from the rest of the root system.


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## hoppy2B

I planted 70 bits of Cluster rhizome on the 30th of June. The nursery bags hold about 15 litres of soil and have several inches of space on top for watering.


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## Midnight Brew

Taking over the world as well as adding new definition to cluster bomb :beerbang: 



hoppy2B said:


> I planted 70 bits of Cluster rhizome on the 30th of June. The nursery bags hold about 15 litres of soil and have several inches of space on top for watering.


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## adryargument

Need to get my ass into gear for this season - lots of work to do and then I need to replant all my zomes.
Made a southern harvest IPA the other day with my whole 2011 crop.

Turned out tasty, belgian IPA style. Nice amount of tannins to back it up.


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## drsmurto

hoppy2B said:


> I planted 70 bits of Cluster rhizome on the 30th of June. The nursery bags hold about 15 litres of soil and have several inches of space on top for watering.



Soil? Looks like sand to me. My soil is black.



adryargument said:


> Need to get my ass into gear for this season - lots of work to do and then I need to replant all my zomes.
> Made a southern harvest IPA the other day with my whole 2011 crop.
> 
> Turned out tasty, belgian IPA style. Nice amount of tannins to back it up.



Ass in to gear? You tilling your soil the old fashioned way mate?


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## Liam_snorkel

This morning I noticed a lot of very tiny white bugs with two antennae getting around my hops. They're too small for me to take a photo of. Should I be worried? 
Other than that to hops seem to be healthy, plenty of shoots similar to iamozziyob's photos at the top of the page.


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## emnpaul

Liam_snorkel said:


> This morning I noticed a lot of very tiny white bugs with two antennae getting around my hops. They're too small for me to take a photo of. Should I be worried?



Hopefully they don't look like this. 

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=mealybug...920&bih=955


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## kcurnow

RdeVjun said:


> I'm no expert but that sounds fine, tuck them back into bed for bit! :icon_cheers:



Mine have been doing the same thing with a few early buds poking out of the surface. They also did the same last year and stayed that way till spring when they hit the grow button.


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## cam89brewer

hoppy2B said:


> I planted 70 bits of Cluster rhizome on the 30th of June. The nursery bags hold about 15 litres of soil and have several inches of space on top for watering.



Wow you are very ambitious! :icon_cheers:


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## Golani51

hoppy2B said:


> I planted 70 bits of Cluster rhizome on the 30th of June. The nursery bags hold about 15 litres of soil and have several inches of space on top for watering.



I think i love you Hoppy2B. Where are you?

Will help you harvest for a measly tonne or two.


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## Liam_snorkel

emnpaul said:


> Hopefully they don't look like this.
> 
> https://www.google.com.au/search?q=mealybug...920&bih=955



Thankfully not :icon_cheers:


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## hoppy2B

DrSmurto said:


> Soil? Looks like sand to me. My soil is black.



Actually its red clayey soil, little bit loamy as well. Varies somewhat over the paddocks but is highly alkaline and high in iron and other minerals so my crops generally grow very well. I took a good first year hop harvest last year.


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## kalbarluke

Last year I put some cuttings in some small pots with potting mixture. Made sure they were watered for a few weeks then forgot about them. They had been sitting in the same spot for a few months.

I went to move them today as I thought they were probably dead through neglect. As I picked them up I realised that roots had grown out the drainage holes and into the ground underneath. Not only were they alive but some were ready tp go with little rhizomes starting.

Absolutely amazing plants. Looking forward to summer.


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## hoppy2B

Raven let me have some side growth off the bottom of his Victoria hop last year 8 days before Christmas. I stuck about 60 cuttings in small pots but only 2 took. Transferred them to nursery bags that hold +15 litres of soil and they came out the bottom of those too.
I achieved a handsome yield my first year from bits of root cuttings. These Victoria will be the largest rhizomes I have planted and am looking forward to a bumper crop this season. ^_^


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## Yob

Last year I built a hop trellis and it did a reasonable job. I had it strung with a bunch of wire I got from a mate for nicks, the problem was that the hops couldnt really grasp it very well.

So yesterday I ripped it all down and replaced it with some rope which I rekon will be loads better.

The pole was loosely tacked into place last year, that was also pulled down, cleaned and fully welded up...

aaah.. tinkering days are a good excuse to stand about with a beer :icon_drunk:












The top line in this one will be lowered on the left to give it an angle similar to the bottom one.

Bring on Spring!!

Yob


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## samward

I was under orders this weekend to get my rhizomes out of the fridge (apparently they were taking up too much space...)

So I got them potted out.



I've got a mixture of cascade, hallertau, chinook, saaz, and pride of ringwood. So we'll see how they go this year. Hopefully being where they are they should be sheltered enough for the moment. I'll move them to their final location once 'winter' ends (apparently its winter at the moment)

Also picked up some posts for making a trellis. Hopefully 3.5m should be high enough


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## Wolfy

samward said:


> I was under orders this weekend to get my rhizomes out of the fridge (apparently they were taking up too much space...)


Make sure you label each variety well, those plastic tags easily get lost or misplaced or the writing fades on them, so it would be easy to get each of the varieties mixed-up.


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## Yob

Does anybody "Tip" their bines?

I had one last year (Doc's first year Chinook) that when it reached the trellis got the growing tip eaten off and it was by far the best producer I had... almost _ONLY_ producer..  

It seemed to grow in a bunch when this happened and was planning on doing so again this year as a form of control.. here's a picce of the "bunch" from last season.




It would be handy to grow a bine to a certain spot and then arrest the "length" development and promote lateral growth..

just a thought and was wondering if anybody else has had this experience? I will certainly explore this over growing season this year.

Yob


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## qwertyfly

iamozziyob said:


> Does anybody "Tip" their bines?
> 
> I had one last year (Doc's first year Chinook) that when it reached the trellis got the growing tip eaten off and it was by far the best producer I had... almost _ONLY_ producer..
> 
> It seemed to grow in a bunch when this happened and was planning on doing so again this year as a form of control.. here's a picce of the "bunch" from last season.
> 
> View attachment 56022
> 
> 
> It would be handy to grow a bine to a certain spot and then arrest the "length" development and promote lateral growth..
> 
> just a thought and was wondering if anybody else has had this experience? I will certainly explore this over growing season this year.
> 
> Yob




I had not thought of Tipping a hop bine, interesting Idea.

Looks like the topic has been covered here before.
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=36376


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## Yob

aww ****... got me... didnt search... :lol: 

I swaers I usually do!!

:icon_cheers:


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## qwertyfly

iamozziyob said:


> aww ****... got me... didnt search... :lol:
> 
> I swaers I usually do!!
> 
> :icon_cheers:




The thread is from back in 2009,
It would be interesting to hear from some of the original posters to see how things have progressed over the last few years.
Wonder if a few seasons may have changed some opinions?


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## samward

I was listening to a podcast recently (don't remember which one) where they were speaking to a professional hop grower. One of the comments made was that by letting the hop grow past the top of the trellis, and the top folding over, that triggered the plant to start lateral growth and producing cones.

Haven't backed that up yet with my own research, but given a have a couple of rhizomes from the same root stock, maybe I will try one of each and see what happens.


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## Yob

samward said:


> I was listening to a podcast recently (don't remember which one) where they were speaking to a professional hop grower. One of the comments made was that by letting the hop grow past the top of the trellis, and the top folding over, that triggered the plant to start lateral growth and producing cones.
> 
> Haven't backed that up yet with my own research, but given a have a couple of rhizomes from the same root stock, maybe I will try one of each and see what happens.




Back in the old days when I was more familiar with the hop cousin, we used to inhibit a hormone in the growing tip named Auxin which primarily (if I remember right) retards growth below the growing tip, resulting in the conical shape of that plant we are all familiar with..

the removal of the growing tip resulted in more of a "Bushy growth" with the hormones effect reduced.

I dont know if it's the same, but the behaviour I observed last year I think warrants further experimentation.. at the end of the day I dont have a lot to lose eh?

:icon_cheers:


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## Golani51

I have a couple hops and have no real idea what they are anymore as the labels faded.
At Bunnings yesterday I found and bought some copper plant tags. $3.50ish for 10. You write on them with a ballpoint and it 'engraves' it forever. I'll post pics in a couple hours but they appear to be perfect. Cannot fade obviously and are indestructible pretty much. 


R





iamozziyob said:


> Back in the old days when I was more familiar with the hop cousin, we used to inhibit a hormone in the growing tip named Auxin which primarily (if I remember right) retards growth below the growing tip, resulting in the conical shape of that plant we are all familiar with..
> 
> the removal of the growing tip resulted in more of a "Bushy growth" with the hormones effect reduced.
> 
> I dont know if it's the same, but the behaviour I observed last year I think warrants further experimentation.. at the end of the day I dont have a lot to lose eh?
> 
> :icon_cheers:


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## Wolfy

Golani51 said:


> I have a couple hops and have no real idea what they are anymore as the labels faded.
> At Bunnings yesterday I found and bought some copper plant tags. $3.50ish for 10. You write on them with a ballpoint and it 'engraves' it forever. I'll post pics in a couple hours but they appear to be perfect. Cannot fade obviously and are indestructible pretty much.


Yep, I had the same problem some years ago, but after switching to the metal-type plant labels (I thought they were aluminium not copper) I've only mis-labeled 1 since (the tag got lost somehow).

In regard to tipping the bines, I really think it depends on how you wish them to grow.
I'd suggest that the plants will grow as many leaves/cones as they can, no matter what shape you let them grow into. If left alone they will grow tall and get bushy when they reach the top and if tipped they'd grow shorter and bushier (but there is no way I'm going to climb up 5m to tip my plants to test this theory).


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## Yob

Wolfy said:


> In regard to tipping the bines, I really think it depends on how you wish them to grow.



Thats exactly it Wolfy.. its about trying to get more control over a limited space and being able to keep them separated to some degree.. The EKG last year went a country mile (7-8m) but produced nothing (1st season) and the chinook was probably about 3m high and produced a good yeild (1st year)... as Ive dropped it back to 2 lines and Ive got 4 different vaietys planned to go on it I do require a method of keeping them separate and tipping seems the likely method at this point.

:icon_cheers:


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## hoppy2B

iamozziyob said:


> Thats exactly it Wolfy.. its about trying to get more control over a limited space and being able to keep them separated to some degree.. The EKG last year went a country mile (7-8m) but produced nothing (1st season) and the chinook was probably about 3m high and produced a good yeild (1st year)... as Ive dropped it back to 2 lines and Ive got 4 different vaietys planned to go on it I do require a method of keeping them separate and tipping seems the likely method at this point.
> 
> :icon_cheers:




Wow Yob, 7-8m for your Ringwood Golding and you got nada off it? :blink: Mine only went about 5m in a bit of a zig-zag and I picked up 3kg wet. That was from a piece of rhizome that started out at about 20cm long by 1cm thick. I cut it into 2 bits and planted them about 1m apart.
No idea what you're doing, but I dug lots of sheep manure in at planting and gave lots of water and liquid manure throughout the growing season if that helps. Also I trained the maximum number of bines possible.


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## hoppy2B

Thought you might like a bit of motivation, something to aspire to. This is a picture of my 2012 Golding a week or 2 prior to harvest. Yes it is technically a 2012 hop pic.  
Golding is a beautiful hop to grow. Its leaves are a lovely light colour and the cones are a nice golden shade of pale green.


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## Danielscott26

This is my Mt Hood hop plant.


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## hoppy2B

Is that a recent photo Dan? :blink: Wow, looks like they start early up your way.


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## cam89brewer

Dan26 said:


> This is my Mt Hood hop plant.View attachment 56110



My Mt hood is also sprouting now and we are still getting frosts every second night :huh:


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## hoppy2B

cambrew said:


> My Mt hood is also sprouting now and we are still getting frosts every second night :huh:




Does sprouting mean climbing up things cambrew? I have a number of different varieties with shoots on the surface but not really growing. I don't cover them like some people do, can't see the point. :mellow:


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## cam89brewer

I suppose shoots would be the word , they are only a few cm above the surface. I don't think it is necessary to treat your hops like babies, last year my saaz snapped in half at about 1 meter and it ended up growing twice as fast as the rest.


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## kalbarluke

My Goldings havd started spouting little shoots but my Cascade and Chinook have not. It's still pretty cold here so they might not last.


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## Danielscott26

The photo was taken yesterday. Ive got a chinook in the garden and nothings happening yet. We've had some warm weather which has helped i think.


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## kalbarluke

I remember last year from my own experiences and reading on this site that Chinook for many people was a notoriously late starter but once it started it grew really quickly.


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## kymba

Built 2 more planters on the weekend. Hopefully gettin' some mushy compost to fill them them this weekend


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## ratchie

kymba said:


> Built 2 more planters on the weekend. Hopefully gettin' some mushy compost to fill them them this weekend
> 
> View attachment 56171



G'day Kymba, where do you get your mushpost from and how much per bag ?


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## kymba

ratchie said:


> G'day Kymba, where do you get your mushpost from and how much per bag ?


hey ratchie

got the compost from misty valley mushrooms (gerrard) last time for 50c a pop, but apparently they have gone up to $1. i am investigating other sources at the moment


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## ratchie

kymba said:


> hey ratchie
> 
> got the compost from misty valley mushrooms (gerrard) last time for 50c a pop, but apparently they have gone up to $1. i am investigating other sources at the moment




Thanks Kymba I usually get mine from Arama mushrooms at laundershute rd, but he has also put the price up to $1 a bag.I'll keep looking around as well.Have you got rhizomes to put in the planters yet I have some if you want.


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## 1974Alby

ratchie said:


> G'day Kymba, where do you get your mushpost from and how much per bag ?




they look like nice planters..about 1m cubed?

I could probably whip up something like that cheaper than buying a half wine barrel and would hold more soil. might have a crack this weekend!

Do you have any designs for stringing up the bines? I would really love to see peoples ideas for a self supporting/ free standing structure that allows hops to grow high in a suburban backyard.


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## jayahhdee

Albainian said:


> Do you have any designs for stringing up the bines? I would really love to see peoples ideas for a self supporting/ free standing structure that allows hops to grow high in a suburban backyard.



I would also love to see pics of what everyone else does, I'm setting up a couple of pines posts this weekend and am still working out exactly how i'm doing it.


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## kymba

ratchie said:


> Thanks Kymba I usually get mine from Arama mushrooms at laundershute rd, but he has also put the price up to $1 a bag.I'll keep looking around as well.Have you got rhizomes to put in the planters yet I have some if you want.



yeah mate i've got the couple cascades you gave me last year along with chinook, por, and west nambour goldings. the 2 additional planters are to give them all a home of their own



Albainian said:


> they look like nice planters..about 1m cubed?
> 
> I could probably whip up something like that cheaper than buying a half wine barrel and would hold more soil. might have a crack this weekend!
> 
> Do you have any designs for stringing up the bines? I would really love to see peoples ideas for a self supporting/ free standing structure that allows hops to grow high in a suburban backyard.



yeah these latest ones were piss easy to knock up - i used 2.4m lengths of 200 x 50 treated pine cut into 800mm sticks then ripped them in half. Screwed together 100mm batten screws. You could make them shorter - i didn't as the soil is like potters clay and i couldn't be fkd cutting the corro down

trellis thingo here http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...st&p=817359


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## Golani51

I have tell. 

I got home last night and went out to water the newly planted hops. The fence keeping the chickens away (just strung mesh) was crushed. My gaze shifted to the pots. CRAP!! They were all dug up, and had bines 'sprouts'(?) lying everywhere. Those frigin' chickens looking for worms. I could have killed them.

I immediately replanted the rhizomes (thanks to the copper tags I attached to them) and gave them a good watering. Hopefully they will grow back OK. Going inside, my wife immediately complained about the dirt on my shoes and hands. After relaying the story to her, she stopped complaining. I should immediately have known something was not 100% kosher. I went to wash my hands and tell the kids what happened. Then the truth came out.

"Mummy said we could use the big shovels to look for worms she needed for photgraphy class (Don't ask!). She said you put all the compost in the pots. She even helped us". WTF!!

My wife's response when I gave her the look of death- "Well how was I meant to know? You put all the soil and mulch in them." Geez-I don't know- maybe because they had bloody big, shiny copper tags attached to them!

Does anyone need a blonde to help them out in the garden? Going cheap.


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## Yob

photo first...  

sad news mate, they are pretty hardy though so I hope no real damage was done and they spring back...

I guess now the chooks are off the menu too?


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## drsmurto

You should be fine, it takes more than a blonde to kill hops :icon_cheers:


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## Liam_snorkel

a bush turkey dug mine up last year, 3/4 survived.


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## Edak

Liam_snorkel said:


> a bush turkey dug mine up last year, 3/4 survived.



The hell I'd go through if I were to call my wife "bush turkey"!

Seriously I hope your hops are safe.


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## Liam_snorkel

I've erected a little fence to stop the buggers from jumping in there, and to stop the cat from shitting on them.


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## Golani51

iamozziyob said:


> photo first...
> 
> sad news mate, they are pretty hardy though so I hope no real damage was done and they spring back...
> 
> I guess now the chooks are off the menu too?



They almost were the menu!


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## Golani51

Might be an idea to put a piece of chook wire over the pots to risk the inevitable? Reduce the likelyhood of another blonde moment?


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## pk.sax

Whoops!


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## Yob

Golani51 said:


> Might be an idea to put a piece of chook wire over the pots to risk the inevitable? Reduce the likelyhood of another blonde moment?



couldnt hurt anything mate...


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## Wolfy

Once the hops are established chooks make a great addition to the garden, they eat the bugs and turn the top of the mulch over and help keep the weeds under control.


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## Golani51

I was looking this afternoon at splitting my magnum (I think it is anyway!) and started to clear away the dirt. Loads of spidery roots spreading very close/above the surface. A couple 15mm thick roots coming off it too. The soil is pretty crappy so I dug a big hole before putting the rhizome in 2 years ago. Filled it with a mix of potting mix, guinea pig droppings and straw etc and it came up really nicely. Didn't find any rhizome though apart from the crown which has grown large and is producing many bines. Do additional rhizomes for splitting come off the main crown or do they appear somewhere else along the root system?


Also, I managed to pull up some sort of grub. WTF?!?
Anyone know what it is?


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## Golani51

These things are huge. Cicada?


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## KingKong

Golani51 said:


> These things are huge. Cicada?View attachment 56191



Is there an entomologist in the building ?


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## drew9242

They are just witchdy grubs, chuck them on the fire and have a aboriginal snack.


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## Golani51

I decided the chickens needed some protein.


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## felten

witchety grub, eat it*.




*don't actually eat it.


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## Yob

Golani51 said:


> guinea pig droppings



mutant guinea pig embryo...


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## kymba

Mmm...mini bbq'd guinea pigs on sticks :icon_drool2:


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## Golani51

I was actually I was serious. I don't want some mutant chowing down on my hops and killing them. I'll let the wife do it instead.


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## kelbygreen

lol you never seen a witcherty grub?? they are like dirt filled mucus things lovely to eat 

I think they eat rotting matter and dirt like worms so I cant see them being a problem to the hops


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## nifty

Golani51 said:


> I was actually I was serious. I don't want some mutant chowing down on my hops and killing them. I'll let the wife do it instead.



Witchetty grubs are a lot bigger, the grubs in the photo look a lot like these critters - 

lawn curl grubs

I have a jillion of them in my compost, i dig them out and feed them to the chooks.

cheers

nifty


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## Golani51

nifty said:


> Witchetty grubs are a lot bigger, the grubs in the photo look a lot like these critters -
> 
> lawn curl grubs
> 
> I have a jillion of them in my compost, i dig them out and feed them to the chooks.
> 
> cheers
> 
> nifty



That is it!! Little Fruckers. The chooks did enjoy it. As long as they stay eating roots and not the hops I care not. Of course, I didn't really have any grass there in the first place.


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## Wolfy

Golani51 said:


> Do additional rhizomes for splitting come off the main crown or do they appear somewhere else along the root system?


Yes, typically rhizomes are 'shoots' or 'suckers' that spread from the main crown away from the root-ball, they will be easily identifiable as they are thick and have nodes every few inches along the length.


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## capsicum

Albainian said:


> they look like nice planters..about 1m cubed?
> 
> I could probably whip up something like that cheaper than buying a half wine barrel and would hold more soil. might have a crack this weekend!
> 
> Do you have any designs for stringing up the bines? I would really love to see peoples ideas for a self supporting/ free standing structure that allows hops to grow high in a suburban backyard.



I have a sort of teepee looking arrangement. I got a 5 or 6 m length of galvanised square section from Stratco or something like that and put some screw in eyelets around the top. Ropes go up from where the rhizomes are planted to the top, through the eyelet and then down to a tie-off point so I can hopefully lower the bines for harvesting (or yank them down).

The centre post just slips over a looong star picket bashed deep into the ground and sits on some bricks to keep it off the ground. Pretty stable once it's guyed with the hop ropes, we'll see how it goes before I concrete it in.

No sprouts yet though


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## hoppy2B

Golani51 said:


> I was looking this afternoon at splitting my magnum (I think it is anyway!) and started to clear away the dirt. Loads of spidery roots spreading very close/above the surface. A couple 15mm thick roots coming off it too. The soil is pretty crappy so I dug a big hole before putting the rhizome in 2 years ago. Filled it with a mix of potting mix, guinea pig droppings and straw etc and it came up really nicely. Didn't find any rhizome though apart from the crown which has grown large and is producing many bines. Do additional rhizomes for splitting come off the main crown or do they appear somewhere else along the root system?
> 
> 
> Also, I managed to pull up some sort of grub. WTF?!?
> Anyone know what it is?View attachment 56189




They're dung beetles. Should be good for the ecology. Chooks do love them.
They can be a bit of a nuisance to crops. They get into potatoes and onions. 
You would have to dig up your whole hop plant to check over it. I wouldn't worry about it. Not much you can do really is there, except maybe do a Doc Smurto, (pile manure around your hops), and perhaps they will be distracted with the manure and feed on it instead.


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## domfergo

They look alot like what i would call a wood grub.

When i was back down south we use to go out to a mates property and look for some fresh saw dust piles on the trees, especially the willows along waterlines...

you would then either split the wood or if you foind a heap in a big section of a tree cut the whole lot out and save them for spliting later.

They are the best Murray Cod bait you can get! Personaly i think better then yabbies

Best thing is you can chuck them in an ice cream container with some wood shavings or even cardboard and they will stay live for a long time!


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## jyo

Continuing with the larvae discussion- We used to eat all sorts of things with the old man as kids- rabbits, kangaroos, witchetty grubs, native plants...I know what a witchetty grub looks and tastes like (nutty pork crackle if done in some oil until crispy) and the above little buggers are NOT witchetty grubs...

Anyway, we were out getting wood when we were kids one day and we found a heap of the above grubs in an old log. We left them because we knew they weren't the right ones....My Pop was a stubborn bugger and to 'prove' to us that it was a witchetty grub he ate one raw...

He ended up with that black shit at the end of it's tail all down his lips and chin and tried not to dry retch as he downed it...suffice to say, he didn't have another!


----------



## Yob

hoppy2B said:


> They're dung beetles.



What a load of bollox... it's a effing grub....

Dung Beetle

<_<


----------



## hoppy2B

iamozziyob said:


> What a load of bollox... it's a effing grub....
> 
> Dung Beetle
> 
> <_<



:unsure: Ummm... perhaps you need to use your imagination.  


:lol: Hihi, you crack me up I swears Yob. Actually they had a feature on Landline the tv program a couple of years ago. They're the pre-beetle stage of the dung beetle if I'm not mistaken. I didn't know what they were either till I saw them on Landline. 
Australia has a number of native species and a government fellow from some department imported a number of species as well. The native species feed on pellet type manures from native animals and the imported ones were brought in for stuff like cow manure which you would probably be aware comes in large pats.
I'm always digging them up on my patch. It wouldn't surprise me if there is a wood burrowing variety. After all they like potatoes so its not just dung they eat.


----------



## hoppy2B

You will find pictures if you use the word 'larvae'. :icon_cheers:


----------



## Yob

hoppy2B said:


> You will find pictures if you use the word 'larvae'. :icon_cheers:



I think you will find I already had...





note the distinct differences..




image from the link previously discussed

<_<


----------



## Liam_snorkel

iamozziyob said:


> I think you will find I already had...
> 
> View attachment 56228
> 
> 
> note the distinct differences..
> 
> View attachment 56227
> 
> 
> image from the link previously discussed


fxt


----------



## 1974Alby

capsicum said:


> I have a sort of teepee looking arrangement. I got a 5 or 6 m length of galvanised square section from Stratco or something like that and put some screw in eyelets around the top. Ropes go up from where the rhizomes are planted to the top, through the eyelet and then down to a tie-off point so I can hopefully lower the bines for harvesting (or yank them down).
> 
> The centre post just slips over a looong star picket bashed deep into the ground and sits on some bricks to keep it off the ground. Pretty stable once it's guyed with the hop ropes, we'll see how it goes before I concrete it in.
> 
> No sprouts yet though




that sounds good...what diameter was the square section? must be fairly large to slip over a star picket!! I had something similar in mind..a very narrow but very tall pole/rod/post but wasnt too sure of a simple way to secure it upright, but this sounds good!..how long is your starpicket? and what depth is it buried to?...at a height of 5m+ I imagine the star picket must be in the ground at least a metre, and above the ground even further?? do you have any pics?...do you really need to concrete it in???


----------



## tipsy

Look like Cockchafers to me

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockchafer


----------



## hoppy2B

tipsy said:


> Look like Cockchafers to me
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockchafer




In the above reference there is a statement which reads, 

"All of these are Scarabaeidae, have white grubs, and are turf pests."

Some of you might recall from your history education mention of the Scarab or Egyptian dung beetle. As mentioned previously there are numerous species of dung beetle. 
I don't know what Yob is going on about, they look like one and the same to me or very similar at least. There is a number of different grubs pictured under Dung Beetle larvae that I found. :icon_cheers:


----------



## Yob




----------



## hoppy2B

Albainian said:


> Do you have any designs for stringing up the bines? I would really love to see peoples ideas for a self supporting/ free standing structure that allows hops to grow high in a suburban backyard.




I had several horizontal wires about 2 metres off the ground. My vertical strings upon which the hops climbed fanned out from the ground around the hop crown to the horizontal wires and then up to the top of one of my posts. (I have 4 post in a rectangular configuration. 
When you tie bits of string up to your horizontal wires it tends to pull down on the wires and earlier strings you attached become loose. The loose hop bines flap around in the wind and sustain damage. By taking the strings up to the top of the post it maintains strain on your lines and keeps them tight.


----------



## Yob

jayahhdee said:


> I would also love to see pics of what everyone else does, I'm setting up a couple of pines posts this weekend and am still working out exactly how i'm doing it.



there were alot of ideas in last years thread, I love what BARLS did in a suburban environment.. Lots of other good iseas and photos in there is you feel like having a trawl though it.


----------



## Filfy

Gonna go a grab some potting mix for mine tomorrow. Time to pot them up methinks!!?,


----------



## jayahhdee

Planning to get mine in pots tomorrow as well, still haven't got my trellis up but that can wait another month or so I guess, off to the big green shed to get bags of potting mix.


----------



## hoppy2B

jayahhdee said:


> Planning to get mine in pots tomorrow as well, still haven't got my trellis up but that can wait another month or so I guess, off to the big green shed to get bags of potting mix.




I'm putting up some fencing mesh this year because its a lot easier than mucking around with strings and it should stop the plants getting blown around and damaged as much. There are some good pics on last year's thread of plants grown on mesh. I would recommend it to anyone growing hops that are planning to hand pick.


----------



## Golani51

most of mine are now sprouting bines. They are only several incheslong poking out of the fairly shallow 'grave' but they have grown over the last several days.........despite getting dug out by a carring wife and kids last week.


----------



## Yob

hoppy2B said:


> I'm putting up some fencing mesh this year because its a lot easier than mucking around with strings and it should stop the plants getting blown around and damaged as much. There are some good pics on last year's thread of plants grown on mesh. I would recommend it to anyone growing hops that are planning to hand pick.



didnt you say that a lille way back?

echo... echo... echo...

do you need to be heard that much that it needs double posting?  

...sorry...


----------



## Batz

Well I prepared five areas today, I'll plant out the hops in the morning. It's all peracuture hops here.

batz


----------



## ratchie

Batz said:


> Well I prepared five areas today, I'll plant out the hops in the morning. It's all peracuture hops here.
> 
> batz



If you need any cascade ,chinook,golding, rhizomes I have quite a few if you are passing by.


----------



## hoppy2B

iamozziyob said:


> didnt you say that a lille way back?
> 
> echo... echo... echo...
> 
> do you need to be heard that much that it needs double posting?
> 
> ...sorry...




 Doesn't hurt to remind people. There's a few things I've read on here that didn't really sink in the first time.


----------



## drsmurto

A reminder of my trellis setup as an FYI (and just to make people jealous B) )


----------



## Yob

gives me the horn that does :lol: 

better make sure those piccies have a copyright on them Doc


----------



## Weizguy

I have my rhizome supplies sorted (mostly), and a reasonable variety (Chinook, Cascade, Perle, Hersbucker, Mt Hood).
On the weekend, I bought a couple of metres of organic soil; "super soil", according to the supplier, containing added mushroom compost. I have purchased some 2.4m long TP (treated pine) sleepers, and cut them in halves and joined them to make some squares.

I dug up and loosened the soil/clay/gravel about 30 cm below each square and filled the frame with the "super soil".
Will be adding trellis/frame for bine support, and may need to add more squares too. One side of the trellis will be the power pole beside my driveway.

Also plan to set up an irrigation system so the hops don't dry out on me and lose growth capacity/yield.

Photos to come. I took some snaps on my phone, but have a much better camera at home.











Les the Bines-guy


----------



## punkin

Putting my first rhizomes in and pole up this week.

I have two varieties that i'll be putting in a couple of large open ended pieces of plastic pipe. I will have a post in between them with a spread of four strings going up either side to the post.

Bought a length of 75 x 50 x 2 RHS and cut it at 4.3m. Bought a metre of 65 x 35 x 4 mm rhs and will concrete it 700mm into the ground.

Couple of rings welded to the top of the long piece and i will stand it up and slip it over the 300mm of smaller rhs sticking out of the ground. This will allow me to lower it again if i ever need to without having to put complex hinging systems in.

I was planning to use blue/yellow telstra type parramatta rope. Does anyone know if this is suitable for the bines to cling to?

I'll take some pics as i go. Hopefully it will help someone else.


----------



## Wolfy

punkin said:


> I was planning to use blue/yellow telstra type parramatta rope. Does anyone know if this is suitable for the bines to cling to?


That's likely very similar rope to what I used last year, and it worked fine - the rope did fray a little at the top by the end of the season though (and one broke), but it's likely my arrangement (throwing the rope over a top wire) will be different to yours.


----------



## Filfy

Ended up planting mine today. Built a 6mt high t-trellis on tuesday and mounded up dirt then dug the holes. Rhizomes already had a few little starter nodes on them, so hopefully they take off, and frost doesn't get them


----------



## hoppy2B

Filfy said:


> Ended up planting mine today. Built a 6mt high t-trellis on tuesday and mounded up dirt then dug the holes. Rhizomes already had a few little starter nodes on them, so hopefully they take off, and frost doesn't get them




:blink: 6m Filfy? Nice height. Have you considered hanging a 4ft wide length of ringlock fencing vertically from it? 

That's something I have often contemplated.


----------



## samward

Filfy said:


> Ended up planting mine today. Built a 6mt high t-trellis on tuesday and mounded up dirt then dug the holes. Rhizomes already had a few little starter nodes on them, so hopefully they take off, and frost doesn't get them



Sweet. :icon_chickcheers: 

Out of interest, how do you plan on harvesting them?? Any photo's???


----------



## Yob

hoppy2B said:


> That's something I have often contemplated.



And posted... <_< 

Why do you advise such things you have never tried?

You are, I say, one of AHB's most prolific theorists.

Results not theory please.


----------



## Weizguy

I have a power pole on one end of my line of bines. I will attempt to build a trellis with a cross-piece to support the ropes at each end and a tall tipi structure to support the T-piece at that end. Multiple strings to dangle from the support wires.

Maybe a picture will explain better?


----------



## jayahhdee

When you say you have a power pole, is it on your property? and more so do you have the right to attach things too it? Hate to bring a negative vibe to what you are doing but the responsible authority for the pole might not be too keen on you making modifications to their pole.


----------



## Liam_snorkel

it's between two hop beds on his diagram so I'd assume it's on the property.


----------



## Weizguy

jayahhdee said:


> When you say you have a power pole, is it on your property? and more so do you have the right to attach things too it? Hate to bring a negative vibe to what you are doing but the responsible authority for the pole might not be too keen on you making modifications to their pole.


I paid for the 2 power poles on my land and they belong to me. I will not be making any non-reversible changes to said pole.

I will not be able to reach the power lines with my ladder, but I can reach high enough to attach a support for my trellis.

If the electrickery mob want to dispute my use of my property, I suggest they might be needing some legal representation.


----------



## Filfy

Just ended up using baling twine for mine. Harvest will involve extension ladder and cutting of the twine. Hopefully there's a few worth harvesting.
Did see the ring lock fencing idea after I'd put mine up, will do that next year.


----------



## Wolfy

Les the Weizguy said:


> I paid for the 2 power poles on my land and they belong to me. I will not be making any non-reversible changes to said pole.
> 
> I will not be able to reach the power lines with my ladder, but I can reach high enough to attach a support for my trellis.
> 
> If the electrickery mob want to dispute my use of my property, I suggest they might be needing some legal representation.


Don't be overly surprised when the hops grow all the way to the top of your trellis and then up onto the power line (assuming the power pole has wire ontop of it).

If the pole has electricity wires on the top and is used to transmit electricity (to your house) don't be overly surprised if there is government legislation meaning that the 'electrickery mob' can tell you exactly what to do and not to do with the power pole, even if it's on private property and you paid for it - just like they tell you what you can and can't do inside the house when wiring power points, lights and the like.


----------



## [email protected]PMF82

Wolfy said:


> Don't be overly surprised when the hops grow all the way to the top of your trellis and then up onto the power line (assuming the power pole has wire ontop of it).
> 
> If the pole has electricity wires on the top and is used to transmit electricity (to your house) don't be overly surprised if there is government legislation meaning that the 'electrickery mob' can tell you exactly what to do and not to do with the power pole, even if it's on private property and you paid for it - just like they tell you what you can and can't do inside the house when wiring power points, lights and the like.



+ 1 on that.

I dont know what they are like in NSW, but around these parts they are quite strict on vegetation and any obstructions around power poles and lines. 
I have 5 poles going through the property and having seen how hops grow last year for the first time i would not be putting them within buggery of power lines / poles.


----------



## Batz

ratchie said:


> If you need any cascade ,chinook,golding, rhizomes I have quite a few if you are passing by.




Cheers ratchie, I have cascade, goldings, mt hood, victoria and cluster this year. I think I'll see how they go.


----------



## Batz

Les the Weizguy said:


> I have my rhizome supplies sorted (mostly), and a reasonable variety (Chinook, Cascade, Perle, Hersbucker, Mt Hood).
> On the weekend, I bought a couple of metres of organic soil; "super soil", according to the supplier, containing added mushroom compost. I have purchased some 2.4m long TP (treated pine) sleepers, and cut them in halves and joined them to make some squares.
> 
> I dug up and loosened the soil/clay/gravel about 30 cm below each square and filled the frame with the "super soil".
> Will be adding trellis/frame for bine support, and may need to add more squares too. One side of the trellis will be the power pole beside my driveway.
> 
> Also plan to set up an irrigation system so the hops don't dry out on me and lose growth capacity/yield.
> 
> Photos to come. I took some snaps on my phone, but have a much better camera at home.
> 
> 
> 
> Les the Bines-guy




Looking good Les,
You can't go wrong with mushie compost, we buy it for $50.00 per tonne and use _tonnes_ of it in all our veggie gardens. Bonus is you get great mushrooms for the first few weeks as well.

Perhaps too late now but it a good idea to place plastic in your garden beds, treaded pine is treated with arsenic and it will leach into your soil.


----------



## hoppy2B

iamozziyob said:


> And posted... <_<
> 
> Why do you advise such things you have never tried?
> 
> You are, I say, one of AHB's most prolific theorists.
> 
> Results not theory please.




Well Yob, going on your logic, you shouldn't be posting on this thread at all. You have, as far as I'm aware, absolutely no results to show for your hop growing efforts.


----------



## Yob

How wrong how often..

Go back to brewing with green grain


----------



## felten

Get a room you two!


----------



## hoppy2B

iamozziyob said:


> Go back to brewing with green grain




Peas :icon_drunk:


----------



## punkin

I started a new thread for my trellis so it wouldn't get lost in here and may be able to help someone searching for ideas like i was.

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...mp;#entry943365


----------



## Filfy

Here's my rough and ready trellis. Made from 90 x 45 hardwood and bolted all together. Hopefully it's strong enough :unsure:


----------



## kalbarluke

Filfy, out of curiosity how deep (roughly) is the trellis in the ground?


----------



## Filfy

Dug a hole 1mt deep. Trellis is supported each side with star pegs and tek screwed.


----------



## Batz

Filfy said:


> Here's my rough and ready trellis. Made from 90 x 45 hardwood and bolted all together. Hopefully it's strong enough :unsure:




Looks good but a row of five of them on my hill would feak the locals.


----------



## Wolfy

Batz said:


> Looks good but a row of five of them on my hill would feak the locals.


Even more-so if you make rectangular beds under the 'crosses' with compost/mulch ontop:


----------



## Golani51

Beer4U said:


> + 1 on that.
> 
> I dont know what they are like in NSW, but around these parts they are quite strict on vegetation and any obstructions around power poles and lines.
> I have 5 poles going through the property and having seen how hops grow last year for the first time i would not be putting them within buggery of power lines / poles.



Considering that the trees on the side of road grow onto , through and around power lines, I think they would have to have a very good excuse for making a complaint. How is it any different?


----------



## hoppy2B

:blink: Nice set up Filfy.

Was just thinking during today that I Wolfy has a nice set up. :icon_cheers: 

What can you say about Smurto's trellis, hey? The guy's a genius, Mr. super practical. :lol: 

I better get cracking on something for this year. All I have is last years set up of 4 tree trunks, some barbed wire and some baling twine. :unsure:


----------



## hoppy2B

punkin said:


> I started a new thread for my trellis so it wouldn't get lost in here and may be able to help someone searching for ideas like i was.
> 
> http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...mp;#entry943365




Yeah that's very neat mate. I think 'Malted' has a similar single pole setup with a ring through lowering system. He grows some nice hops on his too, so they do work well. I was looking through last year's thread a few weeks ago and admiring his Cascades. 
Good luck with yours.


----------



## going down a hill

Reading this thread got my act into gear last weekend, I had to move one of my planter boxes because the two of them were too close to each other. The root system for my rhizomes that are now one year old are impressive, it looked like some sort of alien. The chinook has at least 20 shoots ready to go for this year and the golding which i did not dig up had four new shoots poking up, both got some new dirt and some pea straw for the rest of winter treatment.


----------



## stevemc32

I planted my hops rhizomes a couple of weeks ago and these things are the first to show.







I've not grown hops before but these don't look like the ones I've seen on the thread so I'm assuming they are some sort of weed. If anyone can confirm for me that these are not hops I'll get them out of the way and await the real thing.

Thanks for your help.


----------



## stef

Looks like a pea to me, probably from the mulch/pea straw.


----------



## barls

second that, not a hop. it has tendrils rather than bines


----------



## hoppy2B

Peas add nitrogen, so you could let them grow and then mulch them.


----------



## hoppy2B

Peas :icon_drunk:


----------



## Liam_snorkel

You could brew an I-pea-A. 


h34r:


----------



## stevemc32

Thanks guys, they'll be removed, I hate peas!


----------



## Golani51

stevemc32 said:


> Thanks guys, they'll be removed, I hate peas!



I would leave them in. As Hoppy mentioned, they add much needed nitrogen to the soil and this are oftern rotated in fields for just that reason. Can pull them and just add fertiliser but if it is free and natural, may as well just leave them.


----------



## Dave70

Liam_snorkel said:


> You could brew an I-pea-A.
> 
> 
> h34r:










In my case, I drove four self tappers about five meter's up the trunk of a mighty ironbark in the back yard. 

Should look quite ornamental once the once the Chinook - erm - take off...


----------



## newguy

This year's crop. All are starting to form cones.


----------



## Dave70

^^Dude, does your street begin in Mexico or something?


----------



## Filfy

He's in Canada..........


----------



## felten

They have really long streets in Canada.


----------



## newguy

Are you referring to the 5 digit house number? First 3 are the street number....140th street.


----------



## jayahhdee

... it was more entertaining thinking that you street went from Tijuana to Vancouver.


----------



## adryargument

All your hops seem to enjoy the nice cold earth - mine seem to be trying to escape - they refuse to stay underground.
Last season they developed a bit of bulk on top, and over the winter they have really spent only a week or two covered.
I cover them with a layer of dirt every now and again, however it washes off as soon as rain hits.

This is happening to 4/7 of my 2nd year plants.

They seem to be doing ok... No sign of frost-death...

Goldings





Hallertau


----------



## Golani51

that is a rediculous number of shoots.


----------



## adryargument

Golani51 said:


> that is a rediculous number of shoots.



Indeed, the second image has between 15-20 already 1cm long or larger.
Checked this morning and there's baby leaves already forming on 2-3 of them.


----------



## Yob

must... plant... out.. the... Victoria... that's _STILL_ sitting in the crisper..

Cascade has poked it's first Bine through...


----------



## hoppy2B

iamozziyob said:


> must... plant... out.. the... Victoria... that's _STILL_ sitting in the crisper..
> 
> Cascade has poked it's first Bine through...
> 
> View attachment 56576




OH YEAH.

Could have put them, or in this case it, into a pot with some coir when you received it and just put a bit of liquid manure on it now and again mozzi. That's what I do. I don't see the point to putting them in the fridge. Up to you of course.


----------



## hbnath

Just moving to the country for a year or so. Moved my neglected first year plant/s that are in a pot...or tried to! The roots had busted out the bottom of the pot and are the size of your finger!!! Took a bit to yank it out of the ground.

Looking forward to getting them in the ground and not a pot as they have started going mad with sprouts and both plants are still going (thought one had died) and setting up some decent trellis. 

Sure I can beat the four cones I had from last years plant that was grown from a cutting.


----------



## jakub76

newguy said:


> This year's crop. All are starting to form cones.
> 
> View attachment 56405
> 
> 
> View attachment 56406
> 
> 
> View attachment 56407



the 'A' in AHB is for Aussie - not Alberta. Don't brag just because your grow-op comes in 6 months early(or late).

How's about mowing your lawn, eh hippy?!?


----------



## Aydos

jakub76 said:


> the 'A' in AHB is for Aussie - not Alberta. Don't brag just because your grow-op comes in 6 months early(or late).
> 
> How's about mowing your lawn, eh hippy?!?




Your one to talk, your in Poland!

Just as far away from Aus as Canada.....


----------



## newguy

jakub76 said:


> How's about mowing your lawn, eh hippy?!?



I know. I fertilised the lawn this spring and then it started to rain......every damn day. The day I took those pictures was just after it had stopped raining but the lawn was too soggy to mow.


----------



## Yob

newguy said:


> I know. I fertilised the lawn this spring and then it started to rain......every damn day. The day I took those pictures was just after it had stopped raining but the lawn was too soggy to mow.



How many variety's do you have mate?


----------



## newguy

I have centennial (2), sterling, fuggle, hallertauer, mt. hood, golding, willamette, and cascade.


----------



## Filfy

Mine are getting a nice coverage of mulch either today or tomorrow, followed by copious amounts of a nitrogen based fert.


----------



## Yob

Finally got off my arse today to dig a hole.. transplanted a potted Cascade that I got last year, 










Now growing, 1 Cadcade, 3 Chinook, 1 EKG, 2 Victory (potted) 1 POR (potted) and 1 Tett (Potted).

Hot diggity the backyard is gunna look good... I hope..

Ed: Sorry cant seem to get rid of that extra photo :blink:


----------



## HBHB

One on Dr Smurto's pups at 2 weeks in the ground.

Saw no further signs of activity from the other one so gave it a lift to find a new shoot about 60cm long that had run underground across the barrel and was starting to emerge.


----------



## hoppy2B

If you are unable to get 2 kilos of wet hops off the Cascade you transplanted today mozzi you're as weak as water. :lol:


----------



## thebeemann

Thanx to Hoppy and Ratchie i now have 3 trellises to build for my first ever try at growing hops , Cluster , Por and hallertua cant wait. :kooi:


----------



## hoppy2B

Good luck with that Beeman. Lots of liquid manure worked wonders for me last year. :beer: 
Good luck to you too mozzi. I only intended the above comment as a bit of motivation, don't take it too serious.


----------



## paulhill

hey there boys 

imm still looking for a cascade rhizomes if anyone has some


----------



## thebeemann

hoppy2B said:


> Good luck with that Beeman. Lots of liquid manure worked wonders for me last year. :beer:
> Good luck to you too mozzi. I only intended the above comment as a bit of motivation, don't take it too serious.




Cheers mate was going to start today , i have a couple of days off but we are in the middle of the biggest storm we have had all year lol best laid plans and all that ..... yesterday was 19 and sunny :angry: 

would 8ft be high enough for the first year ? will get more funds next season for a better trellis apparently SWMBO thinks i have spent enough on hobbies for the time being


----------



## Yob

thebeemann said:


> would 8ft be high enough for the first year ?



you could try TIPPING THEM if you find that growth is going out of control and you have nowhere for them to go.

Last season my First year EKG only had one bine but it grew about 7-8 meters in total, I will be tipping it/them this year.

Yob


----------



## BPH87

is it too late to plant hops?

Cheers Ben


----------



## BPH87

is it too late to plant hops?

Cheers Ben


----------



## Liam_snorkel

nope.


----------



## BPH87

Sweet, now just need to find some Rhizomes!


----------



## hoppy2B

8ft should be enough for the Cluster as it doesn't grow much beyond that height especially in its first season Beemann. POR should crack at least 4 metres unrestricted. 
Tipping as mozzi has suggested may work, but if done to early the plant will just grow a new leader shoot.
Did you prune your Golding and only leave one bine mozziyob? :huh: My plants all had millions of shoots.


----------



## Golani51

paulhill said:


> hey there boys
> 
> imm still looking for a cascade rhizomes if anyone has some




PM sent


----------



## Golani51

My bloody chickens!!!!!

I put up a 1.3m chook wire fence to keep them off the hops and one managed to get over and dug up *8* pots. Thanksfully the tags and rhizomes stayed in the pots.....and it left a bloody egg in one too. This morningI put them all together and covered the entire thing with chicken wire like a blanket. Las time before I turn it into soup. At least the soil is aerated now


----------



## Malted

hoppy2B said:


> 8ft should be enough for the Cluster as it doesn't grow much beyond that height especially in its first season Beemann. POR should crack at least 4 metres unrestricted.
> Tipping as mozzi has suggested may work, but if done to early the plant will just grow a new leader shoot.



8ft? In a pot maybe, in the ground I am skeptical of this being an accurate maximum.

Tipping them sounds like fun.


----------



## thebeemann

Major sucking up to SWMBO coming up @ Malted those flag pole trellises of yours look yhe go.


----------



## Malted

thebeemann said:


> Malted those flag pole trellises of yours look yhe go.


They worked ok for me: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...st&p=875725


----------



## hoppy2B

Malted said:


> 8ft? In a pot maybe, in the ground I am skeptical of this being an accurate maximum.
> 
> Tipping them sounds like fun.
> View attachment 56641




Yeah they were in the ground Malted. I've read on some sites that Cluster is a tall variety, but I do recall reading somewhere also that it doesn't really grow over 3 metres much. The one Beemann obtained from me under the name Cluster is only fairly short growing.


----------



## Malted

hoppy2B said:


> Yeah they were in the ground Malted. I've read on some sites that Cluster is a tall variety, but I do recall reading somewhere also that it doesn't really grow over 3 metres much. The one Beemann obtained from me under the name Cluster is only fairly short growing.


I see. So you have read that it is tall and short. You think yours is a short variety. How many plants and how long have you been growing them to make this conclusion? 
So your advice is, if it grows to 3m then you reccommend a trellis 8 feet in height?


----------



## Yob

Malted said:


> Tipping them sounds like fun.



Really looking forward to running some experiments with this in the coming season.. Im going to let some bines run and tip others so should be able to get some comparison from the same plants that I apply it to.

It certainly worked well on some cousins some years back  

:icon_cheers:


----------



## Wolfy

Cluster is commercially known to have a "Vigorous but manageable" growing habit, I very much doubt that a home-grown variety has essentially 'hybridized' to grow to only 3m. If the plant is planted in the ground, well maintained (water/food/soil etc) and given adequate room to grow, I'd find it highly improbable that it would stop growing at only 3m tall (on a rope/trellis/wire that went straight up).
In all seriousness if it has, 'compact' or 'low growing' hops are all the rage in the UK, so you could probably make significant money by selling it to the Poms either to use or for their breeding stock.


----------



## hoppy2B

Some of you may remember my Cluster hop pic from last season earlier this year. It didn't grow bines any longer than 2.5 metres. I expect it will probably get to 3 metres next year.
Nice hop actually, as it has loads of aroma and lots of tropical fruit flavour with low levels of bitterness. Citrus tends to dominate, with the flavour tending to passion fruit depending on how sweet the brew is. Grapefruit comes through with more IBU as you would expect with any citrus flavoured hop.


----------



## Malted

Some of you may remember my Williamette hop pic from last season earlier this year. The Williamette is pictured 2nd from the right, or 3rd from the left, it is the smallest one. It is the first year I have grown this variety which must be a dwarf variety because it didn't grow bines any longer than 1.5 metres. I expect it will probably get to 2 metres next year. You will only need a trellis 6 1/2 feet high for Wialliamette. 

.


----------



## hoppy2B

Malted said:


> Some of you may remember my Williamette hop pic from last season earlier this year. The Williamette is pictured 2nd from the right, or 3rd from the left, it is the smallest one. It is the first year I have grown this variety which must be a dwarf variety because it didn't grow bines any longer than 1.5 metres. I expect it will probably get to 2 metres next year. You will only need a trellis 6 1/2 feet high for Wialliamette.
> View attachment 56651
> .




LOL that sounds pretty funny Malted. I don't know if you're trying to make a joke there. :lol: 

I also had a hop that did similar to your Willamette. I aquired it from ebay under the name Tettnang. I have since learned that our Tettnang in oz is actually the same as Fuggle, so that is what I call it now, Fuggle. 
I haven't made any presumptions about how tall it will grow this season. It was the biggest rhizome I planted last year in my first season of hop growing and like your Willamette only got to 1.5 metre.
Reading up on hops last week I notice that in the US where they grow Fuggle they don't train it in the first year.
With my Cluster I planted 2 of them and they did exactly the same thing so it wasn't a 1 off. :mellow:


----------



## Malted

LOL that sounds pretty funny hoppy2B. I don't know if you're trying to make a joke there. :lol: 

I also had a hop that did similar to your Tettnanger. I aquired it from ebay under the name Chinook. I have since learned that our Chinook in oz is actually the same as Motueka, so that is what I call it now, Motueka. 
I haven't made any presumptions about how tall it will grow this season. It was the biggest rhizome I planted last year in my third season of hop growing and like your PooR only got to 6.5 metres.
Reading up on beards last week I notice that in the US where they grow facial hair they don't train it in the first year.
With my Motueka I planted 6 of them and they did exactly the same thing so it wasn't a 1 off. :mellow:


----------



## luke_j

Uh oh, I may have accidentally been doing nangs again.


----------



## Malted

luke_j said:


> Uh oh, I may have accidentally been doing nangs again.




You're not alone. Bribie G and Tony love it: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...=64385&st=0


----------



## Dave70

Malted said:


> View attachment 56651
> .










It cant really just be me who's seeing this, can it?


My Chinook just poked its head up. Looks prehistoric. Like asparagus with a green tuft of foliage.


----------



## Malted

Dave70 said:


> It cant really just be me who's seeing this, can it?


  
Yeah Dave I am tall but not that tall. It's a waste of time having a flagpole arrangement to hoist them up and down for harvesting, ladders are so much more fun. It suits me but your results may vary...


----------



## Dave70

Malted said:


> Yeah Dave I am tall but not that tall. It's a waste of time having a flagpole arrangement to hoist them up and down for harvesting, ladders are so much more fun. It suits me but your results may vary...




In that case, it is just me. No surprise there. I meant the hops looked like a man in green trousers on stilts.. 

Be that as it may, I screwed 4 self tappers into an Ironbark in the backyard at 5m up. Its going to look great I reckon. 

I heard somewhere your better of letting them die back naturally (as opposed to cutting them off straight away) after harvest to let all the goodness return into the roots, hence growing them vertically rather than along the fence. 

Sound like bullshit?


----------



## stevemc32

I saw your tall man there Dave but was too busy chuckling at the Malted/hoppy/iamozziyob fun and games to bother replying.  

And if anyone is interested I've still only got bloody peas coming up in my so called hop plantations...


----------



## hoppy2B

luke_j said:


> Uh oh, I may have accidentally been doing nangs again.




Malted is the only one doing nangs. <_<


----------



## rotten

Dave70 said:


> I heard somewhere your better of letting them die back naturally (as opposed to cutting them off straight away) after harvest to let all the goodness return into the roots,
> Sound like bullshit?




I don't think it sounds like bullshit. Most crops will put some nutrient back into the roots-bulb-rhizome before dropping the leaf or dieing back. Once leaf is gone I wouldn't hesitate to prune.

Disclaimer: not a hop grower here really, just using my basic knowledge of plants


----------



## Liam_snorkel

I trimmed one of my 1st year plants back last year quite close to the ground and a few weeks earlier than the others, and it fecking died.


----------



## adryargument

Dave70 said:


> I heard somewhere your better of letting them die back naturally (as opposed to cutting them off straight away) after harvest to let all the goodness return into the roots, hence growing them vertically rather than along the fence.
> 
> Sound like bullshit?



That's what I did - might also have been the cause to why my bulbs are above ground.


----------



## beerdrinkingbob

Dave70 said:


> I meant the hops looked like a man in green trousers on stilts..


the one on the right does..... very freaky stuff!!


----------



## Yob

I got an _*evil*_ fuggles rhizome today and thought I should do it justice.




Alien anyone?




:super: 




Area selected




Puff.. puff..




soil revitalised 




Home


----------



## Yob

Spent a little bit of time last night increasing my Line Yardage, its always been difficult to get a good angle to show the Hop Yard but I found that from the roof of the brewery is not so bad. 





The good thing about the setup now is that the Pole is tied in both directions so should go some way to evening the load on it.. not that it is a real issue... I welded that bad boy real nice like.

:beerbang:


----------



## DU99

google maps shows overhead shots


----------



## Malted

hoppy2B said:


> Malted is the only one doing nangs. <_<



Gotta say I totally agree with this. I so don't know how I didn't see Dave's green man on stilts in my hop garden. :unsure: 
After a couple of drinks the other night it was then plain as day. Remarkable likeness Dave, well done. :lol:


----------



## Filfy

Well mine have managed to shoot out of the ground now. Popped up about an inch overnight, still in frost season down this way, so I've now covered them in about 50mm of pea straw, to hopefully keep things warmer.


----------



## newguy

Filfy said:


> Well mine have managed to shoot out of the ground now. Popped up about an inch overnight, still in frost season down this way, so I've now covered them in about 50mm of pea straw, to hopefully keep things warmer.



Completely unnecessary. Every year since I planted mine, there has been a week or so of snow, and daytime highs of -10C *after* they've sprouted. They didn't even change colour let alone die or die back. They're very tough plants.


----------



## mckenry

Still nothing here in tropical Bowral.
Not worried yet, unless someone knows what might have happened and if it's bad?

Years 1 & 2 - Cascade and Chinook - both planted next to fences and run in a zig-zag pattern. Plenty of cones produced by both plants
Year 3 - Transplanted to a sunnier and less obvious spot. Didnt make a very good trellis at all, as I was going O/S for a month, and time was too tight. Both plants grew, but produced no cones. The plants blew about in the wind, and the soil is a bit harder and drier.
Year 4 - Waiting for some action...

Any thoughts?


----------



## Weizguy

I planted about 6 rhizomes yesterday after topping off the soil in my planter squares. Took a bit of water to get the soil moist.

Planted the Cascade, 2 X Chinook (I think one was mushy and will not grow), 2 X Mt Hood, and one Hersbrucker. Will wait a little longer before the Perle and Hallertau go in.

One more planter square to saw, nail and install. Then dig up the gravel on the edge of the driveway and add the new Super-Soil. Then the planting of my hops and some watering. Sounds simple. What can possibly go wrong??? We'll see.
Next...the trellis of Doom!

Thanks to those who created my hop stable and those who contributed to this thread.


----------



## Robbo2234

Well today I cracked it! 4 weeks in the ground and nothing...

I pulled back the mulch and slowly and carefully started to move the soil back I followed the rhizome in one direction nothing, going back the other way i noticed that its doubled in size and seems to come to the surface and at the end of that........







buggers were hiding in the mulch!!


----------



## pimpsqueak

Over 2 weeks I planted up 3 1/2 wine barrels with just over 350L of media.
Carefully planted a goldings, chinook and cascade rhizome (goldings 1st, the other 2 just yesterday)
Goldings popped its first shoot up on Sunday and I had done everything except cover the barrels in mesh for protecction (planned for this coming weekend.)
Came home today to tend/water etc to find that something, I assume Bush Turkey, has dug out each barrel, nearly to the bottom.
After about an hour of searching, I found one fucked rhizome with it's shoots snapped 99% off.

Waited a whole year to start this project and its thwarted less than a week from completion.

The wildlife that accesses the bottom of my section had better say its prayers.


----------



## Filfy

newguy said:


> Completely unnecessary.



thanks for the words of encouragement. Much appreciated.


----------



## Golani51

My chickens dug up my pots twice and the children did it once. They are still growing. You will be fine.


----------



## pimpsqueak

Golani51 said:


> My chickens dug up my pots twice and the children did it once. They are still growing. You will be fine.



Really? Even with no rhizome in the planters they will still grow? These things really are tenacious then!


----------



## Malted

pimpsqueak said:


> Really? Even with no rhizome in the planters they will still grow? These things really are tenacious then!



I think you mean, even with no shoots on the rhizome ATM. Bung them back in, cover them and if cared for, they will probably will shoot again. Give it a try.


----------



## pimpsqueak

Malted said:


> I think you mean, even with no shoots on the rhizome ATM. Bung them back in, cover them and if cared for, they will probably will shoot again. Give it a try.



Yeah, I have replanted the one that I found. Got some mesh over the planter, so I will wait and see.
Maybe the other 2 have ended up under some cover and will send up some shoots so I can find them :-|


----------



## Liam_snorkel

starting to see some action:











after last years bush turkey incident, the giant cat has been instructed to stand guard.


----------



## JoeF

Shit, I've been on holidays and just moved house and completely forgot to get mine in!

Must plant on the weekend!


----------



## hoppy2B

That looks like my neighbour's cat. I think it took one of my chickens a couple of weeks ago. I used to call to it, now I chase it away. :angry: 
Do you have your hops planted in boxes constructed of treated pine Liam? I think they recommend lining those because that stuff leaches arsenic. Oh well not to worry, should give a good hop buzz when you brew with them. :lol:


----------



## Liam_snorkel

haha yep, looking forward to it :blink: . 
Well, the hops are in the ground, there's just a 200x50 sleeper around the outside to contain the extra soil & mushy compost I've dumped on them. So hopefully it wont kill me.


----------



## Florian

I still had all my hops in smallish self watering pots over the last few years, so for now I have planted my second year Golding into the ground.
Had a good think of what sort of trellis to install and almost went with Malted's flag pole, but then realised that the trees in our and the neighbour's yard were just too perfect. 

So now there is a line in exactly 6m height



attached to it are 7 of these thingies for easy attachment of vertical growing lines.



There will be another variety going into the ground soon, about 4m apart, using the same trellis.


----------



## Florian

The horizontal line runs down two of the trees and is attached so it can be easily lowered to attach vertical strings to the hooks and for harvesting. 




also got three of those wobbly 60L 'pots' to take advantage of our north facing house wall.


----------



## adryargument

Florian said:


> attached to it are 7 of these thingies for easy attachment of vertical growing lines.
> View attachment 56795



Looks the goods,
Might see if i can source some of those.


----------



## hoppy2B

Liam_snorkel said:


> haha yep, looking forward to it :blink: .
> Well, the hops are in the ground, there's just a 200x50 sleeper around the outside to contain the extra soil & mushy compost I've dumped on them. So hopefully it wont kill me.



lol I think arsenic is what killed Phar Lap didn't it? They used to give it to horses as a tonic.
Probably not worth worrying about a little bit. Gets used in vineyards and so on. Maybe its actually good for you in small amounts! :lol:


----------



## Filfy

Unless they're old posts, I wouldn't worry. Arsenic got phased out years ago.


----------



## Florian

adryargument said:


> Looks the goods,
> Might see if i can source some of those.



12mm svivel NP $2.68 at Bunnings


----------



## felten

Florian said:


> 12mm svivel NP $2.68 at Bunnings


Cheers, I've been looking for something like this for this years hops.


----------



## adryargument

felten said:


> Cheers, I've been looking for something like this for this years hops.



Cheers, i daresay i will need alot of them soon - one of my goldings already has 28 bines...


----------



## hoppy2B

Don't count your bines before they are grown.


----------



## punkin

I planted my rhizomes a couple of weeks ago now and still nothing.

I think they may be dwarves


----------



## Malted

punkin said:


> I planted my rhizomes a couple of weeks ago now and still nothing.
> 
> I think they may be dwarves



If it is still asleep it might be the Snow White variety. Have you tried kissing it?


----------



## Filfy

Mine have poked their heads above the ground now. One would've grown an inch in today's spring sunshine I reckon!


----------



## hoppy2B

I had a tip of a Columbus I bought in this year starting to poke the surface in the last couple of weeks. I discovered today it was rotting on the end because it accidently got covered up when I watered it. I lifted it and planted it closer to the surface with a couple of shoots poking out. Hope it is going to be ok. :blink:


----------



## Batz

All mine but the Mt Hood are above the ground, I'm going to have a little dig tomorrow, I can't help it!


----------



## Yob

Batz said:


> I'm going to have a little dig tomorrow, I can't help it!



 I hear that.. I had a little dig today, confirmed that I should just have patience... and work out a way to stop the fking cat thinking it's a great spot of an arvo relax session <_<


----------



## booargy

iamozziyob said:


> I hear that.. I had a little dig today, confirmed that I should just have patience... and work out a way to stop the fking cat thinking it's a great spot of an arvo relax session <_<



mmmm cat with soy bbq and brown sugar and maybe a touch of garlic. braised in the camp oven. yum better than rabbit.


----------



## drsmurto

One of the residents of the street has an over sized rat (dog of some description) that keeps getting away from its owners and making a beeline for my backyard, presumably to chase our cats. Cats climb a tree, dogs gets bored and starts scratching around underneath the tree where i regularly dump the hops etc from the kettle. If only the dog hop urban myth was based in reality..... 

@iamozzyyob - don't worry about the cat, my chooks keep getting into my hops and scratch them up good. They always come good. You have to much better than that to kill a hop plant. Pretty sure my cats use the hop garden as their private ensuite too.


----------



## Brent_in_Sydney

Q: SWMBO scored me 3 hop rhizomes a month ago and we planted them in pots and stuck them over by the fence.
Two get full sun and one is fairly shaded. One of the full sun pots has sprouted well (cascade) the chinook alongside it has only a small bine just peeking, the saaz in the shade isnt showing much action at all.
Do they need full sun or part sun? What's best for them? I'm guessing full sun?


----------



## hoppy2B

Full sun is best. Some varieties will tolerate partial shading.


----------



## Yob

Dwarf variety's need no sun, they grow on moon beams and fairy's farts.

I will assume however that the cascade, chinook and saaz are not dwarf cultivars and can do with as much sun as you can give them, plenty of water in pots too when it starts to warm up.

h34r:


----------



## hoppy2B

B) Hmmmm.... fairy farts, you learn something everyday.


----------



## wakkatoo

Batz said:


> All mine but the Mt Hood are above the ground, I'm going to have a little dig tomorrow, I can't help it!



If thats from me Batz then it will be a late starter. Its always been the last up but first to harvest. Nearly all of mine are just poking thru, but no Mt Hood as yet. Give it time


----------



## hyjak71

Got my 3 in the ground over the weekend, just have to provide some protection from lazing dogs this weekend and sort a trellis of some description. Looking forward to seeing them grow and then brewing with them, should be good.


----------



## drsmurto

Brent_in_Sydney said:


> Q: SWMBO scored me 3 hop rhizomes a month ago and we planted them in pots and stuck them over by the fence.
> Two get full sun and one is fairly shaded. One of the full sun pots has sprouted well (cascade) the chinook alongside it has only a small bine just peeking, the saaz in the shade isnt showing much action at all.
> Do they need full sun or part sun? What's best for them? I'm guessing full sun?



Part sun is fine, my Victoria plants don't get hit by the sun until early afternoon, the Chinook a few hours earlier. Both are very vigorous growers and produce more hops each season than i currently use! 

Full sun vs part sun is always highly amusing, people spend far too much time molly coddling plants that really don't need it. Most plants will grow fine in part sun or even full shade, just slower. If they didn't they would have died out hundreds of thousands of years ago. 

Hops are easily the hardiest thing in my garden requiring the least effort to grow and the most effort to control. They are weeds in that respect. Only the boysenberries/blackberries in my garden are more hardy and more invasive. The growth is rampant, requires very little in the way of nutrition, water and some sun and they grow up to 30cm a day in the height of the growing season. 

I cut them back brutally at the end of the growing season just to keep them under some semblance of control. The cuttings are what i then sell. The mother rhizome (chinook) i planted more than 5 years ago now covers a area of ~ 2 x 2 m in thick woody roots that needs loppers to cut and are up to 3cm in diameter and that is after i cut it back. If i didn't i wouldn't have a vegie patch anymore. Some years a few shoots escape and i find them metres away using whatever vegie plant is nearby to climb. Last year the tomatoes were used as a trellis, the year before was the corn. You can spend a lot of time nursing them, feeding the, tipping them, cutting back the number of bines etc and I have no doubts you will get better yields. You can also do next to nothing other than water them and allow them to climb something and you will still get plenty of hops. It depends on how much you value your time.

My 2 c 
Cheers
DrSmurto


----------



## Yob

took an hour or so to get this second Year Chinook out of the pot it was in and into the ground, in the middle of another 2 chinooks... not quite sure how I ended up with 3 of them but hay.. maybe I'll dig up 1 next year and pass it on  




I had to further wash the roots clear, they were firmly attached to the styrofoam later in the bottom of the pot




When the crown and hole settles, the crown will still be above ground level




Nicely settled and watered in

This year is going to be fun... now, where did I put that string B)

ed: im having trouble with images today cant seem to get rid of the offender <_<


----------



## luke_j

Gents,

I bought a few different rhizomes (off the good doctor, bigsam and some rando on eBay) last month. The catch: I'm overseas at the moment and the rhizomes are currently residing in the fridge at the parental units' house. I'm was planning to plant them out when I get home in the first week of October, but I'm beginning to wonder if I've done my dough.

Will the rhizomes be ok or a write-off in a months time?


----------



## Yob

they'll be fine mate, still dormant.. they just wont be off to the flying start a few are posting..

:icon_cheers:


----------



## luke_j

Ahhh excellent. Cheers.


----------



## felten

I wish my hops would listen to your advice Dr. S, they get pampered and only produce a few hundred grams per year. Full sun too! <_<


----------



## drsmurto

felten said:


> I wish my hops would listen to your advice Dr. S, they get pampered and only produce a few hundred grams per year. Full sun too! <_<



I average 300g dry per plant and i do nothing other than water them during the growing season, part sun B) 

I have a lazy approach to gardening so anything high maintenance dies very quickly and is never replanted. I like to think of it as natural selection with a helping hand (if only i could help out mankind in the same way). :lol:


----------



## Golani51

My best had 3 buckets of hops harvested and is in landfill(bricks and gravel) with partial sun, and can only go up around 7 feet before running bak anf forth along some horizontal wires. 
lots of water after a hot day and some guinea pig/chook poo on the oddoccasion. rabbit/guinea pig poo is great because it won't burn the roots, and acts like a time release pellet.


----------



## BobtheBrewer

Dr S,
I've had a cascade plant for 5 or 6 years, have never had a big haul off it (probably typical for Qld) so I just let it go last year. Decided to give it a go again this year and cleared all of the grass out of the garden. The thing has gone mad. My garden is only 1600 x 1100 and it is everywhere so I am looking at "pruning" it. Any idea of how I should approach this eg start where the original plant was and work outwards, cutting off budding portions which I may be able to give to somebody? Any help appreciated,
Bob


----------



## drsmurto

Birkdale Bob said:


> Dr S,
> I've had a cascade plant for 5 or 6 years, have never had a big haul off it (probably typical for Qld) so I just let it go last year. Decided to give it a go again this year and cleared all of the grass out of the garden. The thing has gone mad. My garden is only 1600 x 1100 and it is everywhere so I am looking at "pruning" it. Any idea of how I should approach this eg start where the original plant was and work outwards, cutting off budding portions which I may be able to give to somebody? Any help appreciated,
> Bob



I start from the outside and grab the end of a shoot and pull. Sometimes i need to dig it out as they may have large roots but normally they come away easily enough. I keep pulling until it is back close to the centre or until it stops giving then chop. Some shoots are >2m in length but most are ~1m. 

I know nothing about QLD weather in regards to growing anything but given they are commercially grown in Tassie, the colder parts of Mexico and New Zealand I am not surprised you dont get massive crops like us southerners do.


----------



## woodwormm

DrSmurto said:


> I average 300g dry per plant and i do nothing other than water them during the growing season, part sun B)
> 
> I have a lazy approach to gardening so anything high maintenance dies very quickly and is never replanted. I like to think of it as natural selection with a helping hand (if only i could help out mankind in the same way). :lol:




the good Dr states he is lazy.. having seen his hops a couple years back i'd suggest he has very high fertiliser levels near his plants (chooks)


----------



## drsmurto

printed forms section said:


> the good Dr states he is lazy.. having seen his hops a couple years back i'd suggest he has very high fertiliser levels near his plants (chooks)



The creek that flows by 10m from the plantation probably doesn't hurt either


----------



## BobtheBrewer

DrSmurto said:


> I start from the outside and grab the end of a shoot and pull. Sometimes i need to dig it out as they may have large roots but normally they come away easily enough. I keep pulling until it is back close to the centre or until it stops giving then chop. Some shoots are >2m in length but most are ~1m.
> 
> I know nothing about QLD weather in regards to growing anything but given they are commercially grown in Tassie, the colder parts of Mexico and New Zealand I am not surprised you dont get massive crops like us southerners do.




Thanks for that, will give it a try.


----------



## hoppy2B

375gm dry per first year Golding last season from 10cm long x 1cm thick start up pieces. :chug:


----------



## DarkFaerytale

walked past my two mounds of dirt that are in the front yard this morning and noticed that something other than weeds are sprouting. to bad it's going to rain for the next week. might throw on some blood and bone... better start thinking about getting a trellis set up too


----------



## Yob

anyone got Centennial they are growing?

Was looking but didnt see any come up, the only mention of it Ive seen was from newguy in canadia

After playing round with the string yesterday, I reckon I can squeeze a few more varietys in

Yob


----------



## Helles

Got a Chinnook zome Among others( all have sprouted)
Haven,'t noticed anything in the last few days. I think the Chinnook popped up today
Today have a byne about 6 inches long that has crept side ways and up over the top of the pot
( in pots in the ground with the bottoms cut out of the pot)
This is a first year Zome
All looking good with the Chinnook atleast


----------



## rich_4646

helles said:


> Got a Chinnook zome Among others( all have sprouted)
> Haven,'t noticed anything in the last few days. I think the Chinnook popped up today
> Today have a byne about 6 inches long that has crept side ways and up over the top of the pot
> ( in pots in the ground with the bottoms cut out of the pot)
> This is a first year Zome
> All looking good with the Chinnook atleast



My cascades kicked off well,Chinook are just appearing....


----------



## ash2

rich_4646 said:


> My cascades kicked off well,Chinook are just appearing....
> 
> View attachment 57016
> 
> 
> View attachment 57018




Hi Hop Heads,Just got some cascade starters to try & grow ,i lve in Qld so from what i gather might not be to good.Anyway from pics i have seen of hops growing they are kept in pots not so much in the grown,are they that much of a weed.


----------



## samward

After a concerted effort today, I finally got the trellising up ready.

There is a pole and cross-piece at each end, with the poles about 3.5m high.




My cascade and hallertau plants are off and running, with POR, chinook and saaz all starting to show shoots.

I just need to get some wire for the horizontal runs, then then I will string some twine up in a V formation for each pot.


----------



## Yob

samward said:


> After a concerted effort today, I finally got the trellising up ready.
> 
> There is a pole and cross-piece at each end, with the poles about 3.5m high.
> 
> View attachment 57019
> 
> 
> My cascade and hallertau plants are off and running, with POR, chinook and saaz all starting to show shoots.
> 
> I just need to get some wire for the horizontal runs, then then I will string some twine up in a V formation for each pot.



Hay mate, Last year I had a similar setup with wire horizontal at the top.. I found that the bines struggled to grip onto the wire, I ripped the wire down this year and replaced it with rope so that the bines have something to grip.

I then thought a bit harder about it and put the wire back up to support the rope.. Its taken the sag right out of the rope and provides support.




as it was




as it is now with the wire for support

Yob


----------



## PhantomEasey

Walking past my pots as I was heading to the beer fridge and saw a welcome surprise...new season growth!

Goldings: Second year with no yield last year. 



POR: Second year with only a handful of cones last year

.

Tettnanger: Second year with only a handful of cones last year.




Crappy phone pics, etc etc etc. 

Now if only the Hallertau and Perle would pull their digits out i'll be running on all 5 cylinders. 

Taking these to my grandparents farm for this season in a couple of weeks, can't come soon enough by the looks of it!

(the ghetto excuses for proper pot labels were a short term fix for an unexpected house move a few months ago, and laziness has allowed them to survive this long.)


----------



## booargy

:icon_offtopic: 
Thought this article may be of interest to people building a trellis.
http://www.tpub.com/steelworker2/70.htm


----------



## MelbVTBrews

Nice work all. Comin along very nicely. Most of mine have sprouted - Fuggles took the ealry lead but Super Alpha and Saaz have reigned him in. The English can never hold on to a lead. 

Off to Northern Vic tomorrow for day 1 of building brand spankin new hopyard. Gunna be a good day. 13 varieties to go in the following weekend...



booargy said:


> :icon_offtopic:
> Thought this article may be of interest to people building a trellis.
> http://www.tpub.com/steelworker2/70.htm


----------



## Dave70

Now, thanks to ratchie, my hoppy empire has expanded to include cascade and Hallertau along with the Chinook purchased from Dr's.

They seem to have stuck their little green heads out and said '**** this cold for a joke, I'm going back to sleep till it warms up a bit'. 

It was 2 deg at home when I left this morning, I don't blame em.


----------



## jezza79

Hallertau from Ratchie


----------



## Batz

I have cluster, mt. hood, cascade, goldings and victoria.



Cluster is going off.



My bamboo trellis, I did a couple of very high ones and a few well, high ones to see how they go.

If anyone around here needs bamboo I have plenty, 15-20 metres high is not a problem. Free to brewers  

Batz


----------



## Yob

Nice one Batz.. They'll be getting plenty of sun then from the look of it!!

Looks great

Ed: phone sux dogs nuts


----------



## Dave70

Chinook babies next to my morning cup of heart-starter for perspective.


----------



## hoppy2B

Any sign of burrs yet Dave?


----------



## Yob

Fuggles is going for it... 3rd year zomes rock  




also completed some string lines to the front of the brewshed.. 




sort of made a truss from the 2 rope lines..

:icon_cheers:


----------



## Fish13

Filfy said:


> Unless they're old posts, I wouldn't worry. Arsenic got phased out years ago.



koppa logs - CCA treated and CCA stands for Copper Chromium Arsenic. 

I deal with it everyday and the levels needed to kill you its a metric fuckload.

Anyway my hops are in the ground. I think i have killed the Hallertau and my cascade rhizome - thanks legendko should be alright.

Using the washing machine water to water them :S


----------



## Filfy

My chinook would be at least 200mm high now. Really need some warmer weather (which isn't happening this week) to really get things going methinks.


----------



## hoppy2B

My Fuggles is the only thing moving along at the moment. Second year zome, didn't do much last year, hopefully get cones this year. They're meant to like cool climate so that probably explains the early growth.


----------



## Batz

Mine are mostly going off now, Mt Hood seems to be struggling.
Bloody chooks pecked the middle out in a few that slowed them it a bit.

batz


----------



## Dave70

hoppy2B said:


> Any sign of burrs yet Dave?



Goddam it, is that one? Tell me if it is cos its the first time I've grown hops and I don't want to be hopping my beers with ******* burrs..


----------



## drsmurto

The beast has awoken  

Victoria broke the surface weeks ago and there are vast numbers of shoots already 10cm high.

Today i spotted the first chinook shoot, once the beast breaks the surface i have only a matter of weeks to sort out strings for it to climb to point them in the direction of the fence rather than taking over the vegie patch. The chooks managed to get under the fence i crudely constructed* last weekend and gave the ground a good digging over. I suspect that pissed the beast off. The chooks should count themselves lucky to have been saved from a certain death. 

* chicken wire, tomato stakes and string - held together with faith and bugger all else :lol:


----------



## grimpanda

I'm sure this has been discussed, but what is the consensus on limiting the number of bines growing from each rhizome? i.e: cutting them off at ground level

My 3-year-old Hallertau 'zomes are rocketing off, each have around 25 shoots varying between 5 and 15 inches above the ground.

Summer 2012 was the first time I had a decent harvest, and I can't for the life of me remember if I cut them or just let them fight it out amongst themselves.


----------



## hoppy2B

Gabe said:


> I'm sure this has been discussed, but what is the consensus on limiting the number of bines growing from each rhizome? i.e: cutting them off at ground level
> 
> My 3-year-old Hallertau 'zomes are rocketing off, each have around 25 shoots varying between 5 and 15 inches above the ground.
> 
> Summer 2012 was the first time I had a decent harvest, and I can't for the life of me remember if I cut them or just let them fight it out amongst themselves.




Last summer was my first ever go at growing hops and I am happy with the yields I picked up. I went to the insane extreme of trying and mostly succeeding training each bine to a separate string. I didn't trim anything off.
Dr Smurto has a good easy to manage method, where he just has a couple of posts 3 or 4 metres high with mesh strung up between and lets them grow wild on that. Gets a good yield with little work.


----------



## drsmurto

For ease of harvesting, commercial growers trim back the bines numbers to 4-6 per plant (from what i have read).

Does that result in higher yields? I haven't seen anything other than homebrewing urban mythology to support that theory.

I let my plants do what they want to within reason - i keep them from invading my vegie patch. I use tent pegs to put string from the ground to the fence and then string from the fence to the trellis above. They are allowed to climb all on their own and they do so. Plants have been evolving for millions of years, why people think they require help to climb when they are a climbing plant is beyond me. 

There are plenty of people here who get much higher yields than me. Given how many factors are involved in growing a plant - soil type, soil pH, position relative to the sun, fertilisers, competion from other plants/roots, water, latitude, temperature etc - it's hard to work out the 'ideal' situation. 

As a first year hop grower i was as guilty as everyone else for babying my plants, daily weeding, watering, fertiliser, training them, picking off bugs, spraying them with organic homemade pest sprays. I trained them horizontally across the chook run as i didn;t have a trellis for the first 3 seasons. I also had several varieties. Now i have just 2 (Victoria and Chinook). Drove my partner insane. This is my 6th season and i am at the other end of the scale. I haven't removed last years growth from the trellis, they haven't been weeded or fertilised since the bags of horse manure they got covered with at the end of April. Water is the only thing they we get until next Aprils feed of manure. 

I've kept records of my yields every year and am getting between 15-20% less now than i did in the 2nd and 3rd year for about 500% less effort. YMMV, enjoy the obsession until something new and shiny grabs your attention!


----------



## paulhill

So iv got my fist crop of hops sticking its head out of the ground 
since I rent, Iv gone with pots. yes I know this is not the best, so i made sure i got the biggest pots i could find. 

I got some plastic 205L drums and cut them in half. This cost me about $10 a pot. the potting mix cost more 

imm still thinking about what imm going to do with trestles 
so looking forward to using my own hops 

id also love to THANK thebeemann and gollani51 both are great guys


so the varieties i have are 

hellertau (Golani51)
cascade (Golani51)
Saaz (thebeemann) 
Hersbrucker (thebeemann)
fuggels (ebay )



Bottom is the hellertau and the top is the cascade 



left is the hersbrucker right is the saaz



this is the fuggles


----------



## Mr. No-Tip

Here in Canberra my second year Herbsrucker and Saaz have broken through recently. Cascade is about 7" long and the chinook...well....

Two small rhizomes planted in a wine barrel last year - both shot out 25 each and are up to 10" now. I trimmed one right back to try the 'lose the first bines' theory. It still hasn't really hit back yet. The other one I was trying to leave to go wild (wish I'd seen doc Smurto's post before just now) but disease concern got the better of me and I halved the number of bines...


----------



## jameson

paulhill said:


> So iv got my fist crop of hops sticking its head out of the ground
> since I rent, Iv gone with pots. yes I know this is not the best, so i made sure i got the biggest pots i could find.
> 
> I got some plastic 205L drums and cut them in half. This cost me about $10 a pot. the potting mix cost more
> 
> imm still thinking about what imm going to do with trestles
> so looking forward to using my own hops
> 
> id also love to THANK thebeemann and gollani51 both are great guys
> 
> 
> so the varieties i have are
> 
> hellertau (Golani51)
> cascade (Golani51)
> Saaz (thebeemann)
> Hersbrucker (thebeemann)
> fuggels (ebay )
> 
> View attachment 57186
> 
> Bottom is the hellertau and the top is the cascade
> 
> View attachment 57187
> 
> left is the hersbrucker right is the saaz
> 
> View attachment 57185
> 
> this is the fuggles


Do you have a sorce for the 205l drums? Was thinking today I could use on to set up a drip system. while running the chiller water in there for recycling.
Thanks Jameson


----------



## HBHB

Update on mine.

Newly planted 2 x Chinook both have shot and one's taken off like a rocket up the rope, the other is thinking about it but was disturbed by an overzealous brewer (me) and appears to have recovered.

2 x Halertau have shot but 1 is already up around 60cm up a star picket close-by.

2 x cascade have poked their heads out from the shit riddled soil for a breath of clean air but not much action....maybe 10cm.

looking forward to maybe geting some fresh harvest brews done come march/april.

Martin


----------



## hoppy2B

Dave70 said:


> Goddam it, is that one? Tell me if it is cos its the first time I've grown hops and I don't want to be hopping my beers with ******* burrs..



Keep an eye on them, they grow pretty quick, you'll have cones before you know it.
My Fuggle is cropping already. Last week nothing, today I have cones ready to pick. Don't know what anyone else's Fuggle are like but mine have a citrus aroma tending to mmmmaybe orange.


----------



## Rubix

I sold the house recently so had to transplant all of my hops into pots and re-house them at the in-laws. It certainly hasn't affected them though. All seven have sent up bines. As is the same with other posts on AHB recently, my fuggles has taken the early lead followed by the chinook.


----------



## HBHB

HBHB said:


> Update on mine.
> 
> Newly planted 2 x Chinook both have shot and one's taken off like a rocket up the rope, the other is thinking about it but was disturbed by an overzealous brewer (me) and appears to have recovered.
> 
> 2 x Halertau have shot but 1 is already up around 60cm up a star picket close-by.
> 
> 2 x cascade have poked their heads out from the shit riddled soil for a breath of clean air but not much action....maybe 10cm.
> 
> looking forward to maybe geting some fresh harvest brews done come march/april.
> 
> Martin



Current pic of the Hallertau in the pot for about 3 weeks.


----------



## punkin

Bastards. Still nothing on mine.

I'm now positive they are subterrainean dwarves. <_<


----------



## Robbo2234

Update on mine!


----------



## grimpanda

Here are some pics of my unusual setup. The idea was to create a system that enabled maximum growth height as well as ease of harvest.






This shot attempts to show the whole rig, which is in a 1-acre wire/netting covered garden (essentially a giant circus tent).

The setup requires no vertical supports - there are just two steel poles; one sits on the outside of the wire/netting and provides support for the lower pole, which is suspended via fencing wire a meter or so below. Once the bines reach this first horizontal support they are tipped/trained around the pole as to prevent them from making a tangled mess in the netting above.

When it's time for harvest, steel cables are passed up over the top support and secured to the lower support (ala pulley system), enabling the whole thing to be lowered to a nice chest height for harvest. Last year we harvested the entire crop in one go as the cones all matured quite evenly, but the pulley system means you could lower/raise the bines at will for a staggered harvest.






The rhizomes themselves are planted in stainless steel perforated drums (salvaged from discarded washing machines) that are dug into a garden bed. My 'theory' is that this allows better moisture retention than free-standing pots, whilst also preventing the 'zomes from invading the rest of the garden. This is their second year in the pots and the rhizome growth in terms of bulk was phenomenal - my theory again is that limiting the space for root growth helps the plant consolidate it's energy. How it will compare to free-planted rhizomes in the long run I'm yet to see. Some of the long roots however still managed to escape the stainless drums by tapering down to 1mm, growing through the perforations, and then shooting out the other side... rather astonishing.






This shows last year's growth just as the bines reached the first support and shows the setup a little clearer - you can see a few tendrils making a run for the top netting before they were tipped/trained.






Finally, shot of this year's Hallertauer as of this morning.

Hopefully others will be inspired to implement a pulley-system with their next setup!


----------



## Yob

thats f'kin awesome man...

:super:


----------



## kymba

i was wondering wtf is happen with my POR so i went searching. there i was carefully moving soil out of the way by hand, breaking a few new shoots, muttering a few swear words

then i found the herpetic alien queen...


----------



## PhantomEasey

kymba said:


> i was wondering wtf is happen with my POR so i went searching. there i was carefully moving soil out of the way by hand, breaking a few new shoots, muttering a few swear words
> 
> then i found the herpetic alien queen...
> 
> View attachment 57266



I almost spewed when I saw that....from the awesomeness.


----------



## Malted

kymba said:


> then i found the herpetic alien queen...



Does it drain ok? It looks very wet.


----------



## petesbrew

My little Perle has popped it's head out of the ground on the first week of spring. 
I still haven't used last years crop - I have a boho pils ready to brew, so I might HTFU & pair it with the saaz.


----------



## kymba

Malted said:


> Does it drain ok? It looks very wet.



yeah, i had just used the watering can to clean the dirts off the knobules for the photo


----------



## Liam_snorkel

and that's after 1 year of growth. fk me dead.


----------



## kymba

and i was rough getting it out of the other planter - i sleeved a few of the major roots trying to pull them out. got the shits with that so just chopped them with a shovel about 40cm away from the business...rougher the better i'd say


----------



## Rob S

DrSmurto said:


> YMMV, enjoy the obsession until something new and shiny grabs your attention!



You got me in one......

Tettnang was the first to shoot at 2 weeks in the pot, followed the week after by POR, Chinook, cascade, goldings, cluster & centennial.

Still waiting for Mt Hood & hersbrucker to sprout. Had a dig & the roots are going berserk so hopefully won't be long.

They're planted with cow & chook poo and watered from the discharge from the biocycle sewage treatment thing. Nutrient rich for sure.


----------



## I like beer

i am tidying up my hop garden and have por, cluster, & chinook to give away. These arn't just cuttings or rhizomes they are the main plant after I have chopped off what I need, only things are pick up only from portland vic, this weekend or early next week. pm me.


----------



## hoppy2B

I like beer said:


> i am tidying up my hop garden and have por, cluster, & chinook to give away. These arn't just cuttings or rhizomes they are the main plant after I have chopped off what I need, only things are pick up only from portland vic, this weekend or early next week. pm me.




Pity you're so far away, I'd consider grabbing the Chinook despite not having any room in my hop yard to accommodate it. :lol:


----------



## drsmurto

kymba said:


> i was wondering wtf is happen with my POR so i went searching. there i was carefully moving soil out of the way by hand, breaking a few new shoots, muttering a few swear words
> 
> then i found the herpetic alien queen...
> 
> View attachment 57266




That is a fantastic amount of growth for 1 rhizome in a season - :super: . 

The only downside is you will need to keep the shovel handy and possibly a chainsaw if you are to keep the alien under control.


----------



## kymba

DrSmurto said:


> That is a fantastic amount of growth for 1 rhizome in a season - :super: .
> 
> The only downside is you will need to keep the shovel handy and possibly a chainsaw if you are to keep the alien under control.



doc i think i got this one off your mothership last year?


----------



## drsmurto

kymba said:


> doc i think i got this one off your mothership last year?



I think so but i doubt the mother had much to do with it, you clearly have a great combination of soil nurtients, light, water etc to maximise growth.


----------



## Charst

TETTNANG, 3rd year.

the last two years I had two plants in this 4 foot by 1.5 foot box. got growth to the top of my 5 metre posts but not alot of crop.
This winter i removed on plant (the weaker one) and cut a few rhizomes off the bigger one.

Its gone BANG!

Question is if I have 2 -3 bines on each string now with no sign of it stopping spouting new shoots. Should I cut these excess ones off or just let it go.
concerned that that have nowhere to grow up but on the string and too many on a string may end up with fungal growths, had the problem before.

EDIT Spelling:


----------



## hoppy2B

Hi Charst,
You could let the excess shoots hang out of the box. They will catch more light and strengthen the plant. 
If you want lots of cones I recommend liquid manure. Put 5 litres of sheep manure in a 20 litre bucket and fill with water. Let stand for a couple of days stirring occasionally. Mix 1 litre of this liquid manure in a 10 litre bucket of water and give to your hops 3 to 4 times a week. You can refill the 20 litre bucket with water a second time and get a bit more out of the manure. Its well worth the effort.


----------



## shaunous

Les the Weizguy said:


> I paid for the 2 power poles on my land and they belong to me. I will not be making any non-reversible changes to said pole.
> 
> I will not be able to reach the power lines with my ladder, but I can reach high enough to attach a support for my trellis.
> 
> If the electrickery mob want to dispute my use of my property, I suggest they might be needing some legal representation.



Knowing QLD & NSW only, You may have paid for the poles, but they own them, they inspect poles regularly, while most people are working, today your hops may be there, but tomorrow they may not, they will be chopped away to a distance they have specified as safe from the pole itself and the lines. I know in both states for a fact. My place in QLD has 4 small palm tree's bout 2 metres or more when grown and shaped as they should look, but at once a year they now get butchered by the electricity company and nothing can be done about it, they used to issue a letter saying they were coming round, now I just notice when I come home from work and they've been attacked by a chainsaw.
In NSW its the same thing, they even removed my old wooden pole that looked good and had a big hook we used to tie the horses to when saddling,, and replaced it with a stupid looking steel one.

So before your plants get to big to move, i'd be moving them, before they do with a Stihl...

Shaun...


----------



## yum beer

After 6 weeks in a pot under cover from frost, aided by a week of non sub-zero nights the first shoot has emerged,
South West Goldings on their way, now waiting anxiously for the rest.
May be some transplanting to their final position very soon.

By the way, Charst...you effin shit me....Im barely outta the dressing shed and your out there kicking goals...


----------



## FuzzyDropbear

After a week which finally contained some sunshine mine have just popped their heads above ground to have a look around (1st year Hallertau). 

After looking around at everyone else's hops growth and trellis designs, I think I will have to modify my trellis and extend it upwards a little so looks like I'll be climbing that stupid Acacia tree in the backyard after all.  Maybe next year I'll have to remove a couple of trees and build something bigger towards the back of the block.


----------



## Yob

Fuggles 




POR (Tett Not pictured but about the same growth as the POR)




Cascade




EKG




Victoria

just waiting on the Chinook to show <_< 

:icon_chickcheers:


----------



## Dazza88

my smurto chinook has been a slow starter as well. it has emerged and looks healthy but only 2 inches of height whereas a golding is about 3 foot up a stake. is this normal for a chinook? or my growing conditions i wonder.


----------



## punkin

Sounds like it may be a dwarf variety?


----------



## pimpsqueak

Chinook is away and racing.






The Victoria is about half the size, due to it sending shoots to the edge of the planter before heading skyward.
Goldings is the slowest. 1 shoot, 2 pairs of tiny leaves.
At least it's not lodged in the intestinal tract of a brush turkey.


----------



## Golani51

DazDog said:


> my smurto chinook has been a slow starter as well. it has emerged and looks healthy but only 2 inches of height whereas a golding is about 3 foot up a stake. is this normal for a chinook? or my growing conditions i wonder.



Not to worry. I now have many varieties growing and some are there but haven't opened up anything despite having dozens of nodes on the crown(stopped at an inch or two), whereas others, some first and some second year, are over a metre tall. Most are planted within a 10m distance. The slowest one produced a great load last year, and has a massive root system (2nd year).


----------



## Bats

Advice needed as a first time Hops in Pots grower.

The bines from the Saaz Rhizome in front have plenty of shoots however they don't appear to be growing up as I thought they would. They seem to be growing really slow in bunches. Should I cut it back so only a couple of bines grow?

As you can see, the Chinnok in the pot behind is growing really well. There is the main shoot plus a smaller one starting to grow. 

I was given the saaz rhizome already planted in the pot. It is 3rd year I think. I planted the chinook myself.

Any advice appreciated.


----------



## Yob

Bats said:


> View attachment 57483
> 
> 
> Advice needed as a first time Hops in Pots grower.
> 
> The bines from the Saaz Rhizome in front have plenty of shoots however they don't appear to be growing up as I thought they would. They seem to be growing really slow in bunches. Should I cut it back so only a couple of bines grow?
> 
> As you can see, the Chinnok in the pot behind is growing really well. There is the main shoot plus a smaller one starting to grow.
> 
> I was given the saaz rhizome already planted in the pot. It is 3rd year I think. I planted the chinook myself.
> 
> Any advice appreciated.




bigger pots...._* MUCH*_ bigger pots, they will get stunted (dwarfed perhaps) pretty quickly in those and probably wont retain much moisture at all.


----------



## PhantomEasey

Bats said:


> View attachment 57483
> 
> 
> Advice needed as a first time Hops in Pots grower.
> 
> The bines from the Saaz Rhizome in front have plenty of shoots however they don't appear to be growing up as I thought they would. They seem to be growing really slow in bunches. Should I cut it back so only a couple of bines grow?
> 
> As you can see, the Chinnok in the pot behind is growing really well. There is the main shoot plus a smaller one starting to grow.
> 
> I was given the saaz rhizome already planted in the pot. It is 3rd year I think. I planted the chinook myself.
> 
> Any advice appreciated.



Hey mate,

I had mine in 50Ltr pots last year, the 500mm diameter plastic ones from Bunnings IIRC. They were plenty big enough as they were only first year rhizomes. This year will tell the true tale. I dropped them off at my grandparents farm last weekend and they had 15-20 tips coming through on a couple of them so the pot size didn't seem to hinder development much. 

I mulched them pretty heavily to help with the moisture issues that yob mentioned, and drilled holes through the rims to fix jute string for them to climb up. I didn't have a Saaz, nor have any that didn't shoot long bines off like your Saaz though so I'm no help there. My logic on the matter is that if the pot was too small it would shoot off only one or two though, not an entire patch (no science to back that claim up btw lol). 

Perhaps it's just getting warmed up?


----------



## losp

Some nice plantations!!

i plan on planting this sunday. its the latest i have done it. Too late?


----------



## adz1179

I have cascade, haller and Chinook.. planted a week ago, this is what i found today:




here it is multiplied x 100




this is how i felt when i noticed my first ever shoot:

http://i.imgur.com/d7TBk.gif

here are the three behind the herb garden, building some structures for them to climb this weekend.


----------



## drsmurto

adz1179 said:


> I have cascade, haller and Chinook.. planted a week ago, this is what i found today:
> 
> here are the three behind the herb garden, building some structures for them to climb this weekend.
> 
> View attachment 57490



They are planted far too close together. Minimum 2m.

Unless you want to spend hours every day during the height of the growing season untangling them from each other.

You can't tell them apart from looking at either the leaves or the cones.


----------



## Liam_snorkel

^ sound advice. I now have either two cascades, two chinooks, or one of each. Although this is mostly due to bush turkeys "shuffling" my rhizomes shortly after planting.


----------



## adz1179

How i feel reading Smurto's ^ post:




What im now thinking:




in all seriousness though, this is my first attempt at growing hops, and if i get 10gms of each tree i'll still be happy. just having fun with the hobby is all. Cheers.


----------



## sponge

Just got around to planting the hops on Monday (well, got dad to since they'll be living at the parents place and he's a retired man who doesnt mind a bit of gardening)

Have cascade, columbus, chinook, victoria and willamette in seperate pots.

Ill drop over there after the long weekend to see how they're going and make sure they're in some decent sized pots. I know it's probably a little later to have been planted then I wanted, but I kept forgetting about them in the fridge...


----------



## capsicum

My urban teepee set up:




I'm planning to tip them before they get all tangled at the top. It's a 5m square section from Stratco, slipped over a long star picket and resting on some bricks to keep it off the ground. Pretty stable now it's guyed by the ropes.




Perle's killing it. On the other ropes I have 2xCascade, 1xPOR and some kind called 'Red Earth'


----------



## hoppy2B

Tastes like red earth?  

How do they go on single strings? Its a nice set up to have one post with a number of plants around it but I'd be inclined to put more ropes around it and run some mesh up there. I'm after max yield though, unlike some of the novelty growers who are just doing it for fun.
Very neat for the back yard there Capsicum.


----------



## capsicum

It's their first year so I'm just going to see how this goes for now. They're twining around the ropes very well. I was toying with the idea of having a few ropes for each plant, coming from the same peg with a spreader in between but might leave that for next season.


----------



## Northside Novice

View attachment 57700


i use 2 x 16mm x 4.8 m furring channels screwed back to back for added strength then screwed to the ol fence post with a bit of telecom rope ! got a forth year chinnook sprouting atm. this is a simple but effective trellis , rope tied to side of pot . undo screws at harvest time and lower the hop mast ! plenty of farm animal poo in the pot works a treat . and plenty of water all season . 

View attachment 57701


----------



## felten

Here's my Willamette just starting to come up. Haven't put up any ropes for it yet.


----------



## Malted

hoppy2B said:


> Tastes like red earth?


To quote Sandy Ross of Hopco Pty Ltd: _Red Earth_ - name is derived from the red hues of cones in their early stage of development, (just out of burr stage) and a brewers flavour description of earthy and woody.


----------



## Yob

felten said:


> Here's my Willamette just starting to come up. Haven't put up any ropes for it yet.
> View attachment 57702



how old is that one Felten?


----------



## capsicum

Malted said:


> To quote Sandy Ross of Hopco Pty Ltd: _Red Earth_ - name is derived from the red hues of cones in their early stage of development, (just out of burr stage) and a brewers flavour description of earthy and woody.



yeah it sounds pretty different to what I usually brew with, looking forward to trying it out if I get any cones!


----------



## felten

Yob said:


> how old is that one Felten?


Pretty sure it's 3 years old ATM.


----------



## kcurnow

Here is my small plantation. Only a temporary trellis with the hops this year as hopefully i will have a pergola for the to grow up by next season.


----------



## JoeF

So one of my damn dogs stepped on my Victoria hop bine and snapped it. It's a first year planting and has only shot out 1 bine so far - it has since died and dropped off. Any ideas what I should do? I'm guessing just leave it be...


----------



## barls

it will come back dont worry.


----------



## Fish13

got some shoots out of my 2nd year hallertau rhizome. It looks like a bunch of cobblers mating...

My cascade hasn't fired yet but been hitting the area it lives in with the laundry water so hope that helps....


----------



## Golani51

Damn chicken got in to the hops again. I had a four foot fence up around them. Now have an 8 foot fence. !!!!!!


----------



## emnpaul

POR I got from Tony is powering.


----------



## Malted

Golani51 said:


> Damn chicken got in to the hops again. I had a four foot fence up around them. Now have an 8 foot fence. !!!!!!



I'd suggest that an 8 foot fence may not keep your hops in. Some of mine are up to 11 feet already.


----------



## BPH87

I have my hops planted in a bed of mixed black soil and red soil with cow manure mixed in. Is this sufficient or do hops need better drainage?

I have had several shoot out bines and continue to grow then after getting a few leaves they just die off. 

Pretty embarrassing considering I am a farmer........................ hops are meant to be a weed - farmers are great at killing weeds


----------



## Golani51

Malted said:


> I'd suggest that an 8 foot fence may not keep your hops in. Some of mine are up to 11 feet already.



It is to keep the chickens out...not the hops in!


----------



## mckenry

Golani51 said:


> Damn chicken got in to the hops again. I had a four foot fence up around them. Now have an 8 foot fence. !!!!!!



Kinda :icon_offtopic: but I wonder about chickens being the culprit.
I know heaps of people blame their chickens.
I have 3 chickens and 3 hop plants. Never have my hops been damaged and they are not protected at all.
Could it be something else? Do you live near bushland?
BTW I have half an acre that they roam freely and they are isa brown if that makes any difference? I would have thought 4 feet would be too high. Mine never seem to get more than 2 feet off the ground.

Just re-read this. Sounds harsh, but I am not trying to be, just offering my experience.


----------



## adryargument

Finally had a chance to string up my hops.

3 x mt hood
2 x hersbucker
2 x hallertau
2 x goldings
2 x chinook
1 x cascade
1 x columbus
1 x cluster


----------



## mckenry

adryargument said:


> Finally had a chance to string up my hops.
> 
> 3 x mt hood
> 2 x hersbucker
> 2 x hallertau
> 2 x goldings
> 2 x chinook
> 1 x cascade
> 1 x columbus
> 1 x cluster



Hey adryargument,
Looks like a really nice spot!
Only thing is it doesnt look like a lot of room for all those hops - if they're all in that bed anyway.
If so, theyll all tangle together. Its a bit hard to get the size, but judging from the ladder for proportion, it seems like too many for the area. Gonna be a whole lot of work keeping them apart. (if you want to)
Its recommended 2m apart.


----------



## gunbrew

Hi BPH87,
Have you made a mound out of the ground for the hop plant?
Was the manure composted as manure can injure plants while it is still fresh, by burning or dehydrating them.
This happened to my neigbour, he thought he was going great getting free fresh manure till it made his plants yellow, then almost dead.
Good luck.




BPH87 said:


> I have my hops planted in a bed of mixed black soil and red soil with cow manure mixed in. Is this sufficient or do hops need better drainage?
> 
> I have had several shoot out bines and continue to grow then after getting a few leaves they just die off.
> 
> Pretty embarrassing considering I am a farmer........................ hops are meant to be a weed - farmers are great at killing weeds


----------



## adryargument

mckenry said:


> Hey adryargument,
> Looks like a really nice spot!
> Only thing is it doesnt look like a lot of room for all those hops - if they're all in that bed anyway.
> If so, theyll all tangle together. Its a bit hard to get the size, but judging from the ladder for proportion, it seems like too many for the area. Gonna be a whole lot of work keeping them apart. (if you want to)
> Its recommended 2m apart.



Unfortunately its the only decent block of land here that gets any sun / isn't to rocky to grow. (the soil under then plants is about 40-60cm deep until it hits rock.)

They are roughly 80cm/1m apart, however i have planted them in two rows of 7, with the same type of hops opposite where possible.
I have crossed the strings diagonally to create a kind of hop grid / wall and will train them into their partner plants instead of their neighbours.

I find they tend to grow upwards fine, then mix at the top - later in the season i am thinking ill string any plants that need additional height to the tree above them.


----------



## BPH87

gunbrew said:


> Hi BPH87,
> Have you made a mound out of the ground for the hop plant?
> Was the manure composted as manure can injure plants while it is still fresh, by burning or dehydrating them.
> This happened to my neigbour, he thought he was going great getting free fresh manure till it made his plants yellow, then almost dead.
> Good luck.



Hey Gunbrew,

So the manure was mixed in with red soil that had all been scraped off of a diary feedlot and it was about 5 years old I think. We use it in all our vege gardens not only for the nutritional value but also for the draining properties of the red soil as the black soil that we have is too heavy. 

I have also set up a sprinkler system for them and have been applying liquid fertilizer (worm castings and juice) every 2 weeks. I think they have been in the ground for about 6 weeks. They are in full sun, planted east - west.

Some have sprouted from the rhizomes and made it to the surface then died off, while others have got to the stage of developing leaves then died off. 

I have 4 rhizomes each of Cascade, Chinook, Goldings and Hallertau.

So far only Cascade has survived and thrived with 3 of the rhizomes out of the ground and staying alive (touch wood).

Goldings and Hallertau have shoots but no more than ground level.

Chinook had a great growth but then died off.

Thinking about transplanting them to pots with a good potting mix, but will this cause to much stress????

I can not for the life of me figure out what is going on.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers,

Ben


----------



## Justin T

This is my Chinook as at Wednesday. Going kind of slowly.


----------



## emnpaul

BPH87, do you mean died as in turned brown and shriveled or mysteriously disappeared? Probably not news to you but worth mentioning I think. Slugs, snails, grasshoppers and well, pretty much everything loves hop shoots. Also what Gunbrew said. Too much fertiliser/manure perhaps. Not sure about the feedlot red soil as I can remember cows pissing heaps when eating/being milked so perhaps acidity could be an issue. In my experience they are quite weedy, so man up, stop babying them and they might start to fire up. :icon_cheers: 

Drainage or over watering may be an issue. To that end I doubt you'll do them any great harm by transplanting it at this stage, but you'll likely retard their growth somewhat, which will have the effect of limiting your yield, at least for the first season.

Good luck.


----------



## Spiesy

I love your backyard.



adryargument said:


>


----------



## IainMcLean

Just been out and checked mine - a first attempt growing hops and using a Chinook rhizome.

Just breaking through the surface is an inch long shoot 

Had given them up as defunct... so it looks like it's game-on again!!


----------



## hoppy2B

BPH87, your hops may pick up as the weather warms. Some varieties may be more susceptible to insect attack etc early in the first season, but should get going eventually. If I read correctly and you have 4 rhizomes of each cultivar then I think you should be alright.
If your vegies grow well with the manure you are using then I would expect your hops to grow well also.


----------



## punkin

Spiesy said:


> I love your backyard.




Did an actual double take when i saw it. Looked straight for the location on the profile too. I used to have an almost identical backyard in a house i lived in at Eastwood.


----------



## samward

So about a month ago most of my hops took off rather vigorously. Now (for the most part) they all seem to have stalled. Normally I would just wait them out, but a few of the plants are starting to look rather sad.

Does anyone know what may be ailing my plants?? I figure its either bugs or nutrient deficiency, but I have no idea which, or what to do to fix it.


----------



## IainMcLean

samward said:


> So about a month ago most of my hops took off rather vigorously. Now (for the most part) they all seem to have stalled. Normally I would just wait them out, but a few of the plants are starting to look rather sad.
> 
> Does anyone know what may be ailing my plants?? I figure its either bugs or nutrient deficiency, but I have no idea which, or what to do to fix it.
> 
> View attachment 57811
> 
> 
> View attachment 57812



http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&a...SzErGOtoxz_XiNg

Mildew?


----------



## kalbarluke

Samward: It does look like a nutrient deficiency. Have you tried giving them a feed of "trace elements"? Can be bought at local hardware stores for a few bucks a tub. See if that makes any difference.

Have you fed the hops any fertiliser lately?


----------



## gunbrew

My williamette hop plant was massive last summer.
I did not trim back the old/dead bines as I read on here some place leave them for the next years bines to grow on.
Noticed yesterday that the main bine that is about 2 metres high has not died off as it has now started growing leaves in several places.
Anyone heard of that happening before?
Previous years all the bines just die off, that said none had ever grown as thick as this. 
Will be interesting to see how it performes against the new groth bines that are just sprouting.
Cheers.


----------



## BPH87

Holy WOW Gunbrew!


----------



## Mr. No-Tip

My second year barrels are going nuts. Chinook broke first but has slowed down just above my head. The cascade is approaching ten feet now:




Contrast isn't great, but you can see it at the top of the bamboo and the barrel for some context.

Not as bad as the post earlier today, but am noticing apparent 'burning' on my leaves. No noticable bugs. They're probably due for their fortnightly seasol again...


----------



## samward

kalbarluke said:


> Samward: It does look like a nutrient deficiency. Have you tried giving them a feed of "trace elements"? Can be bought at local hardware stores for a few bucks a tub. See if that makes any difference.
> 
> Have you fed the hops any fertiliser lately?


I haven't yet, but I will do. Trip to the store to see what I can find tomorrow.

They were potted in brand new "veggie mix" potting mix, which was supposed to have fertilizer in it. But i'm guessing it was either not enough, or the wrong stuff (technical term I know).

Cheers
Sam


----------



## hoppy2B

If you give your plants liquid manure 3 or 4 times a week it should get all the trace elements it needs.


----------



## sponge

Just as the hops I planted didnt look like they would survive, up have come some sproutings...

Willamette has grown about a foot in the last week or so. They seem to be doing quite well indeedly. 

Columbus has grown about half of this size but are also looking quite healthy.

Cascade is showing some signs of life, but all the shoots are still quite small.

All I am getting chinook and victoria are a very sad, brown looking stem. 

How are others chinooks/victorias coming along? I always thought victoria was quite a quick growing hop..?

Oh well, I'm just happy to see some signs of life from the others! :super:


----------



## Malted

Sponge, in my nick 'o the woods, Chinook has been a late starter but storms on later in the season. My Vic has come up with heaps of bines that have set leaf but not really extended. Even within this region others have different growth characteristics to their plants. My cascade is a mixture with some bines climbing up and some just in a holding pattern with leaves on them. I'd expect some of mine to have done more than they have but we are experiencing weird weather here. Point being, don't worry about how other's plants are growing, just be patient for yours to do their thing in their own good time.


----------



## unco_tomato

Mr. No-Tip said:


> My second year barrels are going nuts. Chinook broke first but has slowed down just above my head. The cascade is approaching ten feet now:
> 
> View attachment 57828
> 
> 
> Contrast isn't great, but you can see it at the top of the bamboo and the barrel for some context.
> 
> Not as bad as the post earlier today, but am noticing apparent 'burning' on my leaves. No noticable bugs. They're probably due for their fortnightly seasol again...
> 
> View attachment 57829



I've got the same "burning" look around the tips of my lower leaves, some are much worse than others. None of the higher leaves have and sign of it yet, I wonder if the plant has just come good since growing taller...


----------



## 431neb

samward said:


> So about a month ago most of my hops took off rather vigorously. Now (for the most part) they all seem to have stalled. Normally I would just wait them out, but a few of the plants are starting to look rather sad.
> 
> Does anyone know what may be ailing my plants?? I figure its either bugs or nutrient deficiency, but I have no idea which, or what to do to fix it.
> 
> View attachment 57811
> 
> 
> View attachment 57812




Sam, I'm no hop expert but I know a thing or two about plants.

It probably is a deficiency of some sort and it may well be a trace element but I think the first thing you should check is the pH of the soil (the acidity / alkalinity of the soil). At different Ph's different nutrients become unavailable. pH is not a linear scale so increases in pH as they are measured can have severe effects. I have my first hop rhizome coming tomorrow so I'm not a hop expert but pH is always my first port of call when I see foliar evidence of nutrient deficiency. I see from Dr Google that there are ranges from 6.5 to 8 recommended. I think a neutral (7) to slightly acid 6.5 would be the best bet as it is for most fruit and vegetable crops.

Did you apply lime to the soil / potting mix? If so you may have overdone it. If not it might be worth a try. Look at other plants in the same soil and search for their deficiency symptoms they might be good indicators... PH kits are cheap at Bunnings or similar.

Do an image search for hop deficiencies and compare ... Good luck.


----------



## The_Duck

So far this year things seem to be going well for my hops.




Perle on the Left and Goldings on the right



Saaz (1st year rhizome)



Victoria at the back and Hersbrucker in front




Tettnang, Mt Hood and Pride of Ringwood (front to back)

I'll be getting more weed mat and spreading these out on the weekend as well as setting up the strings for them to grow on.

The Perle has given me some cones before... but last year the Perle and Goldings got burned off in a 3 day heatwave while I was interstate and never really recovered.

Fingers crossed this year I will get cones from most of the plants and be able to use homegrown hops in a few brews.

Duck


----------



## hoppy2B

Duck, if you're hops were in the ground they would tolerate you being away for a few days in the heat much better.


----------



## The_Duck

hoppy2B said:


> Duck, if you're hops were in the ground they would tolerate you being away for a few days in the heat much better.



Indeed they probably would.

I have had them in pots to try and work out where they would grow best. I have little or no north facing areas that I can grow them in. The Perle and Goldings varieties can't really go in the ground where they are as they are sitting on a large area paved with bluestone :-(.

If I am going away again this summer, I'll be sure to leave a drip line running to them all, just in case 

Those other ones in the pots on the raised garden bed, may get planted in there but it is a small garden bed with 5 varieties to squeeze into a 2.4m x 1.2m area. I am still not convinced it gets enough sunlight there as well.

Maybe I should just move house and find one that has an optimum orientation and space to grow hops in  


Duck


----------



## NDH

Should start out by saying I'm very much a noob hop grower, though this is the third season for my Cascade it is yet to bare fruit,

View attachment DSC05283.jpg


First year I bought it too late in the season and attempted to transplant anyway, didn't work out so well.

Second season was looking good until the dog got to it, chewed every bine off at the bottom

This year I had given up until, with much neglect it started climbing my 'dog proof' enclosure. I stuck a piece of conduit and some catenary wire up for it to climb last weekend and wouldn't you know it the bastard keeps growing! So today I was guilted into putting some mulch and pea straw around it after flicking through this thread.Today is the first time I've watered it too!


----------



## kalbarluke

My hops have been pretty sluggish and suffering some of the symptoms like the posts earlier (stunted, dying leaves, etc) . They were in the ground but one was in a pot with potting mix and this one seems to be doing the best. I decided to dig up the ones from the ground and put them in big pots. 

When I dug them up I saw the soil was a bit too hard and clay like. I think if I plant them in the ground again I am going to need a lot more lime or gypsum to break up the soil. It has also been really really dry in this part of the world which hasn't helped at all.


A few people have already talked about the importance of lime in the soil. I'd have to agree that it is really important.


----------



## Golani51

mckenry said:


> Kinda :icon_offtopic: but I wonder about chickens being the culprit.
> I know heaps of people blame their chickens.
> I have 3 chickens and 3 hop plants. Never have my hops been damaged and they are not protected at all.
> Could it be something else? Do you live near bushland?
> BTW I have half an acre that they roam freely and they are isa brown if that makes any difference? I would have thought 4 feet would be too high. Mine never seem to get more than 2 feet off the ground.
> 
> Just re-read this. Sounds harsh, but I am not trying to be, just offering my experience.



surrounded on all sides by 3m + walls or the house.
chickens were either in pots or legs coated in potting mix. Them the culprits!


----------



## hoppy2B

kalbarluke said:


> My hops have been pretty sluggish and suffering some of the symptoms like the posts earlier (stunted, dying leaves, etc) . They were in the ground but one was in a pot with potting mix and this one seems to be doing the best. I decided to dig up the ones from the ground and put them in big pots.
> 
> When I dug them up I saw the soil was a bit too hard and clay like. I think if I plant them in the ground again I am going to need a lot more lime or gypsum to break up the soil. It has also been really really dry in this part of the world which hasn't helped at all.
> 
> 
> A few people have already talked about the importance of lime in the soil. I'd have to agree that it is really important.



Hops will generally grow better in the ground, maybe you just needed to water them.


----------



## Filfy

My two haved slowed in growth somewhat over the last few weeks, frosts two or three days a week probably not helping growth and cool days also slowing things down I reckon. 
Both my Chinook are at around the 60cm height still. Hopefully storing energy for summer............


----------



## gava

just put my posts in the ground this weekend... put my hops in a little late... 
2 x Cascade just poking their heads up...


----------



## Fish13

got my hallertau going hard. 2 out of 3 showing growth. My cascade not a thing.


----------



## kymba

Seems i'm having some troubles with the stunted growth and dying leaves on a plant i've got in a pot. It was planted in a mix of mushroom compost, normal compost and some potting mix. The old lady suggested some potassium sulfate (sulfate of potash) might do the trick, so I've dosed the poor bugger with it this arvo and will see how that goes. It says on the packet to add it once a week for 4 - 5 weeks






oh and nice poles gava, going by the scale of your delivery dumptruck they are about 600m high!?


----------



## paulhill

iv got the same problem on a few of my plants


----------



## Malted

Go easy with the potash, less is more. I have previously burnt mine by applying too much.


----------



## Liam_snorkel

Mine seem to be about a month behind last years, growth-wise.
Anyone else in SE-QLD having the same thing?


----------



## FuzzyDropbear

My first year Hallertau hasn't got anywhere near the growth of any of those pictured, it'd be lucky to be 20cm high at the moment I rekon, that's after a weekly dose of worm tea.. Maybe it doesn't like the Ballarat climate compared to the Qld climate it came from. lol.


----------



## Yob

kymba said:


> Seems i'm having some troubles with the stunted growth




fill that pot up ya stooge  poor little thing is probably drinking itself dry :icon_cheers:


----------



## kymba

Yob said:


> fill that pot up ya stooge  poor little thing is probably drinking itself dry :icon_cheers:



Yeah looks like it has compacted somewhat, it was chockers when i planted it. Nevermind the water situation though, the old duck in the next unit has a penchant for watering so it gets a dousing at least once a day


----------



## Malted

Liam_snorkel said:


> Mine seem to be about a month behind last years, growth-wise.



Mine seem to be about 12 months behind last years


----------



## Darkman

kymba said:


> Seems i'm having some troubles with the stunted growth and dying leaves on a plant i've got in a pot. It was planted in a mix of mushroom compost, normal compost and some potting mix. The old lady suggested some potassium sulfate (sulfate of potash) might do the trick, so I've dosed the poor bugger with it this arvo and will see how that goes. It says on the packet to add it once a week for 4 - 5 weeks
> 
> View attachment 57994
> View attachment 57992
> View attachment 57993
> 
> 
> oh and nice poles gava, going by the scale of your delivery dumptruck they are about 600m high!?



I wouldn't bother with the potash till you see signs of flowering. Looking at the photos I can see the tips of the leaves burning so I would ease off the fertilizer till the plant has recovers.


----------



## BPH87

Liam_snorkel said:


> Mine seem to be about a month behind last years, growth-wise.
> Anyone else in SE-QLD having the same thing?



I think it has something to do with temperature, we own a few farms and we have absolutely no summer weeds coming up yet and our corn is growing very slowly, compared to previous years.


----------



## tricache

BPH87 said:


> I think it has something to do with temperature, we own a few farms and we have absolutely no summer weeds coming up yet and our corn is growing very slowly, compared to previous years.



First year here so thats good to know. Even my tomatoes are a bit "meh" at the moment...the weather is all over the place though


----------



## unco_tomato

Quick question guys.

One of my hop bines has "snapped" about 6 inches short of the tip. It's still partially connected, and seems to still be providing nutrients to the tip, though it has slowed growth enormously to only 5mm or so a day, where it was at 6cm or more previously.

My question is, can I cut the bine back to the snapped part? Or will that completely halt the growth of the bine?


----------



## Malted

Don't stress tomato, it will grow laterals eventually that may continue the march upwards.


----------



## unco_tomato

It's already about 9 feet tall give or take, I'm worried the snap is in the worst possible spot, about half way of what the final length should be.


----------



## Adam Howard

So it's 8.5 feet tall to the snapped spot? Just cut it off there and the bine will shoot a bucketload of laterals...which is where most cones form.


----------



## unco_tomato

Yep, its about that height give or take an inch.

So if I cut it there it won't grow a new tip and keep growing, only grow laterals?


----------



## Malted

Tomato, no it will not grow a new tip from where you cut it. Some of the laterals that develop later on may continue the march upwards. In the past I have had plenty of growing tips get snapped of by wind and birds etc. Don't fret.


----------



## BPH87

How are the hops going for people living in QLD?

Mine are bloody slow, but I may have been babying them.

Cheers Ben


----------



## Liam_snorkel

Slow and a bit bushy, not climbing anything yet. 
Some bines have shot up about 100mm in the last week though, so that is promising.

I may have overdosed them on chook shit a couple of months ago though, the marigolds didn't like it much.


----------



## BPH87

I have a feeling that I may have given them too much manure too.

Hopefully they will take off as soon as it gets a bit warmer. 

Hey how often do you water yours Liam?



Liam_snorkel said:


> Slow and a bit bushy, not climbing anything yet.
> Some bines have shot up about 100mm in the last week though, so that is promising.
> 
> I may have overdosed them on chook shit a couple of months ago though, the marigolds didn't like it much.


----------



## Liam_snorkel

About every second day, if it hasn't rained.

I'm not worried, they look healthy to me. 
This time last year they were climbing, 1m out of the ground and flapping about looking for things to grab onto.


----------



## Yob

almost :icon_offtopic: but

HTF are AU2012 Hops being sold? HERE

what am I missing?


----------



## gap

They could have been picked in Feb Mar or April 2012 .


----------



## Yob

Yob said:


> what am I missing?



logic :lol:


----------



## Fents

I'll pay that one after our/your session last night! didnt leave till 9.30pm! blindddddd


----------



## Adam Howard

New frame for my Cascade and Chinook plants. (They kick ass)





Cascade on it's way up last week. No doubt be powering along now.





Will be nice having the flowers all danging down from here.

Both rhizomes are in the ground for the first time this year. They're both already massive being 3rd and 4th year rhizomes. Frame is around 3m tall, last year I had the Chinook on a huge mast that was WAYYY too high, I could only just reach the top standing on the top rung of a 12' ladder.....pretty precariously.


----------



## Yob

thats elegant man.. gunna look real nice  


Tett

Por

Fuggles

EKG

Cascade

Chinook 1 of 3

Chinook 2 of 3

Moving along nicely now

:icon_cheers:


----------



## kalbarluke

Liam snorkel, it has been very dry in SE Qld for this time of year. We usually have over flowing water tanks at this time of year and atm ours are almost empty. Do you think lack of humidity in the air as well as lack of rain has hindered growth? Mine are looking similar and I'm getting a bit annoyed/worried. Are other people in SE Qld having similar experiences?


----------



## booargy

Yob they'll be calling your suburb little tassie soon.


----------



## kevo

kalbarluke said:


> Liam snorkel, it has been very dry in SE Qld for this time of year. We usually have over flowing water tanks at this time of year and atm ours are almost empty. Do you think lack of humidity in the air as well as lack of rain has hindered growth? Mine are looking similar and I'm getting a bit annoyed/worried. Are other people in SE Qld having similar experiences?



I'm a first time grower on the Gold Coast, they seem to be growing ok - not sure what to expect though to be honest.

Have about 5 bines, longest has grown about 2M, shortest has grown maybe a third of that - been in a pot since July I think.

Getting plenty of water, hadn't been able to get any mulch onto them until a short while after planting, but that has helped immensely.

See what happens.

Kev


----------



## earle

Garden is pretty crowded but have managed to fit two plants into our new garden in Toowoomba.







First year Cluster is growing well after an initial setback with something eating the leaves.






About 8 foot up the ropes






The first year Chinook actually sprouted first but then some insects got into both plants. Sprayed both with Bug-Beater and the cluster is thriving. The chinook has not done anything since, that was about a month ago. Have fertilised and am watering frequently. Any ideas appreciated.


----------



## Phillo

My chinook came up pretty late (first time grower  ) but it looks really healthy at the moment. One bine is about a metre and a half up and the second is also climbing. Nothing but healthy green foliage. Mine had blood and bone mixed through the soil and get a weekly dose of thrive.


----------



## hughman666

Here are mine, I planted the rhizomes in early August so I'm fairly happy with the results, particularly given that it hasn't really warmed up in Melbourne yet. Being in an inner-city townhouse, I'm bound to using pots. I chose Super Alpha, Cascade, Saaz and Hallertau to give me the ability to do APAs, IPAs, Kolsch/Pils and Weizens, so all major food groups covered  

The back decking gets sunlight all day round which is handy. I've clipped them when they've gotten to the top of the 6' stakes, resulting in them to start bushing out. Nice!




Super Alpha came up first and has gone ballistic. Big hopes for this fella...




Cascade




Saaz




Hallertau


----------



## benken25

this is my 2nd year clusters it already has hops forming on it my first year POR, Chinook and Clusters look tiny in comparison


----------



## BPH87

Mate might be worth tipping that cluster do it grows outwards


BenKen25 said:


> this is my 2nd year clusters it already has hops forming on it my first year POR, Chinook and Clusters look tiny in comparison


----------



## hoppy2B

BPH87 said:


> Mate might be worth tipping that cluster do it grows outwards



Or just grow a dwarf one to begin with.


----------



## benken25

BPH87 said:


> Mate might be worth tipping that cluster do it grows outwards



I will just let it do its thing i have read they will start growing outward once to cant climb any higher i will leave it for a bit and see what it does


----------



## thylacine

pic of the ladybugs attracted by the marigolds who defend the hop bines didn't turn out... Might send a pic of the high altitude contrails above the rhizome site as the former greatly increases flower production.


----------



## Lecterfan

BenKen25 said:


> I will just let it do its thing i have read they will start growing outward once to cant climb any higher i will leave it for a bit and see what it does



Let it go, it knows what to do. It'll throw laterals when it is ready.


----------



## benken25

Lecterfan said:


> Let it go, it knows what to do. It'll throw laterals when it is ready.



there is so much info to tip not to tip. im really looking forward to this harvest there are so many burrs on the plant :icon_drool2:


----------



## Helles

I think this the dwarf variety 2nd year Cluster


----------



## Helles

These first year Cacade Chinnook And 2 Goldings have taken off and hit the roof


----------



## BPH87

Has anyone had any issues growing them in pots? Like them becoming root bound?


----------



## Helles

BPH87 said:


> Has anyone had any issues growing them in pots? Like them becoming root bound?




The bottoms are cut out of the pot on mine 
The above post
Pot is there just to keep the weeds and snails out


----------



## beerdrinkingbob

helles said:


> I think this the dwarf variety 2nd year Cluster



Pretty sure one of mine is a dwarf variety too h34r:


----------



## 6tri6ple6

2nd year plants. the left one is POR, middle is Goldings, and the right is Chinook.

Growing about an inch a day. The chinook was the last one to appear but is now the tallest.






first year cascade


----------



## Spiesy

Damnit. 

Replanted my Cascade rhizome on Sunday, to a more sunny position (was getting none where it was). The one tiny little stalk grew half an inch yesterday. 
So after the 30-degree day today, I was looking forward to seeing some gains... a bird must have got to the bastard... nothing there at all. Bare soil.


----------



## Malted

Photos taken this arvo. 
3 yr old Chinook storming away on left, 2 yr old Victoria on the right. Vic is pretty much just in a holding pattern but I am not worried, it'll do it's thing when it wants to and if it doesn't then so be it. (total height of poles about 4.5m)





3 yr old Hersbrucker on the left, 2nd yr Williamette on the right. Note that they have grown beyond the 4m high support and are starting to collapse under their own weight. I won't 'tip' them, I'll just let them do their own thing, they'll be ok.


----------



## Golani51

Spiesy said:


> Damnit.
> 
> Replanted my Cascade rhizome on Sunday, to a more sunny position (was getting none where it was). The one tiny little stalk grew half an inch yesterday.
> So after the 30-degree day today, I was looking forward to seeing some gains... a bird must have got to the bastard... nothing there at all. Bare soil.



What hops do you still have growing now?


----------



## Muscovy_333

Spiesy said:


> Damnit.
> 
> Replanted my Cascade rhizome on Sunday, to a more sunny position (was getting none where it was). The one tiny little stalk grew half an inch yesterday.
> So after the 30-degree day today, I was looking forward to seeing some gains... a bird must have got to the bastard... nothing there at all. Bare soil.




Keep it moist, it will most likely come back.
I had a similar thing happen last year with a first year plant. The bine popped up in early Feb, climbed 3 metres and threw a heap of flowers by late March.


----------



## Spiesy

@Golani51: I don't have any more right now mate. A bloke at work kindly donated the Cascade to me which I attempted to put to good use.

@Muscovy: cool, yeah I'm hoping not all is lost - the rhizome is still in it's "nest", and it copped a soak last night.


----------



## tricache

hughman666 said:


> Here are mine, I planted the rhizomes in early August so I'm fairly happy with the results, particularly given that it hasn't really warmed up in Melbourne yet. Being in an inner-city townhouse, I'm bound to using pots. I chose Super Alpha, Cascade, Saaz and Hallertau to give me the ability to do APAs, IPAs, Kolsch/Pils and Weizens, so all major food groups covered
> 
> The back decking gets sunlight all day round which is handy. I've clipped them when they've gotten to the top of the 6' stakes, resulting in them to start bushing out. Nice!
> 
> View attachment 58082
> 
> 
> Super Alpha came up first and has gone ballistic. Big hopes for this fella...
> 
> View attachment 58084
> 
> 
> Cascade
> 
> View attachment 58083
> 
> 
> Saaz
> 
> View attachment 58085
> 
> 
> Hallertau
> 
> View attachment 58086



Thats perfect!!! I live in a townhouse so our backyard is kinda small and I was looking at ideas with pots and this is perfect!! Thanks


----------



## Fents

My Tettnanger. Cascade is even bigger. Roots have grown straight through that pot into the ground. 5th Year plant


----------



## Spiesy

very impressive, Fents.


----------



## Cocko

Pity its not so legal to show his 'other' plants! Monsters.....


----------



## Midnight Brew

I'm amazed to see some of the pictures of some Melbourne plants. Mine always take till late October or now till they start to sprout then they go ape shit and grow into late March early April. Ive got some 2yr olds and some 3yr olds and they all react the same. Most in full sun too. Anyone else in Melbourne get late bloomers?


----------



## jrsy85

Midnight Brew said:


> I'm amazed to see some of the pictures of some Melbourne plants. Mine always take till late October or now till they start to sprout then they go ape shit and grow into late March early April. Ive got some 2yr olds and some 3yr olds and they all react the same. Most in full sun too. Anyone else in Melbourne get late bloomers?



I have three plants that are getting close to a meter now and one that is about 40mm  I'm past Geelong though. I hope the little one is just a late bloomer.


----------



## Adam Howard

Midnight Brew said:


> I'm amazed to see some of the pictures of some Melbourne plants. Mine always take till late October or now till they start to sprout then they go ape shit and grow into late March early April. Ive got some 2yr olds and some 3yr olds and they all react the same. Most in full sun too. Anyone else in Melbourne get late bloomers?



Depends on the hop variety I've found. I have a mix of Aussie, Euro and US hops and the Euro ones always get going quicker because they're used to a colder climate. The last one to pop each year is the Chinook and when it does it overtakes the rest in a couple of weeks. Mental hop.


----------



## BPH87

So obviously no problems putting them in small pots?


Fents said:


> My Tettnanger. Cascade is even bigger. Roots have grown straight through that pot into the ground. 5th Year plant


----------



## Fents

i wouldnt say its a small pot...its not massive but does the job. i really should of repotted them a couple of years ago into a wine barrell or something but i get lazy. The root system has now gone through the bottom of those pots and into the ground! went to pick the pot up one day and it just wouldnt budge. Its obviously happy now so im leaving it alone. All i have done is when it reach's the top of the trellis just carefully start feeding it length ways across the trellis.


----------



## stevemc32

Finally managed to kick the peas out and get some action from the hops. Near to far they are Cascade, 2 x Chinook and Cluster. I had a Goldings in the near pot but it didn't take after getting a little ugly looking in the fridge.


----------



## NDH

I have a single cascade doing quite well, not nearly as well as some posted up here but I'm happy with its progress.

Quick question regarding new growth. I have about 6 or so bines around the 2m mark doing quite well, but there are probably another 6 seemingly stunted at around the 200mm mark. I'm wondering if it worth pruning the shorter ones giving more nutrients etc to the longer more advanced ones? It's a 3rd year plant in less than ideal conditions from what I now understand. I have read that commercial growers only allow a few bines off each plant to grow, I assume there is some reasoninig to this but does it translate to the home grown conditions?

Cheers

NDH


----------



## Liam_snorkel

Give them a string to climb up. If not, chop 'em. 

From what I understand, commercial growers allow a few bines _per string_: http://youtu.be/z9OqXOgdkMc


----------



## edschache

I can't wait to grow some hops next year, loving what I'm seeing in this thread, just have to wait for construction to finish and I'll have the perfect spot for them up onto the deck 





The roof of the deck will be about 1m above the top platform of that scaffolding - plenty of vertical space that will be accessible from 3 levels (on the deck, on the retaining wall and on the natural ground level).

Ed


----------



## blotto

I have a cascade that I got of JYO I had it in a smallish pot for at least 2 months maybe 3 it had put up 3 shoots but they never took off just stayed really small they looked like little bushes about 1-2" high. 

Well I have recently moved to a new house and found a spot where it should get a good bit of sun so I put it in the ground yesterday. The soil/potting mix in the pot must have had drainage problems because the potting mix stunk to high heaven like it was rotting or the rhizome was, I hope the rhizome is ok I didn't really get a look at it as I cut the bottom out of the pot and dumped the whole lot into the hole so the existing shoots didn't get damaged. It's still green so that's a positive  The ground it's in now is very sandy so that will help with the potting mix drain that the rhizome is surrounded by but I'm not sure if it would contain many nutrients. Tho the orange tree sure seems to like the soil!

I found a few shoots under the surface ready to pop up as well. Fingers crossed I see some action when I get back from work and have some photos to post


----------



## Golani51

Spiesy said:


> @Golani51: I don't have any more right now mate. A bloke at work kindly donated the Cascade to me which I attempted to put to good use.
> 
> @Muscovy: cool, yeah I'm hoping not all is lost - the rhizome is still in it's "nest", and it copped a soak last night.



PM sent


----------



## Danielscott26

My chinook is stunted. It grew to about 20cm and has just stopped its being like that for over a month now and the leaves are starting to brown. Im growing it in a large pot so im wondering if it will be better if i plant it in the ground or should i just leave it?
Im a first time hop grower so any help will be much appreciated.


----------



## sponge

My chinook and victoria are very much MIA and neither have shown any signs of life.

The columbus, willamette and cascade have all just been taken from there pots and put on various trellis' around one side of my parents house as these areas get the most sunlight and have areas for a few trellis. 

The columbus and willamette have both grown over a metre, with the cascade not too far behind. 

Now to hope moving them from pot to ground won't upset them too much (re: at all)

I'll post a couple of pictures when I get the chance.


----------



## FuzzyDropbear

Dan26 said:


> My chinook is stunted. It grew to about 20cm and has just stopped its being like that for over a month now and the leaves are starting to brown. Im growing it in a large pot so im wondering if it will be better if i plant it in the ground or should i just leave it?
> Im a first time hop grower so any help will be much appreciated.



Have you been watering them and giving them doses of liquid fertiliser? I usually give mine a sprinkle of water every day (sometimes it's literally only a sprinkle if it hasn't dried out at all) and they get a drink of worm tea 2 - 3 times a week. I'm a first time hop grower too (and they're in a large pot) but these things have started to rocket upwards! I understand how others have grown so quickly now, seems as soon as I put them on one of the strings they're off. Amazing plants, I can understand how they would make a good invasive plant.


----------



## Danielscott26

FuzzyDropbear said:


> Have you been watering them and giving them doses of liquid fertiliser? I usually give mine a sprinkle of water every day (sometimes it's literally only a sprinkle if it hasn't dried out at all) and they get a drink of worm tea 2 - 3 times a week. I'm a first time hop grower too (and they're in a large pot) but these things have started to rocket upwards! I understand how others have grown so quickly now, seems as soon as I put them on one of the strings they're off. Amazing plants, I can understand how they would make a good invasive plant.



Hey mate I have being watering them every couple of days and once a fortnight i add blood and bone liquid fertiliser. Im on the gold coast so i think the weather has being playing a small part. 
I had a Mt hood plant that shot up to about a metre but broke when we had a storm so i cut it off and it hasn't come back yet so I'm definitely struggling with the hop growing at the moment.


----------



## Golani51

Dan26 said:


> Hey mate I have being watering them every couple of days and once a fortnight i add blood and bone liquid fertiliser. Im on the gold coast so i think the weather has being playing a small part.
> I had a Mt hood plant that shot up to about a metre but broke when we had a storm so i cut it off and it hasn't come back yet so I'm definitely struggling with the hop growing at the moment.



Why would you cut it off? It will just split from there. Shame- the sunlight is not a bad thing.


----------



## Danielscott26

Golani51 said:


> Why would you cut it off? It will just split from there. Shame- the sunlight is not a bad thing.



Yea i know. The plant broke about 5cm above soil level and was not looking healthy at all so i thought id cut it at the break and it would just grow from there. Instead it just died and hasn't grown back at all. Il definitely know better next time.
Any way heres hoping they come back. I was really hoping to do a brew with my own hops


----------



## Dave70

Dan26 said:


> My chinook is stunted. It grew to about 20cm and has just stopped its being like that for over a month now and the leaves are starting to brown. Im growing it in a large pot so im wondering if it will be better if i plant it in the ground or should i just leave it?
> Im a first time hop grower so any help will be much appreciated.



Mine haven't shifted either. They look about the same as they do on page 14. That shot was taken mid Sept. 
Who knows? 
It _has_ been unseasonably cold where I am. Matter of fact, the weather's been totally fcuked all round. Hot / cold / dry / windy. 

I think I made the mistake of many first time growers in trying to show to much love. The hallertau and cascade I shoved in the garden and left pretty much alone seem to be powering.


----------



## Golani51

Dave70 said:


> Mine haven't shifted either. They look about the same as they do on page 14. That shot was taken mid Sept.
> Who knows?
> It _has_ been unseasonably cold where I am. Matter of fact, the weather's been totally fcuked all round. Hot / cold / dry / windy.
> 
> I think I made the mistake of many first time growers in trying to show to much love. The hallertau and cascade I shoved in the garden and left pretty much alone seem to be powering.



Always happens. The stuff I managed to break has split off into more bines. The stuff the chooks dug up 3 times have done nothing. On the other hand, whilst some of my stuff is 9ft tall already, my inground magnum has done nothing till 2 days ago and since then grew over a foot.


----------



## Malted

We've had crazy weather here in Adelaide but my Chinook are powering away http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...st&p=967187
Victoria on the other hand is not doing much.


----------



## hoppy2B

G'day folks,
My Golding is rocketing along at the moment, so too the Cluster, and POR is starting to shift its arse as well. Been fixing the trellis so will have pics in a few days.
The Columbus I got in earlier this year died on me.  So I'm wondering if anyone in the Adelaide area has a Columbus growing, second year or better, from which they would let me grab a couple of shoots. Would be much appreciated. Cheers.


----------



## Golani51

Wort said:


> I have a cascade that I got of JYO I had it in a smallish pot for at least 2 months maybe 3 it had put up 3 shoots but they never took off just stayed really small they looked like little bushes about 1-2" high.
> 
> Well I have recently moved to a new house and found a spot where it should get a good bit of sun so I put it in the ground yesterday. The soil/potting mix in the pot must have had drainage problems because the potting mix stunk to high heaven like it was rotting or the rhizome was, I hope the rhizome is ok I didn't really get a look at it as I cut the bottom out of the pot and dumped the whole lot into the hole so the existing shoots didn't get damaged. It's still green so that's a positive  The ground it's in now is very sandy so that will help with the potting mix drain that the rhizome is surrounded by but I'm not sure if it would contain many nutrients. Tho the orange tree sure seems to like the soil!
> 
> I found a few shoots under the surface ready to pop up as well. Fingers crossed I see some action when I get back from work and have some photos to post


A lot of the cheaper potting mix tends to be 'fresh' and contains all sorts of crap (I mean that literally. Mix some mulch in it, regular soil etc and the drainage should improve. I always add worms from the compost heap too.

R


----------



## adryargument

Need to do some trimming his week, looks like I may have a 2-3 Golding shoots to share around come wed/thurs in the northern beaches / Sydney area


----------



## hoppy2B

My hops are really bolting along in their second season. Several varieties are already pushing out burrs. This time last year they had only started growing. A couple of photos of my Cluster :


----------



## beerdrinkingbob

hoppy2B said:


> My hops are really bolting along in their second season. Several varieties are already pushing out burrs. This time last year they had only started growing. A couple of photos of my Cluster :



They appeared to have undwarfed themselves.....


----------



## punkin

Proof of evolution right there.


----------



## hoppy2B

Goldings is at 4 metres and pushing out laterals but no burrs yet. Cluster is at 2 and 1/2 metres now and pumping the burrs out full on at the moment. Still looks like it will be dwarf. Expect it to be slightly taller than last year though.
Golding photos:


----------



## Adam Howard

Cascade has reached the top of the 3m strings.....in a week and a half.





Chinook finally getting into the swing of things, will no doubt catch up and overtake all my other hops like every other year.





Goldings.


----------



## adryargument

I have 4 Goldings and 3 Columbus shoots that are branching out. Happy to snip these off for first in best dressed. PM me if interested. Northern beaches area. Bring a bottle of your finest & a pot.

Both these plants have already reached 2m+ on a few bines


----------



## DJR

No photos right now of mine ( I should do though ). I'm kinda ashamed since so many people here esp with 2nd year + plants are doing so well compared with mine. I have a two-and-a-bit meter trellis set up with jute twine that is going pretty good, I made the mistake last year of planting varieties that didn't grow well in my climate in the best spot, and putting the best growing variety (Cascade) in the worst spot - shaded all season by a neighbour's big hazelnut tree.

My cascade was a late starter this year as I planted it around the 2nd week of august (2 rhizomes replanted from last year) and the Chinook I got from DrSmurto went in the ground at the same time. The chinook took a while to shoot, took till about the start of Sept before it broke cover (1 bine only) but now is about 1.5m tall. The first cascade rhizome has one major bine that is now about 2.5m tall and about to wrap itself back around the top of the trellis and is starting to shoot its laterals, and the 2nd rhizome has 3 bines all around 1.5m tall. I have a Hersbruck plant in the backyard that is not doing so well but I will see how it goes

Last year was crap, I had a few cones starting to form and then we got a killer hailstorm here in Hazelbrook that shredded my plants, here's hoping this year will be better and I can harvest some cones before any late summer hail


----------



## hoppy2B

adryargument said:


> I have 4 Goldings and 3 Columbus shoots that are branching out. Happy to snip these off for first in best dressed. PM me if interested. Northern beaches area. Bring a bottle of your finest & a pot.
> 
> Both these plants have already reached 2m+ on a few bines



If I was in that part of the country I'd be there in a flash. :blink:


----------



## adryargument

Finally managed to take a few photos.
Hops were dumped in towards the end of winter, started poking their heads through before they should have.
Liberal amounts of seasol and chicken poop infused water were used to coax them into life, and have been watered daily for 12 minutes on a drip system since.

Hop pit:






Mt Hood, these babies have about 6 days growth on them. Absolutely shooting up.
Between the two plants there are 7-8 bines that are 40-80cm tall, with the leaves still only 2-4cm wide - they cant keep up.
New shoots seem to be appearing every night and tripling their height overnight.









Goldings, as usual, first ones up the ropes. The one at the back hit the top first then stopped growing since it got accidentally tipped.
The one in the front has shot 2 bines to the top and another 2-3 halfway up in the time the other has done nothing.






Columbus at the front: This thing has more runners then an olympic marathon. The ones in front are the ones i want to surgically remove. Either hand out to you lot or plant elsewhere.
Cascade behind it: Mot much, pretending to be a dwarf with a small stationary 25cm bine.






Chinooks, these little ones are biding their time. The one at the back is a newly planted and the one in front is a 2nd year that was dwarfing itself, however with the two new shoots/runners that have just poked through seem to be rocketing up.






Hersbuckers, conniving little bastards - each of these have 5-10 little bines with miniature leaves that are sitting at 5cm long. Waiting for these to start shooting. Last year these were bad-ass plants which produced 50% of the crop. I think they are playing hard to get.






Hallertau: These two last year were in a different location beside a rock - they nearly died of heat exhaustion as the heated up sandstone oven roasted them. Seem to be pushing up quite nicely. Limited amount of shoots.






Mt Hood in front: I think this is a Mt Hood - bit dubious. Looks one hell of a lot different to my other two but it may be due to the other having infant leaves that have not fleshed themselves out. Planted this year, from a pot.

Cluster at the back: New rhizome planted and it seems to enjoy itself here. Making some headway with its thin new shoots. Second tallest after the Goldings.






Plants at the back:
Hallertau, Cluster


----------



## hoppy2B

Yesterday I planted out a Victoria shoot I collected about 4 weeks ago and had in pot.


----------



## Malted

hoppy2B said:


> Yesterday I planted out a Victoria shoot I collected about 4 weeks ago and had in pot.



What do you mean by a 'shoot'? 
Was it a piece of rhizome, a new bine that you snipped off a rhizome, or did you take a cutting from a new bine (e.g. a section including the growing tip)?


----------



## hoppy2B

Malted said:


> What do you mean by a 'shoot'?
> Was it a piece of rhizome, a new bine that you snipped off a rhizome, or did you take a cutting from a new bine (e.g. a section including the growing tip)?



I take shoots when they reach about 4 to 6 inches in length, including the bit below the ground but without any rhizome.


----------



## tricache

My Hallertau Hops just before taking out of the pots...growing like crazy!!


----------



## Mattyau

has anyone tried to scrog grow them hydroponically or do they need the height.


----------



## barls

they need the height


----------



## Mattyau

barls said:


> they need the height




Cheers


----------



## Malted

Mattyau said:


> has anyone tried to scrog grow them hydroponically or do they need the height.



I have seen some pictures of American hobby growers (i.e just like us) growing them hydroponically. I don't know anything about how they grew/yielded.


----------



## tricache

Mattyau said:


> has anyone tried to scrog grow them hydroponically or do they need the height.



I had no idea what this was...googled it and got nothing but weed :lol:


----------



## DJR

Malted said:


> I have seen some pictures of American hobby growers (i.e just like us) growing them hydroponically. I don't know anything about how they grew/yielded.



Seems like a bit of a waste of money running all those grow lights, chemicals, possible constabulary attention, for a product costing between $15 and $40 a pound for someone else to do it  

On topic, I have 3 cascade bines that have reached the top of my trellis now, if it wasn't raining i'd go take a photo, the chinook still only has one bine but has taken off like a rocket, same with the hersbruck in the backyard, bit of a late starter but has gone beserk


----------



## tricache

Just repotted the hops, new potting mix and some blood & bone and a nice new big pot...unfortunately can't let them grow berserk in the backyard, living in a town-house limits me there but 6ft climbing frame should let it climb enough and bush out (until I can convince the wife to let me grow it all over our pergola :lol: )


----------



## Malted

DJR said:


> Seems like a bit of a waste of money running all those grow lights, chemicals, possible constabulary attention, for a product costing between $15 and $40 a pound for someone else to do it


 :icon_offtopic: Hydroponics does not have to entail grow lights etc, nor does it have to be indoors. Making home crafted beer in the US seems like a waste of money when you can buy it quite cheaply over there...


----------



## tricache

Malted said:


> :icon_offtopic: Hydroponics does not have to entail grow lights etc, nor does it have to be indoors. Making home crafted beer in the US seems like a waste of money when you can buy it quite cheaply over there...



As I have found out...homebrewing, the most expensive way to make "cheap" beer :lol:


----------



## Adam Howard

Chinook starting to hit it's strides.





Cascade absolutely belting, longest bine grew 2 feet in a week and will now be wound horizontally along the top strings. The other bines aren't far behind. Going to look fantastic when the laterals kick in and it all fills out.


----------



## Malted

Adamski29 said:


> longest bine grew 2 feet in a week



Wait until they grow 2 feet in two days, you'll be in raptures


----------



## tricache

I've actually been tempted to setup a webcam and do a timelapse of mine

Nevermind!  :lol:


----------



## felten

Here's mine after 5-6 weeks growth. 


I don't think it's a dwarf variety.


----------



## Adam Howard

Malted said:


> Wait until they grow 2 feet in two days, you'll be in raptures



I've seen them grow 2 inches in an hour. Bloody awesome.


----------



## blotto

Golani51 said:


> A lot of the cheaper potting mix tends to be 'fresh' and contains all sorts of crap (I mean that literally. Mix some mulch in it, regular soil etc and the drainage should improve. I always add worms from the compost heap too.
> 
> R


Thanks Golani

Things are going along great guns now! After two weeks in the ground shoots that had stalled have now started to take off 
Here are a few photos from start to now.


----------



## Danielscott26

My hop plants were really struggling in the large pots i had them in one had broken and wasnt growing back and the other one was dying with all the leaves turning brown so i planted them in the garden about a week or two ago and there going great. The one that had turned brown has got new growth and is looking really healthy and the one that broke has got 3 shoots coming out of the ground now. I will post pictures on the weekend.


----------



## blotto

Dan26 said:


> My hop plants were really struggling in the large pots i had them in one had broken and wasnt growing back and the other one was dying with all the leaves turning brown so i planted them in the garden about a week or two ago and there going great. The one that had turned brown has got new growth and is looking really healthy and the one that broke has got 3 shoots coming out of the ground now. I will post pictures on the weekend.


Yeah that's what I've done with mine. My potting mix was not draining at all! It smelt like it was rotting, things are going great now


----------



## ledgenko

hey all .. glad to see that others hops plants are not exploding in life as yet ... mine are in their second year and barely started the first leaves :0 .... Cascade ... and keen for a greater production of cones the year although the xmas swap this year in perth gets my first crop as aroma  

keep it up with the pics ... 

matt


----------



## adryargument

I have barley growing in my hop field...
Seems like some of the grains have survived the kilning process and the mash tun


----------



## tricache

adryargument said:


> I have barley growing in my hop field...
> Seems like some of the grains have survived the kilning process and the mash tun



Grow hops, grain and get some yeast going (not going to ask where) and you are brewing "off the grid" so to speak :lol:


----------



## pimpsqueak

Victoria on left. Had the most nodes on the 'zhome yet was the last one up.
Goldings in the middle. 2nd one up and was quite slow, then took off like a rocket. About 7ft high.
Chinook on the right. 1st one up then succumbed to some sort of mite/thrip type beastie. Just coming right now and showing some new greenery.


----------



## benken25

A quick pic of my 2nd year clusters bines its already got a shitload of hop flowers on it i think they will be ready to pick in a few weeks :lol:


----------



## Liam_snorkel

baww.

mine are only really starting to get off the ground!


----------



## drsmurto

Chinook about to feast on an unsuspecting chook that dared enter the root zone. There are 2 chinook rhizomes in there planted 4 years ago as cutoffs from the mother rhizome.






The reverse side where the mother chinook rhizome lives i planted 5 years ago.






Photos taken 10 days ago now. I didn't remove last seasons growth from the trellis. Turns out dead bines are perfect for new bines to climb! Chinook has now reached the top of the 3m trellis.


----------



## DJR

One of my cascade bines started to show burrs/pistils yesterday... nice


----------



## Batz

My Cluster went off early and I managed to harvest a few cones from the first two bines. Lots more coming on now as well, Cascade also has cones but the Mt Hood, Victoria and Goldings have been slow and just beginning to take off now.







I want to do a _New Harvest_ brew so I'm going to need lots more hops, these were vacuumed sealed and put in the freezer until the next harvest. Should only be a few weeks away.

Batz


----------



## mikec

A question for the guys that grow their own hops.
Do you need to do anything to them?
As in, between picking them and boiling them, do you treat them in any way, or just chuck them in?


----------



## Batz

mikec said:


> A question for the guys that grow their own hops.
> Do you need to do anything to them?
> As in, between picking them and boiling them, do you treat them in any way, or just chuck them in?




Nomally we just dry them, I've never done a brew before with wet/fresh hops but I'm keen to give it a try.


----------



## booargy

I like to pick a couple of handfuls and throw them in a stein fill er up and pour from there to glass, top up stein poke with a stick or sumthing pour again. when you get bored with that drink straight from the stein.


----------



## hoppy2B

Batz said:


> Nomally we just dry them, I've never done a brew before with wet/fresh hops but I'm keen to give it a try.




You probably could have left your recently picked cones on there for a couple more months no problemo.


----------



## Yob

hoppy2B said:


> You probably could have left your recently picked cones on there for a couple more months no problemo.



And would have lost any freshness at all, hops can over ripen, when they start to change colour and go papery it is time to pick them. Do you leave fruit on the tree past ripe? No, you pick them and store/use/eat them. 

I left cones on the bine (POR) last year just to see what happened and you start to lose lots of the lupulin and they certainly lose aroma as the flowers open right up. 

Christ you type some shit, I would like to some evidence to the contrary.


----------



## drsmurto

@Batz - the cones look quite green. Did they feel papery? Up your way everything is green so I shouldn't be surprised if your hops follow that trend! :lol: 

@Yob - has Hoppy2B typed anything other than garbled shit since joining this forum? It's like Speedie after a spell/grammar check.


----------



## DJR

Apologies for the unclear pic, there is a garden behind the hops. The treated pine logs are about 2.1M high. Cascade for most of the bines, furthest from the camera is one of DrSmurto's chinooks, only one bine on that and 3-4 bines per cascade rhizome. Burrs are forming on the cascade closest to the camera, about 3 or 4 at this stage, it'd be another metre of shoot past the top, curling back around one of the posts.

Unfortunately it doesn't get quite as much sun as i'd like as it gets a little shaded by the neighbour's massive liquidambar  But it's probably about the best spot to have em.





Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## Batz

DrSmurto said:


> @Batz - the cones look quite green. Did they feel papery? Up your way everything is green so I shouldn't be surprised if your hops follow that trend! :lol:



Yes a bit papery, I'm not real sure when to pick them. They do have lots of that yellow stuff inside the cones.


----------



## Yob

Batz said:


> Yes a bit papery, I'm not real sure when to pick them. They do have lots of that yellow stuff inside the cones.



I notice in the image that the edges are starting to go brown, thats generally (in my limited experience) about the same time their texture changes.

I didnt brew with mine last year but was picking them and putting into a jug from the bine, beer in, mash, drink... renewed my love affair with chinook at the time h34r: 

I certainly noticed a difference over a week or two, they seem to be bang on and then fade as they open and turn brown.

well, that was my experience anyway

:icon_cheers:


----------



## Weizguy

Batz said:


> Yes a bit papery, I'm not real sure when to pick them. They do have lots of that yellow stuff inside the cones.


When the hops really get that awesome aroma, chop those units. It's harvest time!

As Yob says, the cones start to get brown about that time (or just after peak aroma).


----------



## kevo

Hey guys,

Noob hop grower - my chinook is going nicely, really taking off ATM.

Have new 'branches' (can't think of a better term!) shooting out from the main vines currently - what to do with these? :blink: 

Do I need to link these up with their own string or are they best left alone?

Cheers!

Kev


----------



## DJR

Kev, those are laterals, usually those end up having the most cones, just leave them.


----------



## kevo

DJR said:


> Kev, those are laterals, usually those end up having the most cones, just leave them.



Already done!

Cheers


----------



## bullsneck

Mine have been in the ground just a little under a month now - I was a little slack in getting myself organised! Thanks to wakkatoo for the 'zome.





Chinook.


----------



## hoppy2B

I see Mozzi and PrSmurto are talking ridiculous dribble as usual. :lol: 

I would compare harvesting hop cones with picking fruit from a tree. Has anyone eaten an unripe piece of fruit? Most would understand if I described unripe fruit as tart and lacking sugar. 

And yes I am talking from experience because I saw how long my cones held up on the bine last season.

If you ever harvest enough cones to brew with then perhaps you will be qualified to make other than imbecilic comments Mozzi.


----------



## Yob

another golden post from Herpie

not talking about unripe... I believe over ripe was the... ahh feck it, I cant be bothered.


----------



## kalbarluke

Here is my ghetto hops system. Yes, it's dodgy but it should work.


I originally had them in the ground but replanted them in pots because my soil was to clay like. They seem to be doing better now since the recent storm activity.


The strings are about 5 metres. If I can get them to climb that high I'll be happy.


----------



## thylacine

Chinook today.


----------



## sponge

My Columbus is about 1m up the trellis I have for it, with Willamette at the same stage.

Cascade is coming along quite nicely in its pot and will be moved to the ground quite soon after another trellis is organised for it.

Chinook and victoria are not showing any signs of life so don't have much hope for either of those...

All in all, fairly happy with how things are coming along for the first year.


----------



## Liam_snorkel

Finally, some buds forming


----------



## Nibbo

thylacine said:


> Chinook today.




If thats the parents of my chinook, then they must be strong buggers. My chinook you gave me are powering along where others have not even shown a whimper. Out of 5 varieties, only chinook and goldings have survived. And the golding is hanging on for dear life. I've now got 4 chinooks from last years rhizome all looking strong even though they have been moved once already through a growth spurt.


----------



## Malted

Liam_snorkel said:


> Finally, some buds forming


Weed has buds, Hops have burrs...


----------



## thylacine

Nibbo said:


> If thats the parents of my chinook, then they must be strong buggers. My chinook you gave me are powering along where others have not even shown a whimper. Out of 5 varieties, only chinook and goldings have survived. And the golding is hanging on for dear life. I've now got 4 chinooks from last years rhizome all looking strong even though they have been moved once already through a growth spurt.



Yep, same rhizome. I sourced it from a brewer located in Tumut. ie. foot of Snowys


----------



## adryargument

Struggling to keep mine separate.
Columbus, Goldings and Mt hood bines are now like a cm thick.

Mt hood is developing cones.






Mt Hood Cones:





9 Golding shoots available for whoever.
All are growing and quite happy. They have between 2-4 inches of rhizome each and their shoot.


----------



## tricache

Liam_snorkel said:


> Finally, some buds forming


AWESOME!!!


----------



## hoppy2B

The cones on my Sweet Fruit Cluster have made some amazing gains in size during the hot weather over the last 2 days. I think mine are a couple of weeks behind Batz's. Like Batz I'm planning to do an early harvest brew as soon as I think there are enough cones for one. Will probably try it in future years with all of the big aroma American hops.


----------



## MaltyHops

edschache said:


> ...



Anyone else thought ... hmmm that would make a nice hop trellis!
even has a platform for picking the cones.

.


----------



## punkin

Just had a phone call to say we had a major hailstorm come through at home this afternoon. I'm not as devestated about my hops as i am about my apple trees. Especially my cider apples that had two dozen fruit on this year.  :angry:


----------



## Batz

Liam_snorkel said:


> Finally, some buds forming




Their flowers not buds, but we know what you mean man.


----------



## Batz

hoppy2B said:


> The cones on my Sweet Fruit Cluster have made some amazing gains in size during the hot weather over the last 2 days. I think mine are a couple of weeks behind Batz's. Like Batz I'm planning to do an early harvest brew as soon as I think there are enough cones for one. Will probably try it in future years with all of the big aroma American hops.



I'm almost ready for another harvest of Cluster, Cascade is covered in flowers, Goldings and Mt. Hood just starting to _bud_?


----------



## Liam_snorkel

Batz said:


> Their flowers not buds, but we know what you mean man.


They're. 

But we know what you mean. Force of habit, thanks


----------



## Fish13

Liam_snorkel said:


> They're.
> 
> But we know what you mean. Force of habit, thanks



i call them cones


----------



## Liam_snorkel

B) 

Our confusion is understandable, given the shape of the leaves..


----------



## Bogan333

Home grown CASCADE Hops Ashfield Western Australia


----------



## Wolfy

Last month I had a few rhizomes left over that were getting a bit manky so didn't want to sell/give them away. As a propagation experiment, I cut them into small pieces and put them into a bucket filled with potting mix (buckets are cheaper than pots):





A month later at least 80% of them appear to have shoots growing (and should continue to grow if the snails stay away):




... I'll keep them in bucket-pots, tend them over summer, and they should be established plants ready for a new home for next season.

Goldings today, already at the top of their 5m growing lines and setting flowers:





Tettnang thinks it's a ground cover:





Last year - for each variety that I only had 1 plant of - I buried a growing-bine across the width of the garden so that a 'second' plant would grow at the other side.
The buried bines turn(ed) into rhizomes (one of which dad dug up because he thought it was a tree root - there are no trees within 50-100m):




It's a cascade so I'll see how small bits grow-in-buckets.

Most of the plants that I 'encouraged' to spread, sent up a large number of plantlet shoots that will turn into full-sized plants (if I let them).
Not all are where I want the hops to actually grow, so spent a bit of time today pulling them out.




Victoria plantlets.

Each bit has roots/leaves, so I trimmed it back and will see if they grow in buckets also:




POR, Columbus and Cascase plantlets.


----------



## Bogan333

CASCADE Hops


----------



## Florian

Good idea burying the bines, Wolfy. Even just growing the bines sideways (along the ground) should encourage heaps of laterals to grow upwards. If this results in more overall yield though is questionable, but might still be a fun thing to experiment with if you have the space.


----------



## drsmurto

Chinook - the trellis is 3m in height


----------



## Malted

Liam_snorkel said:


> Our confusion is understandable, given the shape of the leaves..



Pretty much every case swap I have been to ends up with someone smoking 'hop flowers'. I'd say 'hop cones' but that would seem to mean something else since the folks just use rolly papers.


----------



## Wolfy

Florian said:


> Good idea burying the bines, Wolfy. Even just growing the bines sideways (along the ground) should encourage heaps of laterals to grow upwards. If this results in more overall yield though is questionable, but might still be a fun thing to experiment with if you have the space.


Was more about encouraging the plant to grow and spread and hence future-production - by having multiple plants instead of just 1 of each variety - than immediate season production. I'm not sure it would do much to enhance the current season production but in the future with multiple plants (given room for them to grow) the production should be increased appropriately.


----------



## hoppy2B

Hey all, just wondering if anyone in the Adelaide area has a Columbus plant I'd be able to get some shoots from. I have several varieties I could swap for if I can find an interested party. Or I'd be happy to buy a couple of shoots if need be.
A bottle of my finest perhaps.


----------



## tricache

Mine are going crazy at the moment, main vines going well and branches coming off all over the place.

Pretty happy since they got planted in August


----------



## hoppy2B

Batz said:


> I'm almost ready for another harvest of Cluster, Cascade is covered in flowers, Goldings and Mt. Hood just starting to _bud_?



I'm just wondering if your Cluster is the same strain as mine Batz. Mine is in its second year and looks to be topping out at around 3 metres in height. My other hops are much like yours. Golding and POR are in the process of burring up.


----------



## Malted

hoppy2B said:


> I'm just wondering if your Cluster is the same strain as mine Batz.



I don't recall Batz saying his are a dwarf variety h34r:


----------



## hoppy2B

Don't knock the dwarf, they are good for hand picking. :icon_cheers:


----------



## DJR

My hersbruck is going nucking futs on it's 2nd year - I counted about 40-50 large burrs yesterday and I am sure there are tons more coming. May even get two harvests out of that plant. I need to build a trellis extension for the chinook and cascade - will put a crossbeam across the top of the copper logs, then a metre high extension with mitred brace to extend the top of the things a bit more... hopefully with a bit more height they'll start budding more


----------



## mark0

I have some cascade and goldings cuttings which has struck roots and are looking for new homes. I have about 4 of each. 

Swap for a variety I don't have (hersbrucker, chinook, goldings, cascade) or $10.

In newcastle, nsw.


----------



## Fish13

My hallertau looking good and going nuts! the cascade is coming now after stopping for ages


----------



## tricache

Far out the rain at the start of the week has not helped my hops...I'm glad I had them in pots so I can move them around so they don't get as much water as most of the other plants (though the tomatoes freaking love it haha)


----------



## Wolfy

Some of the cuttings that I have had sitting in water for the last couple of weeks have grown small roots:




(About 1/3 the cuttings died, 1/3 are still green/alive but no roots, 1/3 have started growing roots).

So I put them in bucket-pots with the others:


----------



## Yob

can anyone identify these little feckers and with what I should be decimating them with?




grasshoppers? dunno what the hell they are but my Victoria is infested with them.

:icon_cheers:


----------



## felten

They look like leafhopper nymphs, I have them swarming around my garden as well. They're sucking insects but haven't caused any damage here yet.


----------



## Yob

hmmm sap suckers hay... I rekon their time is up the little buggers, some plants have more than others and the more heavily infested Victoria looks a bit stunted, could be a co-inki-dink but will nuke em just to be sure.

Cheers


----------



## IainMcLean

Yob said:


> hmmm sap suckers hay... I rekon their time is up the little buggers, some plants have more than others and the more heavily infested Victoria looks a bit stunted, could be a co-inki-dink but will nuke em just to be sure.
> 
> Cheers




brew up some strong coffee (like quintiple espresso), let it cool and spray it on - a cheaper / safer (less harmful toxins) than chemical bug sprays. You'll be surprised how toxic a good coffee is to little buggers like them...


----------



## Yob

Good to know, thanks man...

:beerbang:


----------



## felten

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OsidO2UbunA/TGmM...leaf+hopper.jpg
This is similar to what the adults look like AFAIK, have seen plenty of them loitering around my hop plant.


----------



## tricache

Had a look at my hops this morning and they are looking a bit worse for wear  some brown looking a bit sad...too much water or not enough? They did get a gutfull last week with 3 days of solid rain and they do get full sun


----------



## drsmurto

Yob said:


> can anyone identify these little feckers and with what I should be decimating them with?
> 
> View attachment 59384
> 
> 
> grasshoppers? dunno what the hell they are but my Victoria is infested with them.
> 
> :icon_cheers:



Are they doing any damage to the plant?

If not, leave them.

If yes, carbaryl.


----------



## Yob

if they are leafhoppers, and they do look to fit the bill then the interwebs says to get rid of then and that they inject the plants with toxins and spread from plant to plant.

The more infested of the plants do seem to be stunted which also fits the bill so I think I will try to nuke the little beggers.

Thanks for the info man.

:icon_cheers:


----------



## drsmurto

Yob said:


> if they are leafhoppers, and they do look to fit the bill then the interwebs says to get rid of then and that they inject the plants with toxins and spread from plant to plant.
> 
> The more infested of the plants do seem to be stunted which also fits the bill so I think I will try to nuke the little beggers.
> 
> Thanks for the info man.
> 
> :icon_cheers:



Stunted? They could be dwarves


----------



## Yob

:lol: glad I didnt have a beer in my face when I read that :lol: 

h34r:


----------



## hoppy2B

Pinch the tip off at ground level and burn it! :blink: 

As an experiment to see if you will achieve a higher yield.


----------



## adryargument

Mine all have a nasty nasty spidermite infection. Which has actually stunted/dwarfed two of them.
Nuked them with heavy duty poison yesterday. Hopefully when I make beer with the hops some of the radiation is left behind and I turn into Spider-Man.


----------



## kalbarluke

My ghetto hops system is working so far. It has been very hot and dry in SE Qld this summer so it seems to have slowed the progress of the hops. ATM the stronger ones (cascade and goldings) are about as tall as me (minus the height of the pot).

I get these yellow bugs on the leaves. It's not the greatest photo but I did some research but couldn't find what sort of bug they are and if they need to be removed. Any ideas? When I go out to water the hops plants there are dozens of them all over the plant (about one or two per leaf).


----------



## hoppy2B

kalbarluke, your hops probably have a lot of bugs on them from being under the Eucalyptus. I was walking around this evening looking for a chook that seems to have gone missing, probably another one to the neighbour's cat. Bastard has about 2 dozen. I'll start shooting the fuckers soon. And on my walkabout I noticed how many bugs were buzzing around in the canopy of the Eucs, chockers mate.


----------



## kalbarluke

kalbarluke said:


> I get these yellow bugs on the leaves.



Did more research. I think it is a type of Lycid beetle which is common in SEQ. Eats pollen, nectar and larvae. Don't think I'll kill them (at this stage).


----------



## felten

That's good to know, noticed them down here too and wondered what to do with them.


----------



## Danielscott26

Hey guys just a quick question. My hop plants are growing really well but there being eaten by bugs. what does everyone use to kill the little nastys


----------



## HBHB

Insert pic is of the Chinook pups i got off Dr Smurto back a few months ago. They've reached about 5m high with significant lateral growth as well. Flowers have appeared all over and there's probably about 100 cones already forming up around the 4.6m mark near the top of the boat shed. bit feral for a few months of growth after a long stint in the fridge. The cascades are starting to move now and have reached about the 1m mark, the Hallertau are doing well at around 2m of growth and quite a few laterals growing as well. Wouldn't have thought the bines would be throing cones at this early stage, but not concerned about it.

Soil prep was simple. Home made potting mix, with a bit of lime for pH adjustment, some magnesium, some iron chelate, blood and bone and a 4 manure mix along with a hefty covering of cane mulch.



Really not expecting much from the plants until they're 3-4 years old, when i'm hoping for them to produce a small crop to play with some fresh harvest brews.

Hervey Bay isn't exactly a temperate zone, but have enjoyed playing in the garden all the same.

Martin


----------



## emnpaul

Dan26 said:


> Hey guys just a quick question. My hop plants are growing really well but there being eaten by bugs. what does everyone use to kill the little nastys



Confidor works pretty well. If you have lots of plants or a large area to cover it can be more economical to buy a concentrate and dilute it into a garden sprayer. 
http://www.yates.com.au/products/pest-cont...de-concentrate/


----------



## kevo

Here's my chinooks - I'm a first time grower - no idea what to expect, but happy with what I'm seeing so far.







:icon_cheers:


----------



## Fish13

My hops. My one in the pot suffered badly. all the ground coverage in pot wilted and died. looks nasty. the one in the ground going strong!


----------



## Spiesy

I have a small patch of mostly sheltered lawn at my place. I removed an area of grass in the sunniest position to plant my hops - a cascade and hersbrucker rhizome (from the legend that is jyo). Cascade really started to take flight around a fortnight ago - got it up to a few feet high... which I was stoked with, Hersbrucker hasn't really made any progress.

Anyway... I was out whipper-snippering the lawn last weekend... I'm guessing you all know where this is headed...

Yep... the idiot that is me, nicked the Cascade an inch or so off the ground! Gutted. The plant is still alive, but I've lost a good month or so of peak growing. New leaves are now emerging, but it was a mournful morning where I had to unwrap the little feller from his string as it wilted in the sun...


----------



## pimpsqueak

Victoria (about a week ago)
Chinook just started to show signs of a crop too


----------



## Fish13

i have the starting of flowers on one of m,y plants!!! a dozen or so buds woohoo


----------



## Golani51

My in- ground Chinook is covered with beautiful little babies. Not sure the others..been away for a few days. Chinok began a couple weeks ago.


----------



## Filfy

Wow, some great updates here. 

My 1st year Chinook are still all of about three foot high and growing slowly....... 

Have been using liquid fert every two weeks and watering well, but growth is slow. Hopefully, better results next year!!


----------



## HBHB

Filfy said:


> Wow, some great updates here.
> 
> My 1st year Chinook are still all of about three foot high and growing slowly.......
> 
> Have been using liquid fert every two weeks and watering well, but growth is slow. Hopefully, better results next year!!




If you're not getting the growth you expect, try scratching in some iron chelate (bunnings) around the pot or plot. Plants can't utilize the nitrogen from these fertilizers unless the iron levels are adequate. Itcan change a plant's foliage characteristics significantly in a couple of weeks. It's also the no1 reason why plants don't take on a lush deep green appearance and have significant yellowing in the leaves.


Martin


----------



## Adam Howard

My Cascade and Chinook have come along way!





Cascade to the left.





Chinook took a little bit to catch up but it's thrown a heap of burrs.


----------



## winkle

Runty little EKGs




time to feed methinks.


----------



## raven19

Victoria Hops progressing slowly:


----------



## hoppy2B

The cuttings I took from your Victoria on the 17th December last year Raven, are now 5 metres tall and covered in burrs. :beer:


----------



## yum beer

hoppy2B said:


> The cuttings I took from your Victoria on the 17th December last year Raven, are now 5 metres tall and covered in burrs. :beer:




So they arent a dwarf variety?


----------



## hoppy2B

yum beer said:


> So they arent a dwarf variety?



Mine aren't but you'll have to ask Raven if his are. I think he tips his.


----------



## np1962

Good luck to the Adelaide growers over the next week.
Four or five days with predicted 40C + temperatures will cause some issues.
I have six plants in pots so I'm going to be out watering several times a day.


----------



## raven19

hoppy2B said:


> Mine aren't but you'll have to ask Raven if his are. I think he tips his.




I have cut the tips on all 4 main bines now that they have reached the top of my trellis yes.


----------



## alawishus

NigeP62 said:


> Good luck to the Adelaide growers over the next week.
> Four or five days with predicted 40C + temperatures will cause some issues.
> I have six plants in pots so I'm going to be out watering several times a day.



I have found placing a large rock or ceramic pot on the ground in the pot where the hops are growing significantly reduces water loss during those days.

Now I always place a ceramic pot full of miniature cactus plants on top of the hop plant pot. The hops grow out around the upper pot and dont seem to suffer as much from the heat.

Ala


----------



## stef

Anyone got a trellis design that will allow for multiple varieties of hops to be grown without any chance they will climb into each other? 

Last year i grew my hops at home, growing up the side of the (2 storey) house. This year i have moved half of them (3) to the folks farm and am growing them up a trellis constructed of two 6m lengths of PVC pipe (vertically) and strings dangling down from a horizontal between the two pieces of pipe. It works ok, but was a pain to put up and isnt overly strong. Next year i'm planning to move the rest of the hops, plus maybe one or 2 more out there as well.

I only have 1 plant of each hop type, so want to keep them separate. Space is no issue. My thoughts at the moment was to maybe have 1 vertical post, approx 3-4m high for each plant, and just to keep each post/plant at least a few metres away from its neighbour. Or possibly make a commercial style layout, and just plant the rhizomes a long distance apart...

Anyone got any hints/thoughts?

Cheers


----------



## BPH87

How do to know when hop flowers are ready to be picked?

Cheers,

Ben


----------



## pimpsqueak

IIRC you're supposed to brush a cone backwards and if 20% or so of the leaves come off, they're ready. Think there may be some differing opinions though.
I think my first harvest will be on the weekend for about 3 dozen Victoria cones.
In another few weeks I reckon nearly all the burrs left will mature at about the same time. Just as well, as I wasn't looking forward to harvesting a few dozen cones every other day for a month.

Victoria....


----------



## BPH87

pimpsqueak said:


> IIRC you're supposed to brush a cone backwards and if 20% or so of the leaves come off, they're ready. Think there may be some differing opinions though.
> I think my first harvest will be on the weekend for about 3 dozen Victoria cones.
> In another few weeks I reckon nearly all the burrs left will mature at about the same time. Just as well, as I wasn't looking forward to harvesting a few dozen cones every other day for a month.
> 
> Victoria....



So how long do you think they take to mature on the plant once they reach full size (or stop getting larger). 

Worst thing about this hot weather 39 here today, is that it burns (tips) the growing tips off the bines and it looks like it slightly burns the leaves on the cones.


----------



## BPH87

One other thing; what is the best way to store these after picking? Dehydrate and vac seal them or just cryo vac seal them?

Cheers


----------



## yum beer

BPH87 said:


> One other thing; what is the best way to store these after picking? Dehydrate and vac seal them or just cryo vac seal them?
> 
> Cheers




I like to preserve my hops in some freshly made wort.... :chug: 
I have heard of them being packed into vacuum sealed bags and placed in fridges and freezers...crazy shit.


----------



## kalbarluke

Anyone used NPK fertilizer on their hops? If so, when do you apply it? I have some flowers just starting to form now and wondering if I should apply now or in a few weeks.


----------



## BPH87

I have been using some fertilizers a seaweed one and and a carp one and applying them late in the afternoon direct to the lower foliage and around the root base every two weeks. 

If your leaves start to yellow use some Iron Chelate (another member has mentioned this to).


----------



## kalbarluke

I have been applying seasol and chicken manure but that is mainly for plant growth. The NPK fertilizer is what rose growers use to get nicer/bigger/better flowers. I have heard of hops growers using it to promote flower growth but I'm not sure when to use it.


----------



## Batz

I quite happy with my hops this year considering they are growing in Queensland they look fairly dam good to me. Mushroom compost and regular feeds with chook poo liquid fertilizer.












I have never brewed with Victoria, but the hop flowers smell incredibly good to me, can't wait to get them into a brew.

Batz


----------



## Yob

Nice one Batz, some of those in the middle photo look good to go, can you lower those lines?


----------



## Batz

Yob said:


> Nice one Batz, some of those in the middle photo look good to go, can you lower those lines?




Yes need to harvest this arvo.
No I can't lower the lines with is a PITA, I park the tractor next to the pole and put a ladder against it. I have to come up with something better next year.

Batz


----------



## Yob

FFS be careful Batz.. 

and also, a photo of you in the tractor thank you :lol:


----------



## BoilerBoy

Batz said:


> I have never brewed with Victoria, but the hop flowers smell incredibly good to me, can't wait to get them into a brew.
> 
> Batz



You'll love it Batz!

Tried a beer with it again at Dr S's place last weekend, sensational along with the rye.

I've got it growing myself and hope to get enough for a at least one batch.

Awesome aroma and flavour, you can't help but keep constantly sniffing the glass.

Cheers,
B.B


----------



## Batz

Yob said:


> FFS be careful Batz..
> 
> and also, a photo of you in the tractor thank you :lol:




I'll take a photo of the operation tomorrow Yob storm coming in now so up an aluminum seems a bad idea  

Batz


----------



## punkin

Hail storm a couple of months ago really set my first year cascade plants back.

Now the heat wave is burning the growing tips off, i can't win.

There is a few cones on there that look ready but don't feel papery yet.


----------



## geneabovill

The heat wave burnt off about 1/3 of my chinook. Funnily enough the English varieties see not have noticed the 43C day...


----------



## Batz

Bit of a harvest today.





Cascade, Cluster, Mt Hood and Victoria


----------



## Yob

Cascade/Victoria Wet-hop Harvest brew forthcoming from the Batz Brewery? 

:super:


----------



## lukiferj

Batz said:


> Bit of a harvest today.
> 
> Cascade, Cluster, Mt Hood and Victoria



Looks great Batz. Be keen to hear how you go with the Victoria.


----------



## Batz

Yob said:


> Cascade/Victoria Wet-hop Harvest brew forthcoming from the Batz Brewery?
> 
> :super:




I was thinking along those lines Yob, brew a pale and chuck all the Cascade and Victoria in as a late addition.
Hinterland Harvest.

Batz


----------



## drsmurto

I'm surprised that there has been so little feedback on the beers brewed with homegrown hops over the years. I've been growing them for 6 years now and there are many people who have been growing them for longer. 

Victoria is an amazing hop, easily my favourite. It is super smooth, a little bit of stonefruit, citrus and mango. Maybe a hint of passionfruit. I have 3 plants producing very well but will be expanding that to 6 or 7 next season. 

Chinook is less grapefruit than US grown chinook, more like Motueka.

Cascade is similar, a tame version of the US parent. Dug that up last year.

Goldings, in my backyard, smelled like tangerines but were a little lack lustre in beer. Dug that up a few years ago.


----------



## kcurnow

Batz said:


> Bit of a harvest today.
> 
> View attachment 59878
> 
> 
> 
> Cascade, Cluster, Mt Hood and Victoria



Nice one Batz!!


----------



## Malted

Yob said:


> and also, a photo of you in the tractor thank you :lol:





Batz said:


> I'll take a photo of the operation tomorrow Yob storm coming in now so up an aluminum seems a bad idea





Batz said:


> Bit of a harvest today.
> View attachment 59878
> 
> Cascade, Cluster, Mt Hood and Victoria



Where's the tractor!


----------



## hoppy2B

Picked my 2nd year Cluster last Thursday, dried and packed and in the freezer now. Kinda wish I had packed them wet. They seem to lose a lot of aroma as they dry and the dry stuff I have brewed with seems to have less flavour than the wet I used last season. I have about 50 Cluster plants in nursery bags that hold about 15 litres of soil, most of which will produce a reasonable number of cones this season.
Last season my all grain green wheat wet Cluster brew had a good hit of lime fading to piney, then pineapple, followed by grapefruit and mellowing out to a little passionfruit. That was once it had fully conditioned in the bottle. Had a lot of freaky fruit flavours soon after bottling and before full carbing.
My Vics had their top metre burnt off some of the 5 metre tall bines last Friday in the 45 degree heat. I have 3 plants going at the moment which should be yielding well in a couple of months.


----------



## Batz

> Where's the tractor!


----------



## kcurnow

Malted said:


> Where's the tractor!



Something like this?


----------



## punkin

hoppy2B said:


> Picked my 2nd year Cluster last Thursday, dried and packed and in the freezer now. Kinda wish I had packed them wet. They seem to lose a lot of aroma as they dry and the dry stuff I have brewed with seems to have less flavour than the wet I used last season. I have about 50 Cluster plants in nursery bags that hold about 15 litres of soil, most of which will produce a reasonable number of cones this season.
> Last season my all grain green wheat wet Cluster brew had a good hit of lime fading to piney, then pineapple, followed by grapefruit and mellowing out to a little passionfruit. That was once it had fully conditioned in the bottle. Had a lot of freaky fruit flavours soon after bottling and before full carbing.
> My Vics had their top metre burnt off some of the 5 metre tall bines last Friday in the 45 degree heat. I have 3 plants going at the moment which should be yielding well in a couple of months.


Can you give a little more info on freezing wet hops please?


----------



## hoppy2B

punkin said:


> Can you give a little more info on freezing wet hops please?


Its pretty simple. Pick your hops as you normally would when you think they are ripe and pack them in bags straight away and into the freezer. 
I use about 4 times the weight of wet hops as I would of the dry stuff when brewing beer. Its a good idea to pack the amount you plan to brew with into each bag before freezing as they tend to freeze into a somewhat solid lump. 
I don't know if they would be suitable for dry hopping with once they have been frozen wet.


----------



## adryargument

Harvested 300g of Mt Hood this morning.
Which i then decided to make hop omelettes for breakfast.

Omelette:
2 eggs,
splash of milk,
3 hop cones - sliced,
chives - sliced,
basil - sliced,
garlic chilli infused olive oil,
2 slices of wholemeal bread - buttered,
salt + pepper as desired

Garnish:
3 hop cones,
hop leaf

Quite delightful.

Rest was compressed and vac sacked into the freezer.


----------



## Batz

adryargument said:


> Harvested 300g of Mt Hood this morning.
> Which i then decided to make hop omelettes for breakfast.
> 
> Omelette:
> 2 eggs,
> splash of milk,
> 3 hop cones - sliced,
> chives - sliced,
> basil - sliced,
> garlic chilli infused olive oil,
> 2 slices of wholemeal bread - buttered,
> salt + pepper as desired
> 
> Garnish:
> 3 hop cones,
> hop leaf
> 
> Quite delightful.
> 
> Rest was compressed and vac sacked into the freezer.


For a while there I thought you had chopped and added fresh hop cones to your eggs, it had me very interested.... In fact that's what I serving for brekky tomorrow.

Batz


----------



## adryargument

Batz said:


> For a while there I thought you had chopped and added fresh hop cones to your eggs, it had me very interested.... In fact that's what I serving for brekky tomorrow.
> 
> Batz


But i did, i did!
All the light green bits are hop bits.


----------



## Yob

_*AND???*_ :super:


----------



## adryargument

adryargument said:


> Quite delightful.


----------



## punkin

hoppy2B said:


> Its pretty simple. Pick your hops as you normally would when you think they are ripe and pack them in bags straight away and into the freezer.
> I use about 4 times the weight of wet hops as I would of the dry stuff when brewing beer. Its a good idea to pack the amount you plan to brew with into each bag before freezing as they tend to freeze into a somewhat solid lump.
> I don't know if they would be suitable for dry hopping with once they have been frozen wet.



Thanks mate, just a good way of preserving the early harvest ones so they can catch ip then.

Thanks.


----------



## Batz

adryargument said:


> But i did, i did!
> All the light green bits are hop bits.


Fantastic!

I'll serve this up to the trouble and strife in the morning. :super: I always add mobs of herbs anyway so we'll she if she notices any difference.


----------



## punkin

adryargument said:


> Harvested 300g of Mt Hood this morning.
> Which i then decided to make hop omelettes for breakfast.
> 
> Omelette:
> 2 eggs,
> splash of milk,
> 3 hop cones - sliced,
> chives - sliced,
> basil - sliced,
> garlic chilli infused olive oil,
> 2 slices of wholemeal bread - buttered,
> salt + pepper as desired
> 
> Garnish:
> 3 hop cones,
> hop leaf
> 
> Quite delightful.
> 
> Rest was compressed and vac sacked into the freezer.


Can't quite raise you yet, but i'll see you....


Hop croutons with extra virgin, balsamic, basil flowers from the garden and sliced Cascade from the vine...


----------



## Yob

punkin said:


> Thanks mate, just a good way of preserving the early harvest ones so they can catch ip then.
> 
> Thanks.


Punkin.. if you actually do this I would be keen to hear your results..Ive been quite skeptical to date, reinforcement/feedback from such as yourself may go a few yards to adding to this discussion about freezing wet hops.

Yob


----------



## punkin

Yob said:


> Punkin.. if you actually do this I would be keen to hear your results..Ive been quite skeptical to date, reinforcement/feedback from such as yourself may go a few yards to adding to this discussion about freezing wet hops.
> 
> Yob



:lol: Well i picked three for my croutons last night (that were terrific by the way) and stuck one of them in a zippie and threw it in the freezer.

You'll probably be after a more representative sample than that though?


----------



## adryargument

My Chinook are coming along nicely - nearly ready for harvest.
Picked a few for 'testing' and came up with the below.

Belgian style hop steak:
(Bachelor recipe below, serves 1)

1 x New York Cut
1/2 Cup Belgian Dubbel Dubbel
1/3 Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Ketchup
2 Garlic Cloves
1 1/2 Tablespoons Ginger minced
1 Chilli sliced
1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil (or extra virgin if you have none h34r

Marinate for 6 hours, serve with a 2012 Sierra Navada Northern Hemisphere Harvest Ale.


----------



## Dave70

Good lord. _Eating_ hops.

Are you blokes also partial to the odd bowl of crystal 40 with a slplash of milk in lieu of cornflakes?


----------



## Malted

Batz said:


> 1.jpg


Sweet yard chariot!


----------



## Yob

whoops... stinker here today... Im afeared Ive killed the Goldings.. it's dry enough to smoke 

Others looking a bit sad as well..

nutz


----------



## Phillo

Yob said:


> whoops... stinker here today... Im afeared Ive killed the Goldings.. it's dry enough to smoke
> 
> Others looking a bit sad as well..
> 
> nutz


We've had yet ANOTHER 40C+ day in Adelaide, so my Chinook got 9L instead of 4.5. Couple hours after the first watering the soil was bone dry again. She seems to be quite happy though, flowers everywhere and only one or two yellow leaves, 4m high.

I'm excited! :beerbang:


----------



## hoppy2B

Some of my hops died back a bit at the top this year, I suspect its due to the fact I have been watering less. Caught a bit of water last week when we got 10mm so had a bit more to put on them and they have sailed through this latest bout of heat.
If your hop bines are drying off it may pay to give them more water Yob.


----------



## Yob

you dont say... here I was thinking it was because I put all that poison on them... 

:wacko:


----------



## Liam_snorkel

yeah mine haven't been doing so well this year either, probably because I've been less militant about watering.


----------



## Frag_Dog

This year I've been smashing my Cascade (2 plants) with daily, or every-other day waterings and every 2 weeks I give them a handfull of Dynamic Lifta. It's really made a difference.

Last year both plants produced about 10 cones in total.

This year they are doing heaps better, the binds are covered in flowers from about 1.5m up to the top (3-4m).

The only issue is the flowering seem to be staggered a bit. The first set of flowered resemble proper hop cones, just a bit smaller. There are still ones comming on now which are obviouly goig to need to be picked later.


----------



## hoppy2B

Yob said:


> you dont say... here I was thinking it was because I put all that poison on them...
> 
> :wacko:


Could be that but its most likely a lack of sufficient watering.


----------



## felten

They love a deep watering. There's an interview with a commercial hop grower on the beersmith.com podcast and he talks about irrigating them for something like 12 or 24 hours at a time.


----------



## kalbarluke

I have been giving my plants a good soaking every day because the temps have been 36+. I also used Thrive for the first time (had been using Seasol). The hallertaur and goldings seem to be really loving it and look healthier than ever. 
This is a much drier summer than recent years. Last year we had heaps of rain and humidity and never really needed to water them much. I wonder if these conditions will affect the taste of the flowers.


----------



## stevemc32

Woohoo! I think I spy my very first ever hop flowers starting to show on a Chinook plant. It's been a long wait!


----------



## stux

I'm almost in tears over ma hops 

46C+ day the other day. All the growing tips are shriveled and dead, half the bines are dead. All the leaves are burnt and I think the burrs are stuffed. 

Gave each plant 2 buckets of water in the morning before the heat got insane, but when you have the hottest day on record.


Was looking good too


----------



## tricache

Stux said:


> I'm almost in tears over ma hops
> 
> 46C+ day the other day. All the growing tips are shriveled and dead, half the bines are dead. All the leaves are burnt and I think the burrs are stuffed.
> 
> Gave each plant 2 buckets of water in the morning before the heat got insane, but when you have the hottest day on record.
> 
> 
> Was looking good too


Mine are struggling too and we are only getting the 35+ heat here on the gold coast...still not good for most of my plants!


----------



## adryargument

Stux said:


> 46C+ day the other day. All the growing tips are shriveled and dead, half the bines are dead. All the leaves are burnt and I think the burrs are stuffed.


Mine are looking quite withered, however i have already pulled off 300g mt hood and 150g chinook wet.
Hopefully the rest of the season prevails, even though i think 300 buds of hersbucker just killed themselves.


----------



## hoppy2B

It seems the taller the variety the more water they require. 
2 buckets of water isn't a lot for a 46 degree day Stux. You kinda should be giving that amount any time the temp is about 30 degrees for best results. And then increase the amount as it gets hotter. It helps if you water several times a day in the really hot weather.
That said though, I would expect 46 to do some damage to the tops of the taller bines at the very least.


----------



## stux

Right, wasn't predicted to be a 46C day, couldn't do much while at work 

Just mid thirties I think


----------



## BPH87

So I seem to have a fair few cones on my goldings 200+. If I don't have any fresh wort to preserve them in, what is the next best way to store them??? I am not sure if they are ripe, but some parts of the cones are starting to die off.


----------



## felten

Dry them. You can lay them out on some flyscreen out of the sun, somewhere with some airflow, or put a fan on them. Then vac bag and freeze.


----------



## adryargument

BPH87 said:


> So I seem to have a fair few cones on my goldings 200+. If I don't have any fresh wort to preserve them in, what is the next best way to store them??? I am not sure if they are ripe, but some parts of the cones are starting to die off.


I have not had a problem with vac sacking then freezing without drying.


----------



## BPH87

Worthwhile using a dehydrator? Then vac packing them?


----------



## fergi

Yob said:


> a bit early for this malarky I thought until I did a bit of weeding this morning...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> cascade.JPG
> 
> Cascade
> 
> 
> 
> 
> POR.JPG
> 
> POR
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tett.JPG
> 
> Tett
> 
> WTF?? I guess they know what they are doing? I think I will just chuck some compost over them for now and see what happens..
> 
> I'd better pull the finger out and get to work on the trellis MKII
> 
> Yob


 yob i notice you have quite a few cubes of beer stored there , do you have any problems storing them over time.
fergi


----------



## fergi

Stux said:


> I'm almost in tears over ma hops
> 
> 46C+ day the other day. All the growing tips are shriveled and dead, half the bines are dead. All the leaves are burnt and I think the burrs are stuffed.
> 
> Gave each plant 2 buckets of water in the morning before the heat got insane, but when you have the hottest day on record.
> 
> 
> Was looking good too


 Stux i think you need a lot more water than that, down here in adelaide we had a 46 deg day, i have drippers on mine so i let the water run on them for 2 hours the night before, gives them time to suck up all the moisture, then i have thick pea straw mulch about 6 inches thick all around the root area, in the morning early i watered the pea straw again and really soaked it, did it a few times during the hot day. hardly any damage , but luck yours have got a hiding mate, i know you put a lot of work into them, hope you can salvage something out of it.
fergi


----------



## Yob

fergi said:


> yob i notice you have quite a few cubes of beer stored there , do you have any problems storing them over time.
> fergi


Ive only ever had trouble with 1 cube Fergi, it was a cube that had a very slow leak in the tap, not in the threads but from the barrel itself.. something got into it and the cube swelled up like a pregnant lady... smelled rancid...

Some of those near that one had been there I rekon for about 3 months.. you know how it goes, you brew another, like the recipe more and ferment it forst, the other gathers dust.

Overall Id have to say no, in over 40 cubes, the 1 fail aint too bad... and TBH if I had of paid due attention I "_should have_" fermented that one before quite a number of other ones and it would have been saved.

:icon_cheers:


----------



## Lecterfan

My plants look a bit sad and sorry this year. We had a very dry spring, and summer has been no better. I kept the water up but not the feeding regime from previous years in their early days (too busy with Uni).

Still, I'll get two harvests from my cascade and this is the first one done just now with a blend of two average pommy browns making a slightly better than average pommy brown. I haven't weighed it, but it will be great at flameout in a rye APA. Finished a saison brew day, talked shit with Billygoat, half cut at 2.30pm, cranking early Whitesnake, harvesting my own hops (good Chi!), bloody good day.

Can't wait for chinook and colombus to be ready!


----------



## punkin

Picked my first little harvest from one bine that had a few cones ready today. Got 45gms wet :lol:

Anyway, i've vaccuum packed and frozen them like that, when i pick some more i'll try a wet hop at flameout to see how they go frozen wet.
Then dry some and compare.

On the plus side, my pole works brilliantly for just lowering the bine to pick and then raising it back up again via the rope from the ground. No ladders needed.


----------



## drsmurto

Almost time to harvest, the plantation is, as always, attempting to take over the world. Not too bad giving i don't fertilise, spray or do anything to the hops other than water during the growing season and several bags of horse manure in winter after cutting them back.

Chinook





Chinook close-up





Victoria - my favourite and I'll be expanding this from 3 rhizomes to 6-7 next season to ensure my rye victoria golden ale is permanently on tap


----------



## Malted

DrSmurto said:


> ... i don't fertilise... several bags of horse manure....


I see, I think. Maybe I am confused?


----------



## Northside Novice

Malted said:


> I see, I think. Maybe I am confused?


maybe try bullshit ?? 

nice crop smurto .

hops only need love anyway :wub:


----------



## Malted

Malted said:


> I see, I think. Maybe I am confused?





northside novice said:


> maybe try bullshit ??


I have more of that than I can poke a stick at. Doesn't seem to stimulate my hops though.


----------



## drsmurto

Sorry, i meant to say I don't fertilise during the growing season as so many seem to do. Missed out that crucial piece of information.


----------



## tigertunes

Nice crop there DrSmurto. Been enjoying DSGA recipe with various hops and keen to try with victoria hops. Are you selling rizomes this year as i will be keen to grab some? In the meantime can you recomend a commercial hop similar to victoria?


----------



## ramu_gupta

First time growing hops - cascade on the left and chinook on the right as you look at the brewery. Same watering schedule and soil etc but for some reason, chinook looking much better.

Looking forward to whatever crop I get...


----------



## kalbarluke

This year has been a bit of a bugger for my hops. Firstly it was so dry and hot so they really struggled until late January. They were finally starting to go okay but the wind from ex TC Oswald has put a stop to that. Many of my bines snapped off about an inch from the top. As soon as that happens (as many of you probably know) that section stops growing. I almost cried when I examined them the other day.
Oh well. There are a few flowers forming. With any luck I might get something to put in my brews. It's good to see the huge yields some people down south are getting.


----------



## Batz

DrSmurto said:


> Almost time to harvest, the plantation is, as always, attempting to take over the world. Not too bad giving i don't fertilise, spray or do anything to the hops other than water during the growing season and several bags of horse manure in winter after cutting them back.
> 
> Chinook
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Chinook close-up
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Victoria - my favourite and I'll be expanding this from 3 rhizomes to 6-7 next season to ensure my rye victoria golden ale is permanently on tap



Hells Bells, look at that !

They don't grow like that in the Sunshine Coast Hinterlands.

Batz


----------



## jc64

Little bit of Cascade and Chinook, going along quite well


----------



## hoppy2B

Some of my Victoria hop cones on my first year Victoria. I have completely gone off the idea of growing them the way Smurto does on mesh. They need light to produce a good crop. Smurto's look like they are all leaf with limited conage.


----------



## felten

No laterals on my willamette this year, just single cones on each side of the bine where there should be laterals.


----------



## Yob

the builders decimated 3 of mine this year, POR, Tett, and Fuggles when I had the new roof put on 

a friends kid snapped the producing Cascade bines/string yesterday running around the yard 

EKG looks pretty sick as does the Chinook from the heat wave and from me being out of the state a bit 

Victoria has about 100 flowers :beerbang:

Next year, enter the irrigation drip feed system / raised garden bed upgrade


----------



## billygoat

Second year Goldings.
By the way, how do you post big pictures like the ones Dr Smurto posted?


----------



## Lecterfan

You must have a dedicated mate to go out and keep those plants watered on 37c days to have that many burrhs kicking off! Also, when I click on the photos they become huge.


----------



## billygoat

Lecterfan said:


> You must have a dedicated mate to go out and keep those plants watered on 37c days to have that many burrhs kicking off! Also, when I click on the photos they become huge.


Thank you Lecterfan for doing that, I might shout you a beer.


----------



## drsmurto

tigertunes said:


> Nice crop there DrSmurto. Been enjoying DSGA recipe with various hops and keen to try with victoria hops. Are you selling rizomes this year as i will be keen to grab some? In the meantime can you recomend a commercial hop similar to victoria?


Yes, I will be selling Victoria and Chinook rhizomes again this year. Not sure of a hop close to Victoria. I've been told it is grown commercially in Australia but I have never seen it for sale so i suspect it all goes to extract/isohop? Would be nice to get my hands on some commercially grown to compare.

@Hoppy2B - leaf envy? I can give you the number of a good psychiatrist if that help?


----------



## Malted

Will 50oC for 5hrs in the outdoor oven/smoker dry them nicely or will they smell like pork? (Theory being no smoke pellets, vent wide open and hopefully too low a heat for residulas to take effect).
There is one way to find out!


----------



## hoppy2B

DrSmurto said:


> Yes, I will be selling Victoria and Chinook rhizomes again this year. Not sure of a hop close to Victoria. I've been told it is grown commercially in Australia but I have never seen it for sale so i suspect it all goes to extract/isohop? Would be nice to get my hands on some commercially grown to compare.
> 
> @Hoppy2B - leaf envy? I can give you the number of a good psychiatrist if that help?


Obviously you need some commercial stuff to prop up your lacklustre yields. Leaf is nothing to be envious of.


----------



## Yob

Malted said:


> Will 50oC for 5hrs in the outdoor oven/smoker dry them nicely or will they smell like pork? (Theory being no smoke pellets, vent wide open and hopefully too low a heat for residulas to take effect).
> There is one way to find out!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Drying hops.jpg


Im sure I read somewhere that 40'c for 4 hours??? FK.. dont quote me till I can find the link though..

Nope completely cocked that up... >LINK< says in there 60'c for 9 hours?... seems a little extreme :blink: maybe due to volume??

Looks good though Malted :beerbang:


----------



## punkin

Why are those two blokes holding hands in the second last photo? :blink:


----------



## Yob

punkin said:


> Why are those two blokes holding hands in the second last photo? :blink:


what happens on tour, stays on tour :lol:


----------



## Malted

Yob said:


> Im sure I read somewhere that 40'c for 4 hours??? FK.. dont quote me till I can find the link though..
> 
> Nope completely cocked that up... >LINK< says in there 60'c for 9 hours?... seems a little extreme :blink: maybe due to volume??
> 
> Looks good though Malted :beerbang:


Thanks for the info Yob. Those commercial guys certainly appear to have a thicker bed of hops.

It is my opinion after inspecting the hops this morning that an Oast needs a fan (as per instructions on the net that I ignored). The cones smell very vegetal and are a bit limp rather than dried (steamed in their own juices due to poor airflow?). I have left the door open with a cotton sheet over it to keep out light but still allow moisture to escape and will see how they are this arvo. For next time, I'll see about funneling a fan into the side wood chip loader to get some good airflow through the unit and out the top vent. In hindsight even without a fan it may have even worked better if i had of removed the chip loader to let more air in at the bottom. :unsure: Oh well, it is all about giving it a go.


----------



## drsmurto

hoppy2B said:


> Obviously you need some commercial stuff to prop up your lacklustre yields. Leaf is nothing to be envious of.


Variety is the spice of life Hoppy, of course i buy commercial hops. A few kg of homegrown hops is not enough for a years worth of brewing, unless you are a dwarf.....


----------



## Malted

DrSmurto said:


> Variety is the spice of life Hoppy, of course i buy commercial hops. A few kg of homegrown hops is not enough for a years worth of brewing, unless you are a dwarf.....


Maybe it would be enough for stovetop brewing, have you thought of giving that a go? h34r:


----------



## hoppy2B

I dried my Cluster that I harvested in January inside the car. It was 46 degrees outside. I had them in several large bags that were very loose and open and gave them a turning over every so often. 
Dried quite well in one day but maybe turned a little brown but its the lupulin that counts right? :unsure:


----------



## Yob

shouldnt you have just frozen them wet? :blink: h34r: :wacko:


----------



## Phillo

I'm pretty happy with the number of flowers on my Chinook for a first year (thanks Dr. S) but I'm having a bit of trouble telling how mature the flowers are. Most things I have read suggest that you pick when the flowers feel 'papery' but all of mine do except the very small half-formed ones.

Are there any other physical signs to look for?

I've already had a jug of beer full of flowers.


----------



## Malted

Phillo said:


> I've already had a jug of beer full of flowers.


Did you enjoy it? It is good fun being able to do stuff like that. I have been told that fresh off the bine will give grassy flavours, I haven't let that stop me.


----------



## Phillo

Malted said:


> Did you enjoy it? It is good fun being able to do stuff like that. I have been told that fresh off the bine will give grassy flavours, I haven't let that stop me.


Yeah, it was pretty grassy, but hell, they're my own hops!!

I still enjoyed it very much.


----------



## hoppy2B

Yob said:


> shouldnt you have just frozen them wet? :blink: h34r: :wacko:


Yeah, I was a little disorganized, they're the ones I said I should have frozen wet. My Cluster have a very pungent odour and nice fruity flavour with very low alpha acid levels. The flavour seems much less when they are dried.
I finished my 81litre mash tun / kettle today and all the rest of my Cluster is going in fresh. I have about 2/3 to 3/4 of the crop still to come and will be putting down a wet hop brew in the next few days. It will be split into 3 ferment vessels with 3 different yeasts to see which I like best. Should be enough Cluster there to do several brews over the next month or two.


----------



## Phillo

Hey everyone. As I said in previous posts, first time grower, so please be patient with my noob questions :unsure:.

Here's a pic of some that I picked a few minutes ago:






As you can see, some tips of the flowers are beginning to brown. Is this because they are ready/past ready, or just suffering from the heat? They all feel quite papery, but have little to no aroma when squeezed.

Can anyone tell me by looking how far along they are?

Many thanks. :beerbang:


----------



## waggastew

Just finished picking my 2013 crop of Chinook with my Dad. I would have liked to leave them a little longer but the big ones at the top were starting to brown so I pulled the trigger. Next year I might try and delay things a little by cutting off the early growth and getting them to start again ala what the commercial guys do,

Still 975g wet, mostly mature cones with the odd 'moist' one in there. Currently drying on fly screens in the garage (see pic), worked a treat last year.

Still not sure what I will do with them. I like the idea of doing an Stone Arrogant Bastard clone but I will wait and see how aromatic they are after drying.


----------



## hoppy2B

Phillo said:


> Hey everyone. As I said in previous posts, first time grower, so please be patient with my noob questions :unsure:.
> 
> Here's a pic of some that I picked a few minutes ago:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As you can see, some tips of the flowers are beginning to brown. Is this because they are ready/past ready, or just suffering from the heat? They all feel quite papery, but have little to no aroma when squeezed.
> 
> Can anyone tell me by looking how far along they are?
> 
> Many thanks. :beerbang:


G'day Phillo,
It can be difficult to tell when they are ripe for a first time grower. They do start going noticeably brown though. If you keep a close eye on them you will see a few cones start to go totally brown and dry off. Comparing all the cones on your plant should give you some idea of where they're at.
Usually when a few cones start to dry off is a good time to pick, but do compare the whole plant as some varieties ripen unevenly, particularly the more vigorous types.
Not all varieties have much aroma. You need to really rub the lupulin between your fingers to smell some off them.


----------



## Phillo

hoppy2B said:


> G'day Phillo,
> It can be difficult to tell when they are ripe for a first time grower. They do start going noticeably brown though. If you keep a close eye on them you will see a few cones start to go totally brown and dry off. Comparing all the cones on your plant should give you some idea of where they're at.
> Usually when a few cones start to dry off is a good time to pick, but do compare the whole plant as some varieties ripen unevenly, particularly the more vigorous types.
> Not all varieties have much aroma. You need to really rub the lupulin between your fingers to smell some off them.


Cheers hoppy! I looked inside the flowers and there's a bit of yellow gunk in there, but after doing some more reading tonight I reckon I will leave the rest a little longer. Pics of mature cones that I have seen look darker and much more open and separated.

Thanks for the response!


----------



## Yob

hoppy2B said:


> My DWARF Cluster have a very pungent odour


aaah, I see.. next time, dont store them in your arse :icon_drool2:


----------



## hoppy2B

Yob said:


> aaah, I see.. next time, dont store them in your arse :icon_drool2:


 -_-


----------



## tricache

About 6 months into mine and they have gotten super bushy again after getting real thin with the hot dry weather we have had but all the rain (I had to rescue them from floating around in the backyard) we have had has livened them up BIG time!!


----------



## grimpanda

Spotted these little buggers today whilst checking my cascade cones for readiness.







Pretty sure they are aphids. Only a small handful of cones seem to be infested - none on the leaves.






Anyone successfully dealt with them?






This little bugger looks like he's making off with a bit of lupilin... *fist shake* :angry:


----------



## thylacine

"Whitefly". Revola spray works.

Planting ladybug attracting foliage (eg marigolds) nearby helps too. ie Companion planting http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1872509.htm


----------



## Yob

Starsan for aphids mate, couple of doses over a few days from the spray bottle, treated a rose bush a few years back, 

Cheers


----------



## grimpanda

thylacine said:


> "Whitefly". Revola spray works.
> 
> Planting ladybug attracting foliage (eg marigolds) nearby helps too. ie Companion planting http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1872509.htm


They are definitely not whitefly - we have those on the beans and tomatoes :\

What's Revola? Can't find any mention of it online...



Yob said:


> Starsan for aphids mate, couple of doses over a few days from the spray bottle, treated a rose bush a few years back,
> 
> Cheers


Might just give that a spin, Yob. Normal sort of dilution?


----------



## pimpsqueak

Gabe said:


>


Nice macro. Wish I could get up that close with my old Sony...


----------



## Phillo

Sorry to hear about your infestation Gabe, however, the close ups of your flowers have given me a pretty good reference point for checking the maturity of my own. Cheers!


----------



## Liam_snorkel

As much as I love golden orb spiders for eating bugs around the house, the pricks have taken to attaching the main strands of their webs to the tips of my bines, stretching them out and stopping them from climbing :angry:


----------



## Yob

Gabe said:


> They are definitely not whitefly - we have those on the beans and tomatoes :\
> 
> What's Revola? Can't find any mention of it online...
> 
> 
> Might just give that a spin, Yob. Normal sort of dilution?


 :icon_offtopic: 

Yep, bog standard solution mate.

Aparently Starsan is also good for foot rot.... what wont it do 

2 more reasons to use it over iodophor


----------



## DarkFaerytale

cute little buggers


----------



## hoppy2B

If only a small number of cones are affected, why not just pick off the affected cones and dispose of. If you think they're ripe enough you could harvest also. Just putting it out as an option.


----------



## hoppy2B

Phillo said:


> Sorry to hear about your infestation Gabe, however, the close ups of your flowers have given me a pretty good reference point for checking the maturity of my own. Cheers!


G'day Phillo,
Its really hard to tell if yours are ripe or if that brown is just a bit of wind damage. The cones look quite green and normally they tend to go a slightly paler colour as they ripen. Do you know what variety they are?


----------



## Phillo

hoppy2B said:


> G'day Phillo,
> Its really hard to tell if yours are ripe or if that brown is just a bit of wind damage. The cones look quite green and normally they tend to go a slightly paler colour as they ripen. Do you know what variety they are?


Hi again Hoppy, thanks for taking an interest! 

They are 1st year Chinook from Dr. S and they certainly have copped some wind along with an SA summer :angry: so they probably have taken a beating environmentally. After doing some more reading and looking at pics it seems that they probably are far too green. I pulled one apart and there's some lupilin inside, but not to the extent that I'm seeing elsewhere. I will just have to keep watching them like a hawk (which is not hard, considering the ladder has been propped up next to the trellis for the last month for my daily inspection :lol.

Cheers mate.


----------



## grimpanda

hoppy2B said:


> If only a small number of cones are affected, why not just pick off the affected cones and dispose of. If you think they're ripe enough you could harvest also. Just putting it out as an option.


They are still a little way off being ready for harvest. I've picked off the noticably infested cones and am keeping an eye on it. Methinks I was lucky to have spotted them early on...



Phillo said:


> Sorry to hear about your infestation Gabe, however, the close ups of your flowers have given me a pretty good reference point for checking the maturity of my own. Cheers!


I probably wouldn't use that first pic as an accurate reference. The shrivelled/dried look is more a result of the aphid infestation (they suck the sap from the plant). The rest of the cones were still under-ripe. I tend to go by the feel of the cones - when ready they should be papery and spring back when you squeeze them.


----------



## fergi

sorry for the delay in reply yob, internet problems for a few weeks with VIRGIN, assholes.
anyway glad to hear you can keep them that long, i have a half dozen cubes and i would like to get a few ready for fermenting when i need to.
i like the idea of N/C ,it gives a lot of scope for brewing whenever i like and being able to store it for a while.
cheers fergi


----------



## Yob

My first year Victoria is pretty happy... bless it 

cant say that about the most of the rest of them, but I'll probably get a bit off the Cascade as well






ed: effed if I can remenber how to upload piccies here... I worked it out before and now, for the life of me I can remember


----------



## Fish13

Mine look so small compared to all of your photo's.

But there are brown tinges to them due to the heat. 

Maybe i am not watering them enough. The pot plant gets all the water from the washing machine now. The one in the ground gets the sprinkler/watering hose.


----------



## hoppy2B

Nice crop Yob. Hopefully there are a few more bines you're not showing us. :chug:


----------



## Aussiedrifter

Is anyone picking yet? my cascade come on early this year and i had to pick at least half of them on the weekend and i was a little too late for some. so i brewed a harvest ale. This is only my second year growing but i thought it was much later last year.


----------



## hoppy2B

Aussiedrifter said:


> Is anyone picking yet? my cascade come on early this year and i had to pick at least half of them on the weekend and i was a little too late for some. so i brewed a harvest ale. This is only my second year growing but i thought it was much later last year.


Most experience grower will say they come on earlier once established. They need to get to a reasonable size to start putting out burrs. Plants with a well established root mass will grow stronger and develop the necessary size earlier in the season.
I just did my second harvest of Dwarf Cluster yesterday.


----------



## Aussiedrifter

Thanks hoppy2b I was getting worried I was taking them down to early and that my harvest ale would taste time lawn clippings.


----------



## tricache

Mine are starting to bush out a bit...only planted last year around August and they got hit pretty bad with a bout of Red Spider Mites and even got turned into floaty toys with the floods but still going super strong!


----------



## DarkFaerytale

what size are those pots triache?


----------



## Aussiedrifter

I've already taken 3 20l buckets full of cones off of my cascade's and I'm sure there is another 2 buckets full, at least up there.


----------



## tricache

DarkFaerytale said:


> what size are those pots triache?


I will give them a quick measure when I get home from work, roughly 450mm x 450mm square but not sure on depth. The trellis is about 180cm tall as well


----------



## punkin

Aussiedrifter said:


> I've already taken 3 20l buckets full of cones off of my cascade's and I'm sure there is another 2 buckets full, at least up there.



Definately not dwarves then?


----------



## Aussiedrifter

No but I can't grow them as high as they would like to go. I have ropes about 20 feet tall after that they are left to their own devises or I try to get them to grow across.


----------



## punkin

Yob said:


> Punkin.. if you actually do this I would be keen to hear your results..Ive been quite skeptical to date, reinforcement/feedback from such as yourself may go a few yards to adding to this discussion about freezing wet hops.
> 
> Yob



I have a Red wheat beer that is very underwhelming on the hop front, sweet and malty. I just now added 45 gms of wet frozen Cascade flowers in a giant tea ball to the keg.

I'll post back tonight or tommorow with an opinion, but i have to say they smelt quite grassy when i opened the vaccuum bag. Preserved beautifully and lovely green, but a decided 'lawn clippings' note.



AllInTheNameOfSciencePunkin


----------



## Yob

Ha! Cheers mate, I suspected as much, thanks for taking one for the team...


----------



## punkin

It's weird. Yesterday with only a few hours in the keg was vegetal.

Today, it's like taking a bite of rockmelon. Bit of cabbage in the aftertaste, but very strong rockmelon flavour.


Final verdict tommorow


IHateRockMelonPunkin

Edit; Yippee i can edit

first sip was rockmelon, subsequent sips are like licking the bin out the back of the fruit shop. i havedefinately taken one for the team here.

I do have another keg of it, so will pick some fresh hops and do the same thing with unfrozen. i may have non dwarf crap bin tasting variety.


TimeWillTellPunkin


----------



## hoppy2B

Mmmmmm I love rockmelon. h34r:


----------



## Yob

you have rockmelons in ya head...


----------



## hyjak71

Harvest time tomorrow!
Chinook has been going hell for leather, only let down by my lack of time to erect more suitable stringing arrangements. Topped out at 14ft then left to do its own thing.
Next year will see improved stringing arrangements and a more stringent watering schedule.


----------



## Phillo

I harvested some last night which were nice and papery and seemed to have a lot of yellow gunk, but I'm still not sure how ready they were. They certainly smelled more grassy than hoppy.

Think I'm going to leave some of them on the bine until they completely over ripen just to see the whole cycle and work out where my picking is in the scheme of things.


----------



## Aussiedrifter

That's a good idea phillo. I deffinently picked to early my first year, you just see those buds up there and your all excited. This year I've had different parts of the bine mature at different times which is great as a home brewer because you can pick over a month or 2. But it makes you wonder what the farms do when some are ready, some are green and some are old. I guess we just get a mix.


----------



## Danwood

Lots of crop from the Cascade. I'm very happy considering it's only a first year plant and I'm having to restrict the growing height due to space/renting.




Cacade foreground, Goldings ( just a few cones so far ) next to it and sickly looking Fuggles in the back, which is not at all happy that I've made it go sideways due to lack of space. Should have a good root system for next year though when I've found a more suitable home for it.

Many thanks go to Wakkatoo and Yob, who gave me these last year. I too will pass on any surplus rhizomes I have when the time comes.

Pay it forward..... :icon_cheers:


----------



## Aussiedrifter

Wow. That is a nice well established first year plant. What are you going to do next year? I can tell you know it will take over that side of the house next year. Are you drying them or using them wet?


----------



## lukiferj

Man these all look awesome. Can't wait to get on these this Winter.


----------



## Danwood

Aussiedrifter said:


> Wow. That is a nice well established first year plant. What are you going to do next year? I can tell you know it will take over that side of the house next year. Are you drying them or using them wet?


We're looking a buying a place in the near future. 

Somewhere with at least space to build a deck with the hops climbing a (preferably) north facing side to provide shade for us when we're outside.

I've used sheep manure and worm farm juice on all mine...seems to please them.

I'm thinking of doing a SMASH batch. Might freeze some wet, dry the rest and use the two together with pale malt for a 10min Pale Ale. I really want the hops to sing...that Lupulin smells incredible !! 

Good times :icon_cheers:


----------



## Aussiedrifter

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=60580
Here's a pic of my cascade.


----------



## punkin

I have put an equal amount (45 grams wet) in the sister keg of the brew i used wet frozen hops in today.

Please await results in the next couple of days before commiting wet hops to the freezer.

I'm hopeful that the difference will be severe. Because i hate the wet frozen ones. Wish i had a third keg i could introduce dried hops too, but i will brew another of the same recipe and do it, picked enough of them today to do it.

edit; the hops that went in today were freshpicked, green and unfrozen


----------



## capsicum

Hey gang,

I've read all the info but just want to make sure - do you think these bad boys are ready to be plucked from the bine? There's still a bit of moisture in there but they're pretty aromatic. It's a cascade and there seems to be a bit of variation in maturity of the cones.

What's the harm in leaving them to dry on the bine rather than on flywire etc? I just don't want to pull them off too soon.

Pretty happy with the first year's yield though!


----------



## drsmurto

Picture below shows the difference between hops that are ready to pick and ones that aren't.

On the left is Victoria, on the right is Chinook.

You can see how the chinook is more 'open' and the lupilin a darker yellow. It is ready to be picked. The Victoria needs another week or 2.

If you pick too early you will get lacklustre aroma. The squeeze test to see if they are papery is good but it does help to open a few up and see what they look and smell like.


----------



## Wakt

I'm also getting ready to harvest and finding it a little tricky to tell if they are ripe for the picking yet.
Your example should make it much easier now DrSmurto.
Thanks for posting.

Here is how mine are looking at the moment:




Hopefully one more week and they should be done. Fingers crossed.


----------



## hoppy2B

What variety are yours Wakt? They look a bit small and unripe.
Capsicum's above, (the browning ones) are well and truly ripe and should be picked straight away. Just as or slightly before they start turning brown like that is a good time to get them.
Smurto's example above is quite interesting. I was thining of asking the Doc what date he normally picks them on. Some of my Victory are starting to get a slight golden glow to them. Not quite ready yet but need to be watched in this hot weather as it can bring them on pretty quick.


----------



## Wakt

hoppy2B said:


> What variety are yours Wakt? They look a bit small and unripe.


Well that's an interesting question. It's either a POR or a Tettnang that I got off someone on the forum here a few years ago.
I originally ordered 2 x POR and 2 x Tettnang rhizomes and passed them on to my Mum in the country to plant in pots with instructions to label them clearly.
Unfortunately the labeling was done using a black permanent marker on a black pot which seemed fine at the time, until the sun hit the writing and within a week faded away. I now use aluminum labels cut out of old cans after I learnt my lesson the hard way.

Eventually they were planted out late in the season that year as it took me a while to design and build my over engineered Hop trellis ( I wanted it to last many years). They barely got up the vine that year which I expected from first year rhizomes.

Second year they started off well, but disaster struck when we had continuous rain for over a month during summer and 2 of the 4 rotted away.
So I'm left with 2 with plans to get more at the end of this season (Looking for Cascade and Saaz)

The photos were taken at the lower parts of the bine to try to get a decent shot and seem to be the smaller of the cones on the plant.
Higher up the Bine are larger plump Hop cones.

On a side note: To try and help me hopefully determine the variety, I have started making a tea using one hop cone in a shot glass chopped up.
I half fill the shot glass with boiling water and let sit for 5 mins. I then taste the tea every 5 mins to see how bitter/aromatic it is.
It's not very scientific but it has lend me to believe the plant I have been testing is most likely POR (Tea is super bitter after 10 mins and little Aroma).

My other plant is doing ok but didn't feel like climbing much this year for a total height about 1.5 meter. I have a total of 4 Hop cones on that plant 
Atleast it should be enough for another Tea test. :beerbang:


----------



## hoppy2B

Looks like you're right Wakt, I expect its a POR.
My tett grows well in spring and then dies off over summer and starts growing around this time of year again. I'm pretty sure its an issue they have with day length. They're growing in the Adelaide hills region.
What part of the country are you in?


----------



## punkin

Results are in and suffice to say... I will NEVER freeze hop flowers wet again.

Thanks for suggesting it Yob and i'm glad i did it for myself.

The second keg with fresh green cascade is absolutely beautiful and tastes like good cascade after 1 day. Looking forward to trying it tommorow, and may try some of the ones i have drying in the shed in on top of the frozen hop keg in a day or two when they are completely dry. Maybe it will improve it a bit.




BloodyBeautifulPunkin


----------



## Wakt

hoppy2B said:


> Looks like you're right Wakt, I expect its a POR.
> What part of the country are you in?


I'm up in the Northern Tablelands of NSW. About 30 degrees Latitude.


----------



## Yob

hoppy2B said:


> My tett grows well in spring and then dies off over summer and starts growing around this time of year again. I'm pretty sure its an issue they have with day length.


pretty typical behaviour for Dwarf plants you have there


----------



## hoppy2B

Yob said:


> pretty typical behaviour for Dwarf plants you have there


Not as far as I'm aware its not. I'd be surprised if you don't have the same problem with your Fuggles.


----------



## hoppy2B

punkin said:


> Results are in and suffice to say... I will NEVER freeze hop flowers wet again.
> 
> Thanks for suggesting it Yob and i'm glad i did it for myself.
> 
> The second keg with fresh green cascade is absolutely beautiful and tastes like good cascade after 1 day. Looking forward to trying it tommorow, and may try some of the ones i have drying in the shed in on top of the frozen hop keg in a day or two when they are completely dry. Maybe it will improve it a bit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BloodyBeautifulPunkin


I've never used wet frozen hops for dry hopping. They seem alright in the kettle though. At the moment I have a bit of a no dry hopping policy as I think I get better results using hops late in the boil.


----------



## beerdrinkingbob

Yob said:


> pretty typical behaviour for Dwarf plants you have there


I had heard that some dwarf hops have full size flowers....


----------



## Camo6

Big hops, big flowers. Little hops, ALL flowers!


----------



## hoppy2B

Victoria hops, 2 first year plants.



Nice cones.


----------



## KingKong

About what time of year do hop bines start popping up for sale / distribution ?


----------



## Camo6

hoppy2B said:


> Victoria nearing harvest 16 February 2013 007.jpg
> Victoria hops, 2 first year plants.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Victoria nearing harvest 16 February 2013 008.jpg
> Nice cones.


Nice formations Hoppy2b, did you limit the amount of bines on first year plants or just let em go?


----------



## punkin

KingKong said:


> About what time of year do hop bines start popping up for sale / distribution ?



You want to concentrate more on what time of year you can plant. I bought two rhizomes in the colder months, wrapped in damp newspaper in the crisper. By the time the last frost was over, one looked like it was never going to fire and one looked ok, but never fired. Bought one Cascade rhizome (and received three thank you very much) planted them straight away and all three are going well.

Moral of the story for me, is that buying when you are ready to plant is the best bet.


Hoppy, i could smell the off smells when i opened the frozen package. It smelt like lawn clippings. I won't say what you should or shouldn't do, but i won't be freezing them green regardless of my intended use. Especially when drying them is as easy as putting them on a screen in the shed for a couple of days.


----------



## chefeffect

These are my first year Clusters on left, picked 180 gm wet last week and another 230 gm today. Cascade on right, and Perle in front. Still got a heap of clusters, and my Chinook should be ready next week.




This is the Cluster:


----------



## hoppy2B

Camo6 said:


> Nice formations Hoppy2b, did you limit the amount of bines on first year plants or just let em go?


I let them go. One plant has 9 strings and the other 10. A number of strings have a couple of bines on them.
Victoria has a very efficient growth pattern. It only put up the number of bines you can see in the photo. My other varieties seem to keep putting up more and more bines through the season. Victoria bines grow very strong and thick and they have excellent climbing ability, being able to get up bamboo poles where other varieties struggle. As far as I'm aware Victoria is the highest yielding variety available to home growers. Has a nice peach aroma.


----------



## raven19

My single Victoria produced around 500gm dry weight hops this year from 4 bines to a height of arod 5-6m. Hoping for more next year now the rhizome has had 6months in the ground since being moved.

+1 on an excellent yielding variety.


----------



## Mr. No-Tip

Embarrassing results considering my October showing:








I think my second year pots suffered some severe hydrophobia, or maybe I drilled too many drainage holes? I only topped them up, rather than redigging, and most of the water each time went straight through....resulting in one apparently dead Chinnook and a heap of coneless Cascade, Saaz, and Hersbrucker. At least I got some cones in the first year....nothing this time.

If only they were more like their cousins and you could use the leaves for cheap bitterness?

I will try one more year - do a full redig this winter and maybe plug some drainage holes. If I fail again, I might turn it in till i have some viable groun to put them in.


----------



## Yob

Hop Drying Racks for those who are interested...

I saw one of these the other day in a mates shed... cough.. and thought of us right away

h34r: B)


----------



## punkin

That's a beauty. I just use the flyscreen trays i made for putting grain in my smoker. Works really well.


----------



## Yob

aparently they are modular as well so you can detach layers that arent needed.

:icon_cheers:


----------



## thylacine

Mr. No-Tip said:


> Embarrassing results considering my October showing:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> hops2.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HOPS1.JPG
> 
> I think my second year pots suffered some severe hydrophobia, or maybe I drilled too many drainage holes? I only topped them up, rather than redigging, and most of the water each time went straight through....resulting in one apparently dead Chinnook and a heap of coneless Cascade, Saaz, and Hersbrucker. At least I got some cones in the first year....nothing this time.
> 
> If only they were more like their cousins and you could use the leaves for cheap bitterness?
> 
> I will try one more year - do a full redig this winter and maybe plug some drainage holes. If I fail again, I might turn it in till i have some viable groun to put them in.


I am in north Canberra. Hops enjoy the ground here. eg pic of 4yr Chinook. I will be removing the entire Chinook around August and be giving it to Colin at the LHBS in Kambah. eg if you are looking for a Chinook replacement...


----------



## kcurnow

Yob said:


> Hop Drying Racks for those who are interested...
> 
> I saw one of these the other day in a mates shed... cough.. and thought of us right away
> 
> h34r: B)


Just picked one of these up now so I will give it a go and see how it goes with my crop of Chinook that is almost ready for harvest.


----------



## Yob

:beerbang:


----------



## hoppy2B

Brewnut said:


> Just picked one of these up now so I will give it a go and see how it goes with my crop of Chinook that is almost ready for harvest.


Don't you have an old screen door? Thought everyone had one of those.

I picked 2400grams of Victoria yesterday arvo and put it on my screen door in the shed this morning and when I checked it tonight it was almost dry. Been sort of mid thirties today, so doesn't take long to dry.


----------



## kcurnow

I do have an old screen door, however it's still attached to the house so drying hops on it is not really very practical. Also I doubt my wife would appreciate me pulling bits of the house apart to use for drying hops


----------



## drsmurto

Picked 3kg of chinook on the weekend, now drying on a fly wire screen. I normally allow them to dry for 6-7 days to ensure they are thoroughly dry. On average chinook has lost 78-83% of its weight during the drying process in the past 4 seasons (yes, i keep a record of wet and dry yields).

Will be picking the victoria tonight and drying it on an old screen door i picked up from a local brewer.

@Hoppy2B - is this your first crop of Victoria? How many plants do you have? What did they smell like? I am interested in getting more brewers opinions on Victoria as very few people seemed to have brewed with it.


----------



## Danwood

477g from my 1st year Cascade picked tonight before the rain set in.

Probably another 300g left on the bines...happy with that !


----------



## billygoat

Picked the hops from my first year Cascade that I got from Wakkatoo, got 2.1 Kg wet which I am really happy with. Will pick my two, second year Goldings in the next few days, Expect to get 2 to 3 Kg of wet hops.


----------



## hoppy2B

DrSmurto said:


> Picked 3kg of chinook on the weekend, now drying on a fly wire screen. I normally allow them to dry for 6-7 days to ensure they are thoroughly dry. On average chinook has lost 78-83% of its weight during the drying process in the past 4 seasons (yes, i keep a record of wet and dry yields).
> 
> Will be picking the victoria tonight and drying it on an old screen door i picked up from a local brewer.
> 
> @Hoppy2B - is this your first crop of Victoria? How many plants do you have? What did they smell like? I am interested in getting more brewers opinions on Victoria as very few people seemed to have brewed with it.


Hey Doc,
Yeah this is my first crop of the Victoria, I picked 1.9 kilo wet last Wednesday 20/2/2013 and packed it wet into the freezer. I picked 2.4 kilo 2 days later on the Friday and dried that inside a shed on a screen door and I'm sure it was done in 2 days. Went from 2.4 kilo down to 650 grams. Certainly felt very dry. My experience has been that if I leave hops longer than that they loose all their aroma. I know you still get aroma if you rub them but its not really the same.
I think I still have about a third left on those 2 plants and also some on the third smaller plant which I started as a cutting in spring this season.
The aroma of wet Victoria is freakin amazing, sweet peach. I did a wet batch of 300 grams Vic and 300 grams dwarf. Won't know how that turned out for a few weeks. Still planning to do a batch of wet Vic on its own over the coming days as the remaining crop becomes ripe. Will have to get back to you on that one.


----------



## Aussiedrifter

hoppy2B said:


> Hey Doc,
> Yeah this is my first crop of the Victoria, I picked 1.9 kilo wet last Wednesday 20/2/2013 and packed it wet into the freezer. I picked 2.4 kilo 2 days later on the Friday and dried that inside a shed on a screen door and I'm sure it was done in 2 days. Went from 2.4 kilo down to 650 grams. Certainly felt very dry. My experience has been that if I leave hops longer than that they loose all their aroma. I know you still get aroma if you rub them but its not really the same.
> I think I still have about a third left on those 2 plants and also some on the third smaller plant which I started as a cutting in spring this season.
> The aroma of wet Victoria is freakin amazing, sweet peach. I did a wet batch of 300 grams Vic and 300 grams dwarf. Won't know how that turned out for a few weeks. Still planning to do a batch of wet Vic on its own over the coming days as the remaining crop becomes ripe. Will have to get back to you on that one.


I agree, if you start seeing lupulin falling to the ground then you have gone to far. A couple days is all you need. I didn't weigh my wet cascade this year but it was about 3kg dry and 5 20l buckets full wet. I still have Saaz to pick but they came on a bit late this season.


----------



## Danwood

billygoat said:


> Picked the hops from my first year Cascade that I got from Wakkatoo, got 2.1 Kg wet which I am really happy with. Will pick my two, second year Goldings in the next few days, Expect to get 2 to 3 Kg of wet hops.


My Cascade was from Wakkatoo too. 2.1kg is a good haul !

I only let mine grow to about 2m due to available space, and anticipate 700g ish all up.

They're definitely from good stock, I think !


----------



## hoppy2B

Aussiedrifter said:


> I agree, if you start seeing lupulin falling to the ground then you have gone to far. A couple days is all you need. I didn't weigh my wet cascade this year but it was about 3kg dry and 5 20l buckets full wet. I still have Saaz to pick but they came on a bit late this season.


3kg dry is a nice yeild. :super: Would love to know how many plants that came from. Do you have any pics of how you grow them?


----------



## Danielscott26

I dont think mine are too far away from picking but its my first year growing them and i dont want to pick them too early. What should i be looking for? the tips of the leaves turning brown or more? When i squeeze them now they feel dry but it doesent look like theres allot of lupulin inside them.
Any advice guys?


----------



## drsmurto

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/65777-2012-hop-plantations/?p=1001659]Link[/url]

Take a hop, tear it in half and have a look at the innards. The link above is what mine looked like a week or so ago.

It's hard to see how much lupilin there is by looking at the outside (as an aside the Victoria is so full of lupilin it appears to be coming out the top of the hop cone???) so get in there. Post a pic in this thread and you'll find plenty of us happy to offer advice/opinions!



Dan26 said:


> I dont think mine are too far away from picking but its my first year growing them and i dont want to pick them too early. What should i be looking for? the tips of the leaves turning brown or more? When i squeeze them now they feel dry but it doesent look like theres allot of lupulin inside them.
> Any advice guys?


----------



## Aussiedrifter

hoppy2B said:


> 3kg dry is a nice yeild. :super: Would love to know how many plants that came from. Do you have any pics of how you grow them?


It all came from one 2nd year plant


----------



## Danielscott26

thanks doc il take a pic of one and post it tonight.



DrSmurto said:


> Link
> 
> Take a hop, tear it in half and have a look at the innards. The link above is what mine looked like a week or so ago.
> 
> It's hard to see how much lupilin there is by looking at the outside (as an aside the Victoria is so full of lupilin it appears to be coming out the top of the hop cone???) so get in there. Post a pic in this thread and you'll find plenty of us happy to offer advice/opinions!


----------



## Phillo

Okay. I reckon I'll be weighing in at approx 50g for the whole season from my 1st year Chinook. 

It only grew 2 bines, and something ate the end off of one of them, but it sprouted 2 heads which proceeded to grow the height of the trellis (~4m).

Better luck next year huh?


----------



## woody0055

it sprouted 2 heads which proceeded to grow the height of the trellis (~4m).


It must have been a tassie strain


----------



## kcurnow

Hi guys, please see the two photos I have attached of cross sections of my hops. They are a first year chinook from DocS and a 3rd year Cascade. I have included both large and smallish cones to show how they have developed I'm pretty sure they are both ready to harvest based on the lupilin and also they are quite papery when cutting them open. However I would like your input on their readiness.

Cheers
Karl


----------



## Phillo

woody0055 said:


> it sprouted 2 heads which proceeded to grow the height of the trellis (~4m).
> 
> 
> It must have been a tassie strain


Ha!


----------



## hoppy2B

I go by the colour of the cones Brewnut if that helps. They should start going a golden colour and you will start to see some browing of the bracts. You might not necessarily need to pick the whole plant at once either.
I think the paperiness is a reference to the fact they start becoming slightly dry on the plant.


----------



## Yob

Which is an indication that they are ripening


----------



## Malted

hoppy2B said:


> I go by the colour of the cones Brewnut if that helps. They should start going a golden colour and you will start to see some browing of the bracts. You might not necessarily need to pick the whole plant at once either.
> I think the paperiness is a reference to the fact they start becoming slightly dry on the plant.


I thought YOU waited until they were all brown? h34r:


----------



## drsmurto

Brewnut said:


> Hi guys, please see the two photos I have attached of cross sections of my hops. They are a first year chinook from DocS and a 3rd year Cascade. I have included both large and smallish cones to show how they have developed I'm pretty sure they are both ready to harvest based on the lupilin and also they are quite papery when cutting them open. However I would like your input on their readiness.
> 
> Cheers
> Karl


Hi Karl

The ones are the left are lookingf very good. If they feel quite papery rather than spongy then i would say they are ready to pick. If you see a slight browning of the tips then you are definitely ready to pick. The size of the cone doesn't matter if the above applies.

Cheers
DrSmurto


----------



## kcurnow

DrSmurto said:


> Hi Karl
> 
> The ones are the left are lookingf very good. If they feel quite papery rather than spongy then i would say they are ready to pick. If you see a slight browning of the tips then you are definitely ready to pick. The size of the cone doesn't matter if the above applies.
> 
> Cheers
> DrSmurto


The ones on the left are the three year Cascade with your Chinook on the right. Yep the Chinook doesn't have as much Lupilin in it when cut open. As for browning some of the cones got roasted in the weeks of 30 degree plus we have had in Melbourne so some are artificially browned :-(


----------



## pimpsqueak

Harvested my 1st year Victoria and Goldings today. 544g Victoria and 137g Goldings. The goldings really didn't like the hot weather and i turfed a few handfuls of cones that were crispy brown. Victoria on the other hand, didn't seem to have minded at all.
My hands were so yellow it looked like I chain smoke fistfuls of cigars.
Will harvest the Chinook on the weekend. Should get close to 500g there I think.

Can't wait to see what sized crop they manage next year.


----------



## hoppy2B

Malted said:


> I thought YOU waited until they were all brown? h34r:


YOU thought wrong.


----------



## pimpsqueak

Can anyone give me a rough idea of how much additional wort will be trapped in flowers? (Litres of additional wort lost to trub per kilo of flowers added)

I'd hate to unexpectedly end up 5L shy of final volume.


----------



## Malted

hoppy2B said:


> YOU thought wrong.


Good to see you have capacity for change then.


----------



## Lord Raja Goomba I

Slightly OT, but if any growers in Tasmania (NW, specifically) want to offload some hops, I'm happy to take your surplus


----------



## punkin

Picked all my hops yesterday by lowering the ropes while standing on the ground. What to do with the bines now?

Lift them back up to allow them to gather a last bit of energy or cut them back?

If i cut them back then where? How high from the ground?


----------



## Aussiedrifter

punkin said:


> Picked all my hops yesterday by lowering the ropes while standing on the ground. What to do with the bines now?
> 
> Lift them back up to allow them to gather a last bit of energy or cut them back?
> 
> If i cut them back then where? How high from the ground?


From everything I've read mate, it's best to lift them back up. Over the next couple months while the die off, they will suck all their nutrients back down into their roots. So I wouldn't cut them back until say June/ July. Let them die off naturally.


----------



## punkin

Thank you kindly. Have a free like


----------



## Liam_snorkel

one of my rhizome died at the end of last season because I trimmed back the bines either too early, or too close to the ground 

it was my star achiever


----------



## hoppy2B

Liam_snorkel said:


> one of my rhizome died at the end of last season because I trimmed back the bines either too early, or too close to the ground
> 
> it was my star achiever


Which variety was that Liam?


----------



## Liam_snorkel

it was a cascade I believe.

I also had two chinooks in the same garden bed the only difference being that I left their bines up for quite a while.


----------



## hoppy2B

Awe... not the Kingswood. :unsure:


----------



## cpsmusic

Hi Guys,

Thought I'd post a couple of pics of my first attempt at growing hops (Goldings).

The plant has produced a pretty good crop. The flowers are starting to become really aromatic so I think they're close to being ready although they're still a bit too green to pick (I think!).


----------



## hoppy2B

I picked my Golding today. Only yielded 220 grams wet after last years 3kg in the first season due to the fact I didn't water it enough because my tanks were a bit low. Had a massive crop on it with really big bunches coming on which burnt off in the hot weather.
On a happier note, I collected another 2 kg of wet Victoria taking my total to 6.3kg wet off 2 first year plants so far. There is another couple of kilos on it still to be picked. I should end up with about 2 kilo of dry weigh in Victoria from my 2 first year plants. Awesome!


----------



## Yob

Not heaps but Im pleased with what the Victoria gave me. We must have gone through about 1/4 of this on the weekend in fresh hopped glasses :lol:










Cant wait for next year with the planned drip feed system going in.

:icon_chickcheers:


----------



## HBHB

There's going to be scrub turkey on the table at easter if these [email protected] nasty birds dig up any more hop plants....... Hops stuffed and roasted scrub Turkey has a nice ring to it.
h34r:
Martin


----------



## lukiferj

Yob said:


> Not heaps but Im pleased with what the Victoria gave me. We must have gone through about 1/4 of this on the weekend in fresh hopped glasses :lol:


Keen for your feedback on these hops Yob. Will be looking to pick up a rhizome or two of this come winter time.


----------



## drsmurto

650g of Chinook and 1.010 kg of Victoria (dry weight) vac packed and in the freezer. Very happy with the yield, I was a bit late picking the Chinook and discovered a lot of brown cones that I left on the bine.

@lukeferj - I've been brewing with the Victoria for a few years now, it's my favourite hop. Peach and mango with some citrus but the citrus is restrained. I refer to the flavour/aroma as loquats. A rye version of my golden ale with Victoria instead of Amarillo is one of my house beers, will be on tap permanently now given the yield of Victoria this year. I'll be selling the rhizomes again later in the year.


----------



## lukiferj

Thanks DrSmurto. Have seen a few of your posts raving about the hops. Sounds delicious. I wasn't ready last season to try growing my own but will be ready this year. Will be keeping an eye out for the rhizomes later in the year.


----------



## CosmicBertie

DrSmurto said:


> A rye version of my golden ale with Victoria instead of Amarillo is one of my house beers, will be on tap permanently now given the yield of Victoria this year. I'll be selling the rhizomes again later in the year.


So would you put the AA% roughly the same as Amarillo then? IE you just swapped the hop weight for weight?


----------



## drsmurto

Cosmic Bertie said:


> So would you put the AA% roughly the same as Amarillo then? IE you just swapped the hop weight for weight?


No. I add the late additions in first and then adjust the 60 min bittering addition to get a total IBU of ~30. The AA of Amarillo is lower than Victoria.

I use 10% (I think.... it may be 11%. It's on my computer at home) as the AA value for Victoria; this will be different when grown elsewhere. The easiest way to avoid the effects of this is to use a known bittering hop. I've brewed with my homegrown hops enough now over the past few years to get a pretty good feel for where the AA% is. It doesn't seem to change that much each year but this may (again) not be the case for others. For comparison, I use 9% for my homegrown Chinook.

The recipe for the batch currently on tap was;
55% TF GP
20% Wey Rye
20% Wey Vienna
5% Wey Carabohemian
Victoria @ 60 to 28 IBU
1.5g/L Victoria @ 15
2g/L Victoria @ 0
67C mash
OG 1.045
WY1272


----------



## jc64

Just grabbed some chinook cones off my plants, pulled a kilo off with 3/4 quarters left to harvest  , then i'll start on the cascade.

I've heard that freezing wet hops can be better than drying and then storing. I've put 400 grams in bags and frozen them but i'm thinking of drying the others in the food dehydrator to compare. Has anyone else had experience freezing wet hops? How did they come across in the beer?

Cheers.


----------



## Yob

It's a good idea to dry them in a somewhat darkened room for 3 days (min) to allow the chlorofil (sp?) to leave them, 

As far as I know, wet hops should be used wet or dried for use, Punkin tried it a little while ago with unfavorable results.


----------



## jc64

Just went back through the thread to see Punkin's results. I'll freeze these hop's all wet and use them in the boil kettle, if I was to dry hop a beer with my hop's I would dry them first.

Searching a few threads from the US seem's to indicate that results are good with freezing straight from the bine. I've got a food dehydrator I can use to dry half of my hop's that I pick but would like to experiment with wet hop's as well and as I have a young family my brew day's are all about timing which the hop plants don't seem to understand :unsure:.


----------



## jc64

I'm using a sunbeam dehydrator model DT5600, it has three heat settings. I have it on the lowest setting, does this sound ok? or is anyone using this model with good results at a higher setting?

Cheers.


----------



## Malted

Yob said:


> It's a good idea to dry them in a somewhat darkened room for 3 days (min) to allow the chlorofil (sp?) to leave them,
> 
> As far as I know, wet hops should be used wet or dried for use, Punkin tried it a little while ago with unfavorable results.


It depends I reckon on your ambient conditions and the moisture content upon harvest. For instance in my shed, 3 days air drying would make my hops so crispy dry that they are brittle and break apart too readily when trying to package or brew with them. A little bit of moisture left in them is beneficial IMO as they will hold together better when brewing or packaging.
If I want to compress them into plugs, two days is generally too long drying them as when compressed the cones do not stay as a block but will expand and fall apart - about 24 hrs seems optimal (also depending upon how much moisture was in them upon harvest) for my plug making.
Though I don't harvest too wet or too dry (IMO), after drying I would guess that I get about 25%-30% by weight of what I harvested. I dry mine on a window screen supported on both ends and turn the hops twice or more daily (apart from when I tried to dry some in the electric smoker - it did not work).

I am not sure if there are different species of chlorophyll; I just thought it made plants green and drying was to remove water and stuff.

In regards to all of the above: YMMV.


----------



## hoppy2B

Wet hops take up a hell of a lot of room compared to dry hops. I dry most of mine because its safer for storing if there is a power outage or something and to conserve space. I may have picked up about 5kg dry weight this year. Still waiting for the final harvest in a couple of days. My freezer runeth over. :unsure:


----------



## jc64

Malted said:


> It depends I reckon on your ambient conditions and the moisture content upon harvest. For instance in my shed, 3 days air drying would make my hops so crispy dry that they are brittle and break apart too readily when trying to package or brew with them. A little bit of moisture left in them is beneficial IMO as they will hold together better when brewing or packaging.
> If I want to compress them into plugs, two days is generally too long drying them as when compressed the cones do not stay as a block but will expand and fall apart - about 24 hrs seems optimal (also depending upon how much moisture was in them upon harvest) for my plug making.
> Though I don't harvest too wet or too dry (IMO), after drying I would guess that I get about 25%-30% by weight of what I harvested. I dry mine on a window screen supported on both ends and turn the hops twice or more daily (apart from when I tried to dry some in the electric smoker - it did not work).
> 
> I am not sure if there are different species of chlorophyll; I just thought it made plants green and drying was to remove water and stuff.
> 
> In regards to all of the above: YMMV.


I'm going to work on a 5:1 ratio, dry 500 grams down to 100 grams and see where that leaves me. I'm harvesting cones that are still just on the moist side with only some brown tips. I have plenty of too dry cones on the Chinook plant which I think is due to the heat over the past few weeks in Victoria.


----------



## Malted

jc64 said:


> Just went back through the thread to see Punkin's results. I'll freeze these hop's all wet and use them in the boil kettle, if I was to dry hop a beer with my hop's I would dry them first.
> 
> Searching a few threads from the US seem's to indicate that results are good with freezing straight from the bine. I've got a food dehydrator I can use to dry half of my hop's that I pick but would like to experiment with wet hop's as well and as I have a young family my brew day's are all about timing which the hop plants don't seem to understand :unsure:.


Take 2 bananas. Put one banana in your freezer for 24hrs, leave the other on the bench. Remove frozen banana and put on bench for 24hrs with its mate. Frozen banana will be black, other banana might be still yellow, or maybe a little brown.

Slow freezing fresh plant material (and animal material) causes the water in the cells to freeze. Slow freezing causes large ice crystals that rupture the cell walls. Therefore upon defrosting they turn to mush. Snap freezing does not cause large ice crystal to form as it is too quick, thus the cells are not ruptured and it does not go mushy upon defrosting.

Would you want mushy hops in your beer or dehydrated hops that have been stored in a freezer? We just want the lupulin that is not locked inside the plant cells but is adhering to cones don't we? IMO freezing fresh green hops is going to lead to grassiness (or release of the plant cell contents), if you specifically want that, then fine go ahead. Freeze them fresh and green if you must but try the banana test first.

Edit: domestic freezers are not capable of snap freezing.


----------



## jc64

hoppy2B said:


> Wet hops take up a hell of a lot of room compared to dry hops. I dry most of mine because its safer for storing if there is a power outage or something and to conserve space. I may have picked up about 5kg dry weight this year. Still waiting for the final harvest in a couple of days. My freezer runeth over. :unsure:





Malted said:


> Take 2 bananas. Put one banana in your freezer for 24hrs, leave the other on the bench. Remove frozen banana and put on bench for 24hrs with its mate. Frozen banana will be black, other banana might be still yellow, or maybe a little brown.
> 
> Slow freezing fresh plant material (and animal material) causes the water in the cells to freeze. Slow freezing causes large ice crystals that rupture the cell walls. Therefore upon defrosting they turn to mush. Snap freezing does not cause large ice crystal to form as it is too quick, thus the cells are not ruptured and it does not go mushy upon defrosting.
> 
> Would you want mushy hops in your beer or dehydrated hops that have been stored in a freezer? We just want the lupulin that is not locked inside the plant cells but is adhering to cones don't we? IMO freezing fresh green hops is going to lead to grassiness (or release of the plant cell contents), if you specifically want that, then fine go ahead. Freeze them fresh and green if you must but try the banana test first.


I freeze bananas all the time for use in smoothies, tastes great. You can also freeze tomatoes etc. they will just not have the same texture upon usage. I would imagine freezing hops would follow along these lines. A tip for bananas in the freezer, remove the peel first or you are in for pain trying to remove it. 

I think hoppy2b might have a point with the space issue in the freezer but I don't think I would have enough to be a problem.


----------



## hoppy2B

Tea leaves contain no lupulin but do release all sort of flavours due to steeping in hot water. Its probable that freezing won't release anything new from hop cones that wouldn't enter the brew in the kettle anyway. Wouldn't advise dry hopping with wet frozen hops though.


----------



## Yob

Malted said:


> I am not sure if there are different species of chlorophyll; I just thought it made plants green and drying was to remove water and stuff.


Im no botainst and you are right about it making plants green, it does however have a 'taste' I used to grow some somewhat related cultivars years ago and Fresh produce always tasted like lawn clippings, 3 days in a box and it was sweet nectar.. It was my understanding that it's chlorophyll's job is to turn sunlight into energy for the plant, in the absence of sunlight it quickly disperses. Hay I might be wrong.. they were pretty hazy days and it's going back a ways  

It seems to fit that wet hop brews are done extremely fresh as that chlorophyll hasnt started to break down yet.. Theory only and unsubstantiated by any facts what-so-ever.


----------



## Yob

hoppy2B said:


> Tea leaves contain no lupulin but do release all sort of flavours due to steeping in hot water.


I agree. However do they freeze them wet or dry them?


----------



## kalbarluke

My hop plants were smashed by the wind. It was like they were "burnt". Only got about two dozen flowers from the hallertaur and nothing from the cascade. The goldings grew the tallest but every time a flower grew, it shrivelled up and died before it could mature.
Spewin'.


----------



## hoppy2B

Yob said:


> I agree. However do they freeze them wet or dry them?


Shirley you know the answer to that. :lol:


----------



## Malted

hoppy2B said:


> Shirley you know the answer to that. :lol:


Your previous post almost made some sense and almost made me think, maybe I am on the wrong thought train. Yob gave you the opportunity to expand upon your statement by pointing out an aspect that you had not mentioned. I am ashamed that I almost took something you said seriously. I shall endevour to take what you say with a grain of salt.


----------



## hoppy2B

Malted said:


> I am ashamed


 :lol:


----------



## jlm

I picked up a pretty sad rhizome from the brew shop in Hobart late last year, supposedly Columbus (of which I'm very dubious, I can't remember seeing any aus grown Columbus here, and really, if they're going to be shown off anywhere, it would be here. My initial guess is Cascade). Took a long time to fire and didn't grow much past 2 metres but for its first season and the state it was in I'm happy:



And 200g wetish......actually seem quite dry.....in the bowl.


Smells a little citrus-y with some melon but australian in a stella sort of way. Will be interested to see what it tastes like.


----------



## cpsmusic

Hi Guys,

I'm a first-time hop grower. I'm a bit unsure about whether my Goldings flowers are ready to pick. I've picked a few and they seem ok although they're not as aromatic as I thought they'd be. Here are a few pictures. Are these ready or should I leave them a bit longer? I've also included a picture of the plant.


----------



## hoppy2B

They don't look too bad cps. I repacked some of last year's Golding into a jar recently and it had a lot more aroma than I thought it had previously. It was quite nice and sweet.


----------



## cpsmusic

Hi Guys,

Here's a picture of my 2012 Goldings crop in the dryer that I put together.

Thanks for the help in getting to this stage.


----------



## beerdrinkingbob

Hi guys, i was in Qeensland and the hops dried out on the bine, when i rub them they still smell cracking, any issues anyone has experienced with hops this browned?

Cheers 

BDB


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## Yob

if they staill have the lupulin in them, they should still give off something, you just may need to use a bit more than you otherwise would have.

I dont believe the browning = nasty shit, just they open and drop the good stuff.

I would think that if they still smell good then they are still OK to use.

Thoughts only, backed by no experience other than letting a few go all the way last year and observing the change in them.

Cheers


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## Florian

Was meant to post this last week, Beerdrinkingbob reminded me. 

I harvested some Hersbrucker a few weeks back when i thought they were ready. They smelled alright.

I left a whole heap on the bine as they were to high and i couldn't be bothered getting out the ladder.

Anyway, they turned completely brown and dry, much more than in Bob's picture. I picked them and they fell apart while picking, always had to have a container right underneath to catch all the bits that fell off.

Now the catch, though:

Those hops smelled absolutely freakin fantastic, absolutely no comparison with the once i picked previously. 
I froze them 'wet' (well, sort of dried already) and will use them in my next pilsner at flameout. 

This has now encouraged me to leave all hops on the bine until they look like that. I've got 7 varieties on the go, but not much yield on either of them, so not much to loose.

I reckon I might be onto a winner here, will soon find out.


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## beerdrinkingbob

Florian said:


> Was meant to post this last week, Beerdrinkingbob reminded me.
> 
> I harvested some Hersbrucker a few weeks back when i thought they were ready. They smelled alright.
> 
> I left a whole heap on the bine as they were to high and i couldn't be bothered getting out the ladder.
> 
> Anyway, they turned completely brown and dry, much more than in Bob's picture. I picked them and they fell apart while picking, always had to have a container right underneath to catch all the bits that fell off.
> 
> Now the catch, though:
> 
> Those hops smelled absolutely freakin fantastic, absolutely no comparison with the once i picked previously.
> I froze them 'wet' (well, sort of dried already) and will use them in my next pilsner at flameout.
> 
> This has now encouraged me to leave all hops on the bine until they look like that. I've got 7 varieties on the go, but not much yield on either of them, so not much to loose.
> 
> I reckon I might be onto a winner here, will soon find out.


Funny you say that, i had about 40 grams like that to, I wasn't sure what to do so i put a handful in a glass and poored an IPA :icon_drool2: and another etc etc the rest i chucked but most were saved..


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## Florian

Yep, I reckon for the fruitier hops I'll just use then dry as dry hops, doesn't usually work as well with a pils but I might as well try it tonight in a glass. Can't see much grassiness coming from that brown stuff.


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## Logman

After reading the thread I was letting my hops die off before pruning, but they've started growing again :huh: . One plant is all dead vines with a completely new shoot rising from the soil - the other plant has a heap of new shoots coming off the vines near the base - what's my play here?


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## sp0rk

Just chucked my 2 Chinook rhizomes (thanks Dr Smurto) into 25cm temporary pots for winter, I'll transfer them into some "pots" i've made out of a 200 litre plastic drum cut in half around july/august
I know this wait is going to kill me...


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## hoppy2B

sp0rk said:


> Just chucked my 2 Chinook rhizomes (thanks Dr Smurto) into 25cm temporary pots for winter, I'll transfer them into some "pots" i've made out of a 200 litre plastic drum cut in half around july/august
> I know this wait is going to kill me...


Before you know it will be time to put up a trellis.


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## Darkman

jlm said:


> I picked up a pretty sad rhizome from the brew shop in Hobart late last year, supposedly Columbus (of which I'm very dubious, I can't remember seeing any aus grown Columbus here, and really, if they're going to be shown off anywhere, it would be here. My initial guess is Cascade). Took a long time to fire and didn't grow much past 2 metres but for its first season and the state it was in I'm happy:
> 
> 
> 
> Hop Bine.jpg
> And 200g wetish......actually seem quite dry.....in the bowl.
> 
> 
> 
> Hop Bowl.jpg
> Smells a little citrus-y with some melon but australian in a stella sort of way. Will be interested to see what it tastes like.


I have Columbus and Cascade growing here in Victoria and I would say your hops look similar to the a columbus cone structure. Columbus cone are tightly packed and look like a pine cone. The Cascade cones are longer and not as dense. Columbus also has a strong pungent smell simillar to it's related herb.


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## TNT650R

Hey Guys!
I have a question for you(it could looks stupid..but I come from the other part of the world ;-) )when will the harvest season begin here?and when is the right moment for the rhizomes?
In Italy I've 3 hops: styrian, fuggle and perle this is the 4th year,unfortunatlyI can't use my hops :'( this time
but last year the result was good expecially for the fuggle it had an amazing flavour!
we cut rhizomes in March/April and the harvest season is from july/august depends from the weather...


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## Darkman

TNT650R said:


> Hey Guys!
> I have a question for you(it could looks stupid..but I come from the other part of the world ;-) )when will the harvest season begin here?and when is the right moment for the rhizomes?
> In Italy I've 3 hops: styrian, fuggle and perle this is the 4th year,unfortunatlyI can't use my hops :'( this time
> but last year the result was good expecially for the fuggle it had an amazing flavour!
> we cut rhizomes in March/April and the harvest season is from july/august depends from the weather...


When you say here I'm presuming you mean Australia. Here we cut the rhizomes in July/August and harvest the Hops from March to April.


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## hoppy2B

My Dwarf Cluster come ripe around Xmas/New year.
If TNT looks back over the thread they should be able to see when we all post about taking harvest.


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## Yob

this is _*STILL*_ utter bullshit... Dwarf Cluster do not exist... 

http://adha.us/dwarf-hops

I'd love to know how you qualify this... and the fact they didnt grow above 3 meters doesnt cut it...


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## hoppy2B

Poor Yob, still in denial.


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## Yob

Yeah, you got nuthin… as usual


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## hoppy2B

Dwarfs grow their hops on trellis according to the link provided by Yob above. 

I don't understand the point you're trying to make Yob. I'm calling them dwarf because they are short. Mine have only grown to 3 metres.
I'm trying to get some rhizome in from others who are growing Cluster so I can compare. As a precaution I'm calling them dwarf so people who get them from me know what they are getting, until I can establish whether they are the same as other Cluster.
Interestingly the cones on the dwarfs pictured on the ADHA website are very tight, much like the cones on my dwarf. :blink:


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## felten

The onions I plant in my backyard never manage to form bulbs, they must be leeks.


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## Yob

Vertically challenged I believe is what you grow H2b, dwarf varieties are specifically bred.. It's clear that you have done zero research into this, if you had you would have stopped this nonsense a long time ago... You persist in your way but do nothing support your misguided belief.


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## hoppy2B

They might be bred specifically for trellis and known as dwarf, but I don't believe that should limit the use of the word to only those bred specifically for the purpose.
I think a more accurate definition is the mature height of the plant. As mentioned on that site, dwarf hops grow to 3 metres.

If the ADHA set out to produce a dwarf and planted seeds bred specifically for the purpose and they grew to 6 metres would they call them dwarf? I think not. So if someone set out to grow a normal hop plant from seed and it only grew to 3 metres at maturity why would it not be acceptable to call it dwarf?

Similarly, if the Cluster I have differs from other Cluster, why should I not call it dwarf based on the fact it only grows to 3 metres?

The best guideline for calling hops dwarf would have to be the fact they only grow to 3 metres. Anything else seems very illogical.


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## of mice and gods

I don't think we can definitively say either way if hoppy2B's cluster is or isn't a "dwarf" (without arguing the semantics of cultivar registration, plant breeders rights and patents).

Plants are selected generally selected from seed trials due to the large amount of genetic variation you will get a range of different characteristics such as leaf shape, petiole length, various habits and floral mutations. Say 1,000 seeds are selected for germination. They will be culled (multiple times) down to maybe 1-6 individuals that have met the growers criteria and are seen to be 'stable' in holding that mutation/variation without wanting to revert back to it's typical specific trait. These selected plants may then be vegetatively propagated to ensure that particular variation continues.

So, although maybe not officially recognised or registered as a cultivar, it is possible hoppy2B could have a plant with 'dwarf' characteristics. At some point the parent plant was derived from seed, if this initial seed carried the biological data for shorter stature and then was cloned/propagated from rhizome cuttings..

The other side of the coin is that the shorter stature may be due to disease/viral stunting or inadequate plant cultural practise. Who knows?

Anyway, I've just got some of hoppy's Cluster so I look forwards to trialling it myself.

Food for thought, hopefully not fuel to the fire.
Al


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## Yob

My EKG grew to 7m last year.. this year it grew to 3...

must have been afflicted by dwarfistitis this year... maybe next year it will switch back..


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## Liam_snorkel

it must have contracted dwarfism.


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## of mice and gods

Yob, that's kind of what I'm getting at about the stable characteristics. If over many seasons the same plant only ever reaches a certain height while others given the same kind of conditions are growling 6+ metres, you could assume that it's probably not to do with the plant culture or seasonal variations.

But like I said, I don't know what methods are used so culture/season/disease cannot be ruled out, but nor can the potential for dwarfism.

And I understand the points from both sides of the debate. I'm just standing in the middle saying both are possible.

Al


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## KingKong

Is it possible the variety isnt what you think it is and is in actual fact a dwarf variety? If you are sent hops you pretty much have to take the word of the person your buying / getting them from. It would be very easy to incorrectly label a hop.


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## Yob

AFAIK we dont have any dwarf hops in Australia… actual bred ones that is, sure,,there are hops that dont grow especially tall, dwarf hops it does not make, 

I like your point about the labelling and to a degree, that's what hoppy is doing, mis labelling these, before you know it people start thinking it's true… it ain't.. 

How long has hoppy been growing these? Has he made selection processes? Are they, in fact, certifiable as dwarf cluster? If the answer is no then he shouldn't be calling them such.


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## of mice and gods

And while I generally agree with your points Yob, just because it doesn't have a patent doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I'm not certain you could patent the sole term 'dwarf' in relation to a whole species without using it as part of a larger cultivar name. So I guess a lot of this debate revolves around the term "Dwarf" and the meaning that each person is applying to it in this situation.

In regards to mis-labelling, I fully understand the implications of this and the potential to mislead future buyers/growers/etc, something which nobody wants. But hypothetically then how then should we handle this? If you find through freak of nature year after year your particular plant only gets to 3 metres (or 1 or 3.25, etc) but yields well. All your other varieties/plants are growing 6m+. What if the previous propagator has also noticed the same thing, how do you advise potential buyers to expect that this plant will generally only be of short stature without having to be overly politically correct?

We have a lot of faith here that things are labelled correctly, but I'm sure over many swaps that things somewhere have been mislabelled and entered into circulation. Unfortunately without some pretty intense botany and laboratory skills I think it would be hard to determine 100%. It's the risk you take when not buying from an accredited grower/seller. But even the amount of plants I've seen mislabelled in Bunnings astounds me.


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## beerdrinkingbob

how do we block now?, I'm done with Dwarfs and wine yeast in beer!!


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## DU99

it's a freak..let's move on


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## Yob

on another topic... I love these vids.. the guy at about 1.30 with a machete must be 160 :lol:


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## hoppy2B

Actually I propagated about 55 of the dwarfs last year and they were the same as the parent plants. Also the cones look like Cluster.

I have distributed some rhizome this year with the intent of demonstrating to others that they are in fact dwarf and am attempting to import some Cluster for comparison. Also have taken into account the possibility that I may have received them incorrectly labelled. However I don't believe that is the case.

Much ado about nothing really.


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## jc64

A quick question for the knowledgeable hop growers out there. I've cut off at ground level my hop plants after they died back. When should I dig around the plant to curtail the spread, and get any rhizomes? Should I wait until just before Spring? Cheers.


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## hoppy2B

How old are the plants and which varieties? They won't spread much for the first couple of years normally unless they are a very vigorous variety. 

You can do it now if you like or you can wait a couple of months. I believe its best to plant them straight into the ground as soon as possible after removal from the parent plant as the roots and shoots do grow some at this time of year in our climate.


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## jc64

hoppy2B said:


> How old are the plants and which varieties? They won't spread much for the first couple of years normally unless they are a very vigorous variety.
> 
> You can do it now if you like or you can wait a couple of months. I believe its best to plant them straight into the ground as soon as possible after removal from the parent plant as the roots and shoots do grow some at this time of year in our climate.


I've got Chinook, Cascasde. They both grew really well giving a big yield, the Chinook seem's to have spread a bit more after having a little forage this arvo. I noticed a few 'eyes' on a bit of the Chinook one I unearthed. They are only first year plants so I wasn't expecting much but if you look back I posted a pic of them at full height, they grew to over the height of my gutters in the end. I'll post a pic of the Cascade yield.


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## hoppy2B

Nice first year harvest jc.


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## jc64

Cheers I'll wait for a few months before I dig around the perimeter, if it won't hurt to wait then I may as well give them more time to establish a good root system.


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## hoppy2B

If you're able to dig a hole or a bit of a moat around the plant and wash the soil off to expose the rhizomes, seems to be the easiest way to avoid damaging what you're after.


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## phoenixdigital

Hi All,

I bought 3x cascade hop rhizomes from an ebay seller about 2 years back. I also got 1 saaz rhizome as well.

This last year I am still yet to see any hop flowers on the cascade hops. However the Saaz went nuts.

Could it be that I got male rhizomes from the guy on ebay or would cascade maybe not flower in SEQ due to never getting a short enough night to trigger flowering?

Pretty sure the seller was recommended here at some point.

I just find it suss that the 3x Cascades have never done anything while the Saaz went gangbusters.

Any idea where I can source some cascades that will flower in SEQ?


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## hoppy2B

Did the Cascade grow well phoenix? People grow them in your area with good results.


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## Yob

phoenixdigital said:


> I just find it suss that the 3x Cascades have never done anything


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## hoppy2B

Perhaps he thought they were Triffids and expected them to get up and walk around.


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## phoenixdigital

hoppy2B said:


> Did the Cascade grow well phoenix? People grow them in your area with good results.


They didn't grow as much as the saaz thats for sure. Only really grew about 2-3 meters. Maybe thats it? Next season I will fertilise the crap out of them. If that doesn't work I will bite the bullet and buy another rhizome.

Anyone got any suggestions of the best place to buy a cascade rhizome?

I might dig up my existing ones and put them out at my folks place. See how they go out there.


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## beerdrinkingbob

the key to hop growth and flowers IMO is plenty of water (daily, sometimes twice) and lots manure!!

Found my cascade to be a sensitive soul but once the above in check it flowered nicely....


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## Yob

phoenixdigital said:


> Only really grew about 2-3 meters


Must be bloody dwarf cascade then… ffs… (dont take that seriously, context is prior in the thread)

Check soil ph, and as bob mentions above, there is an articles the wikki's for trouble shooting, have a gander at that and eliminate potential issues.


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## hoppy2B

phoenixdigital said:


> They didn't grow as much as the saaz thats for sure. Only really grew about 2-3 meters. Maybe thats it? Next season I will fertilise the crap out of them. If that doesn't work I will bite the bullet and buy another rhizome.
> 
> Anyone got any suggestions of the best place to buy a cascade rhizome?
> 
> I might dig up my existing ones and put them out at my folks place. See how they go out there.


That's not surprising, Saaz is an extremely tall plant which is why I just sent all of my remaining rhizome around the country for free and will no longer grow it. I couldn't manage Saaz well enough to make it worth my keeping it.

I aquired my Cascade from Kimba who is actually in the Brisbane area if IRC. It was very slow to get going this first season for me but it did get to about 3 - 3.5 metres. Produced approx. 1.5 kilos wet which dried down to 400 grams.

The American Dwarf Hop Association grow Cascade on low trellis. I don't know if I'm assuming correctly but its probably not an overly tall variety. Certainly wouldn't be anywhere near as tall as Saaz which is easily the tallest variety I have grown. I'm sure Saaz would get to 10 metres if provided with suitable support. At least the strain I had would have.

Like Bob says, plenty of manure. Liquid manure works well too. I wouldn't use a lot of chemical fertilizer, but what I put on I mix with the liquid manure to buffer it and make it less toxic. The microbes in the liquid manure are also necessary as they help make the chemical fertilizer available to your plants.


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## of mice and gods

I think Yob's point about PH testing is also pretty important. If you're PH is too acid/alkaline then you'll be getting nutrient lock .. but you would probably see some clues of this as symptoms on the foliage.


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## phoenixdigital

Thanks for the tips guys. I might try and whack some cow manure on them next season and see how it goes. When is a good time to add that?


Pretty sure the PH is fine as I checked that all out in the first season.

Lets see what season 3 brings.


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## waggastew

Bit of a re-furbish of the hops.






1. Dug out a few varieties that either don't fire (Goldings/Tettanger) or I don't use (POR/Super Alpha).

2. Planted a few new Cascade rhizomes (courtesy of a good mate) in the free space

3. General weeding, trimming, fertilising, mulching etc of the new ones and my Chinook.

Hopefully will be able to add Cascade to my Harvest Ale in a few years. Aiming for a Chinook/Cascade AIPA.

Stew


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## pedroj

Hello mates. These are my hops that I'm cultivating here in south Brazil, they are WGV and Phoenix varieties that I bought from Aplus Hops, England. I have planted them in december 2012, and in february/march I got few flowers from WGV. I am still a begginer at hops growing, but expect to learn a lot here with you.

WGV







Phoenix





Cheers
Pedro


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## Yob

Looks like you have plenty of room mate, nice one!! I've not heard of any other folks from Brazil growing! Make sure to keep the photos coming


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## pedroj

Yeah! That's my house yard, still have a farm of 20ha to try something bigger if I want. But I'm still trying to get some different varieties to see what grows better here. There are rumours that the hops don't produce too much alfa acid here because the latitude (aprox. 30) is too low, but I doubt it, at least aroma they produce, as observed in my WGV flowers.


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## allsnows72

Any one here in the Perth area that grows Hops. I have been looking but so far no luck.

So I ask is there anyone that has some rhizomes for sale or they will give away.

Thanks for any help.


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## grimpanda

Dug up my 2-year old Hallertauer rhizomes, since I don't tend to use the hops all that much and my new Cascade did so well this season...

Confirmed my fear of what might happen if I had planted them straight in the ground instead of in pots (actually, perforated stainless steel washing machine drums)

This was a solid root mass... h34r: h34r: h34r:


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## KingKong

Gabe said:


> Dug up my 2-year old Hallertauer rhizomes, since I don't tend to use the hops all that much and my new Cascade did so well this season...
> 
> Confirmed my fear of what might happen if I had planted them straight in the ground instead of in pots (actually, perforated stainless steel washing machine drums)


Cool photos! Where ever you live it looks tranquil and awesome.


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## Florian

What a monster!

That reminds me that I still owe you a beer, sorry mate. If you pm me your address again I will get something on the way in the next couple of weeks. 

The little brother of that monster has taken off here in Qld as well.


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## grimpanda

KingKong said:


> Cool photos! Where ever you live it looks tranquil and awesome.


Thanks! It is indeed tranquil - being on the edge of state forest in the middle of nowhere has it's advantages at times.



Florian said:


> What a monster!
> 
> That reminds me that I still owe you a beer, sorry mate. If you pm me your address again I will get something on the way in the next couple of weeks.
> 
> The little brother of that monster has taken off here in Qld as well.


I had completely forgotten about that - very honest of you to remind me! PM on the way


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