# growing hops in QLD



## seehuusen (14/4/14)

Hey guys,

I'm new to brewing, but like super hoppy beers... I've got a missus with great green fingers, and would like to utilize her to grow me some hops 

The questions I've got is first and foremost, what rhizomes grow best in QLD? I'm on the Sunshine Coast, so SEQ...


The next question is, where can I possibly get some rhizomes from? Anyone around here that has some I could purchase?
I once got some from a fella which had been frozen, they didn't turn out to grow, so I'd prefer something non-frozen if possible 

Thanks in advance,
Martin


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## Ducatiboy stu (14/4/14)

There are various threads on here for hop rizhomes. 

Hops will grow in QLD...but. 

Hops are a cold climate plant. They need long cold winters to produce maximum yield. This why most hop farms are in Tasmania and the highlands of Victoria.

Rhizomes are not ready just yet, but keep an eye on the threads and get your name down.

Basically its a case of what you are offered, not what you want.


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## seehuusen (15/4/14)

thanks mate, so basically, I'll get a crop, but it won't be as impressive as those further south... I can live with that 

now, there is a seller on eBay from WA, who has a range of hops types, is there any that would suit QLD better than others?
I've read somewhere that Cascade is a bit more forgiving on the hotter weather, is that right?

Still keen to hear what people grow up this way with some success?
and if possible, if someone up this way would part way with a rhizome, when it's a good time of course  When is that though?

Cheers
Martin


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## Donske (15/4/14)

seehuusen said:


> thanks mate, so basically, I'll get a crop, but it won't be as impressive as those further south... I can live with that
> 
> now, there is a seller on eBay from WA, who has a range of hops types, is there any that would suit QLD better than others?
> I've read somewhere that Cascade is a bit more forgiving on the hotter weather, is that right?
> ...


I've got a couple of cascade rhizomes growing, they are fairly tolerant from what I've seen this summer, but that week of 35 degree plus temps earlier in the year killed mine off.

They've taken off again and are now going stupid, one has sent vines up about a metre in 2 weeks so I'm hoping to get some flowers off them yet.


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## benken25 (15/4/14)

In my experience Clusters and Mount Hood grow fairly well here. I have a few different varieties and they seem to yield the best. just make sure you keep them well watered especially during the hotter months


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## HBHB (15/4/14)

Cascade and Chinook also appear to do fairly well up here.

If you're going to plant this Winter for Spring, now would be a good time to be getting some organic matter into your soil and get some healthy microbe growth going.

Lots of manure dug in and a healthy layer of compost is a good starting point.


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## Parks (15/4/14)

Ducatiboy stu said:


> Hops are a cold climate plant. They need long cold winters to produce maximum yield. This why most hop farms are in Tasmania and the highlands of Victoria.


I didn't think this was necessarily true - it's more about the number of sunlight hours in the day than the temperature.


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## sp0rk (15/4/14)

Parks said:


> I didn't think this was necessarily true - it's more about the number of sunlight hours in the day than the temperature.


The way I understand it, you will get less lupulin resin-y goodness up north
Hops in colder climates will produce more oils, the less they have to shield themselves from the cold, the less oils they will produce (or so I'm told)


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## Parks (15/4/14)

sp0rk said:


> The way I understand it, you will get less lupulin resin-y goodness up north
> Hops in colder climates will produce more oils, the less they have to shield themselves from the cold, the less oils they will produce (or so I'm told)


I guess the hours of sunlight must be to do with how many cones they produce then?


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## Liam_snorkel (15/4/14)

^ that was my assumption also. All other things being equal: climate for oils, latitude for cones. Might have read it somewhere.

EDIT: that said, I've just pulled some home grown cascade/chinook (not sure.. :unsure: haha) out of the freezer and they smell pretty damn nice. The cones weren't as tight as what you might get down south but there's still enough lupulin to do the job. (and my harvest each year has paled in comparison to the southern guys - check the last few "show us your hops" threads)


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## Liam_snorkel (15/4/14)

Here's what dried brisbane grown hops look like


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## seehuusen (15/4/14)

Thanks for the replies guys! Nice looking hops Liam, gives me confidence that it is possible to grow these with success.

Do any of you know Where it would be possible for me to purchase some Cascade Rhizomes? I think I'd like to start with that, as it so happens to be one of my favourites


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## Ducatiboy stu (15/4/14)

Colder climates generally go hand in hand with long sunlight hours


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## Ducatiboy stu (15/4/14)

Colder climates generally go hand in hand with long sunlight hours


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## Liam_snorkel (15/4/14)

seehuusen said:


> Do any of you know Where it would be possible for me to purchase some Cascade Rhizomes? I think I'd like to start with that, as it so happens to be one of my favourites


keep an eye on the forum towards the end of winter, some people dig up their 'zomes & replant them. Sometime you can pick them up for zip, sometimes for a reasonable price. Not sure if I will personally, because I'm not 100% which of my varieties are what.


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## seehuusen (15/4/14)

Thanks Liam, if you do, please let me know 

Do any of you know of a shop where I could buy some? I saw a seller on eBay, though his rhizomes sale finished yesterday, so I missed out  Surely there are other places where I could buy them?

Interesting about the mention of longer sun light, could you grow these under a grow light? Or would the power bill far outweigh the cost of just buying them in a bag?!?


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## Liam_snorkel (15/4/14)

not sure if the point of growing them up here is about cost. you'd spend more on a couple of bags of compost than what you'd yield from 1 plant.

people from southern states get massive hauls, up here, not so much. have a flick through some of these threads:

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=show+us+your+hops+aussiehomebrewer&oq=show+us+your+hops+aussiehomebrewer&aqs=chrome..69i57j0.5575j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8#q=hop+plantations+show+us+your+aussiehomebrewer


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## seehuusen (15/4/14)

The point of cost was more so in relation to the electricity costs for running a grow setup for longer hours of sun 
Thanks for the link, some impressive pictures for sure!!

The research I did today, suggests that I'll be able to find more rhizomes for sale in July, will keep my eyes peeled then 
Has anyone imported rhizomes from the US? Is customs allowing this at all?

Thanks for all your input so far, great to hear from other brewer-growers


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## Northside Novice (15/4/14)

Hulu you can grow hops in Bris . You won't grow good hops in Bris . Unless you go hydro , full climate . It's just way too hot n humid up here man . I grow for novelty , I brew with proper cold climate hops . 
Look around , pine apples, stawberries , sugarcane , mangoes . Do hop growing places grow these ? He'll no ! 
God says , the north shall be hop free !


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## seehuusen (16/4/14)

well, I just got hold of a few different rhizomes, Cascade, Golding, Red Earth and Saaz... So that should be interesting to get going


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## hugcra (28/4/14)

any luck with the rizomes mate, was thinking of giving it a crack, as ive got apples in bris and they go alright


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## hoppy2B (28/4/14)

Have a go, hops will tolerate some heat as long as they receive ample water.


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## seehuusen (28/4/14)

Mine arrived Thursday arvo, vacuum packed. I will be planting them out tomorrow  will report back on how they go


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## indica86 (28/4/14)

I'll have to give it a shot here... Martin can you spare me a rhizome or two for a trial???


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## seehuusen (29/4/14)

I'll have to open the package up to see how many came for each variety. As mentioned before, these do start getting sold/shared around July I believe. Happy to help out when I have some to share


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## seehuusen (30/4/14)

Got my rhizomes in the ground today  
BTW there was only one of each


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## seehuusen (20/5/14)

Hey guys,

A bit of an update. I'm starting to see a couple of shoots come through already...
I am wondering if this is just because the crop thinks it's summer (compared to where in WA it used to be)??
Any suggestions on what to do with the shoots, do I nip them off or let them keep on trucking?

What has other growers in QLD done? What's the norm in QLD?

Here are a couple of pictures, Flinders, Goldings and Cascade have all risen from the dark, only Red Earth left to pop through


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## Bribie G (20/5/14)

I tried hops on Bribie Island but they didn't do too well, stalled after a couple of months and finally gave up the ghost in their first season. In theory hops shouldn't grow North of about Port Macquarie but nobody has told them that 

Several members here including Florian and NickB have had some success. The thing is to avoid winds, probably the reason mine failed on Bribie and why they seem to do well in flat countryside where they are grown between wind-rows of trees (Google Earth Motueka, NZ).

Hops grow best with 15 hour days, hence the higher latitudes.


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## Liam_snorkel (20/5/14)

It's not cold enough here to stop them from growing so they will continue to throw out shoots. You'll find they won't start to climb until the length of daylight hours is enough though. Here's what mine look like at the moment:


ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1400551558.099017.jpg][attachment=71260:ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1


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## HBHB (20/5/14)

seehuusen said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> A bit of an update. I'm starting to see a couple of shoots come through already...
> I am wondering if this is just because the crop thinks it's summer (compared to where in WA it used to be)??
> ...


I'd lift the existing mulch, put on a half a bucket of mixed manure and a handful of blood and bone scoured into the surface, water well and then pile 20-30cm of mulch on top so it's dark and discourages the shoots growing outside of the main growing season.


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## seehuusen (20/5/14)

thanks guys!
I'll update once we get further along into spring I guess 

The soil I've used is already good quality, with cow manure, chicken pellets and water crystals (to assist with the drying out problem here in QLD).
That's why I've added the mulch on top as well, as that retains more of the moisture 

Cheers
Martin


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## kalbarluke (22/5/14)

Lots of people have said the same thing as me but I will give my 2c. I've grown hops for the last few years in SEQLD with differing degrees of success. Yes, you can grow them but your yield will be much lower than down south. Plus the heat and wind knock them about badly. You also need soil that has good drainage that is soft (not hard or clay like).


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## oakburner (23/5/14)

I have grown cluster quite successfully here on the Sunny Coast hinterland and am putting in Cascade and Chinook. I will always still purchase pellets as well for brewing but it is very nice to brew with your own. Currently have a choc porter with cluster aroma hops bubbling away....

Does anyone here in Qld lift the crown and refrigerate over winter each year? I wonder if this would increase production quality as you trick the plant into dormancy for longer????

OB...out.


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## seehuusen (24/5/14)

Thanks ob, that gets my confidence up, along with me rhizomes going hard 
My missus is great with the green fingers (even has a degree on the subject) so I reckon I've got the right soil mix  
The crop, whatever the size, will only be for a few single hop batches to start of with 

Missus says that pulling the rhizomes out and storing them in a fridge is going to do them less good than leaving them in the ground.
FWIW, I got some rhizomes once, that had been stored in a freezer, they never worked...


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## Batz (25/5/14)

I have grown hops here on the Sunny Coast Hinterlands for several seasons, I always get a fair crop. You do need to lift the rhizomes in our
climate, they will rot in the wet weather. Just wrap them in wet newspaper and place in the crisper of your fridge, I have had them there two years and they still grow great.

I dig a big hole and fill it with mushroom compost and some good soil, water well and use some chook poo 'tea' fertilizer.

Batz


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## brando (25/5/14)

I grew POR in bayside Brisbane a few years ago.

Most of the cones didn't reach full size, and the yield was not great. I ended up tossing out the harvest and giving away the rhizome to an AHB member from down south.

I would consider doing it again (not POR), but next time have it set up with a drip watering system and timer, because I'm too busy (and lazy) to keep up the watering requirements by hand.


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## seehuusen (26/5/14)

I learn something new all the time  A couple of questions if you don't mind mate 



Batz said:


> ...they will rot in the wet weather.


Sorry for the perhaps silly question, but when in the year is that? summer is generally the wet time, and I expected them to be growing then? 



Batz said:


> ...Just wrap them in wet newspaper and place in the crisper of your fridge, I have had them there two years and they still grow great.


My fridge drops the humidity to nearly nothing, wouldn't this dry out the news paper, or do you keep moisture up on the news paper?

Cheers
Martin


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## oakburner (1/6/14)

I reckon you are right Batz..... Only reason I got away with leaving mine in the ground this summer was the unseasonably dry weather. I am at Mooloolah and our soils get wet wet wet during normal summers. Anyone up on the range like to comment?
With perfect draining volcanic soils up there, I imagine they may get away with leaving them in the ground. 

OB...out.


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## wynnum1 (1/6/14)

*Vermiculite may be useful if planting cheap if buy in bulk and not from the hardware stores *.


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## seehuusen (1/6/14)

When are you guys growing the plants, and what month is harvest then?

The sandy soil at Golden Beach is never wet for any length of time


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## Batz (1/6/14)

seehuusen said:


> I learn something new all the time  A couple of questions if you don't mind mate
> 
> 
> Sorry for the perhaps silly question, but when in the year is that? summer is generally the wet time, and I expected them to be growing then?
> ...


They will die back after flowering, you then cut them back to the ground and mulch them. Mine rotted with the wet, but hey you have a go perhaps it was my soil. I do you of one other brewer in the area that experienced this as well

I you wrap them in damp newspaper, you will need to then wrap it in cling wrap or similar to stop it drying out.

Batz


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## Batz (1/6/14)

I don't grow them anymore BTW, it was an interesting experiment for a couple of years but I'm over it now. 

Batz


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## seehuusen (1/6/14)

Thanks Batz, I'm only growing them as a hobby/fun project, and will probably use each variety in smash style beers 

Cheers
Martin

Ps also, thanks for confirming that its a winter grower with early spring being harvest time


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## Batz (1/6/14)

seehuusen said:


> Thanks Batz, I'm only growing them as a hobby/fun project, and will probably use each variety in smash style beers
> 
> Cheers
> Martin
> ...



I have some POR rhizomes your welcome to if you want them.
Batz


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## seehuusen (1/6/14)

Thanks Batz, I'd be very interested in giving them a go, will pm some details and organize a pickup


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