# 2019 Hop Plantations



## SwagBiker

To my surprise, my new Chinook and Cascade rhyzomes have already sprouted.
Here’s to a good season to all growers!


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## SwagBiker

Here’s the cheeky cascade!


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## blacktop™

My Victoria sprouted about a week ago 
Pretty excited!


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## Company of one

Hi you all.
This year I have gone all out and bumped up my plantings from eight verities to eleven and now have twenty four crowns in the ground.
I have Fuggles, Chinook, Cascade, Victoria, Dr Rudi (Super Alpha), Target, Nugget, Perle, Pride of Ringwood, East Kent Golding and Hersbrucker.
I'm going to have far more than I could use but being and avid gardener I really like the whole growing stuff you can use vibe.
Hope all goes well for other growers, gotta love spring when hops are finished with all the planning for world domination and come out and put their plans into action.

Now just gotta get an avatar pic.
Cheers


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## N3MIS15

Yup, Cascade popped up last week. Chinook, POR, Columbus & Hallertau still to come.


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## fungrel

Super Alpha, Cluster, Chinook are all up. 

I'm looking forward to this year's season if the dry spell continues in NSW. My water bill will take a hit.


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## Rocker1986

I really need to sort mine out. They're still at the olds' place because I didn't really want to bring them to a rental property. Might pop in after my shift on Sunday and do something with them. I only have Cascade and Hallertau but the Hallertau did **** all last season. If they're all dead then I'm not overly bothered by it at the moment, it gets too much going around there all the time to look after them anyway. When we buy next year and are permanently in our own place I'll look to get a plantation up and going properly again.


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## Belgrave Brewer

Some of mine are just starting to poke through the soil. I need to add a thick layer of compost on top of them and mulch the sides of the mounds on my weekend. 

Nice to finally have some decent weather to work outside.


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## Rocker1986

And now it's meant to rain Sunday. Bloody hell. [emoji23]


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## Company of one

Hi guys back again 
Just thought I'd put up up a few pics from time to time to show the progress of my hop garden.
As I said in my 1st post I've upsized my rig from 8 plants to 24 with 11 varieties. The planter boxes are dug into the ground to try and help with containment and are 600mm deep and 1200mm square.


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## fungrel

Company of one said:


> Hi guys back again
> Just thought I'd put up up a few pics from time to time to show the progress of my hop garden.
> As I said in my 1st post I've upsized my rig from 8 plants to 24 with 11 varieties. The planter boxes are dug into the ground to try and help with containment and are 600mm deep and 1200mm square.
> View attachment 113325


Curious why you didn't mound the soil in those boxes before planting?


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## Belgrave Brewer

Rocker1986 said:


> And now it's meant to rain Sunday. Bloody hell. [emoji23]


Noooooooooooooo!!!!


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## Company of one

fungrel said:


> Curious why you didn't mound the soil in those boxes before planting?


Hi Fungrel
From a little trial and error last season I found it made no difference, being in boxes most of the plants are above the ground level of original soil, water logging isn't an issue and the only advantage I could find for mounding the soil would be that it would be marginally easier to lift the plants next season. I always intended to leave the soil 75mm lower than the top of each box and tried to factor in some settling after adding various improvers but anyway take good with the bad this will help keep the mulch in anyway. Mulching will take place once the soil warms and the plants are on their way.
Cheers.


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## pirateagenda

2nd year Victoria kicking off. 
This one was a rhizome in september last year. 
Should i have cut it back further? Should i cut cut it back now? Theres lots of shoots happening


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## Belgrave Brewer

pirateagenda said:


> 2nd year Victoria kicking off.
> This one was a rhizome in september last year.
> Should i have cut it back further? Should i cut cut it back now? Theres lots of shoots happening
> View attachment 113353


I would have cut it back to the ground over winter. 

I've never seen that kind of growth above ground. Are those last years bines that have fattened up over winter? They would have frozen here this winter, but in a warmer climate, you might be ok. 

I can't advise on what you should do, but curious to see what others think. It's looking very healthy.


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## pirateagenda

Nah thats how fat they were when i trimmed them in may after 8 months from rhizome.


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## yochris77

Tetnanger popped. Located Redcliffe very near water.


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## koshari

Hearing there were a couple of bad frosts in vic recently. Dont know how mine are tracking as i been away and will be back on the weekend.

Heres hoping they havnt taken off only to have been frost bitten.


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## koshari

Slight frost this morning however my buds are no more than a few cm long.


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## Rocker1986

Had to pop over to the olds this morning to grab a sack of pilsner malt I'd left there. Had a look at the hops and the Cascade is poking through with a handful of shoots. Nothing going on in the Hallertau though, probably killed it when I set the nutgrass on fire earlier this year.


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## fdsaasdf

Nothing popping up here (BNE) for Cascade, Goldings or Victoria plants. They have about 2inches of sugar cane mulch on each and after a long dry winter there is regular rain/sun here now. 

I'm just about to spring clean / weed and feed the lawns; should I be feeding my hops anything in particular now?


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## garage_life

fdsaasdf said:


> Nothing popping up here (BNE) for Cascade, Goldings or Victoria plants. They have about 2inches of sugar cane mulch on each and after a long dry winter there is regular rain/sun here now.
> 
> I'm just about to spring clean / weed and feed the lawns; should I be feeding my hops anything in particular now?


I've had 2 Chinook dormant in pots since last season, starting to show activity, no bine shoots yet. Just seasold and a bit of liquid organic dynamic lifter at modest rate, I'll let you know when they pop. BNE NW.


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## fdsaasdf

Victoria popped up today! No sign from the other two yet. I might give them all a powerfeed and seasol later in the week.


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## Danscraftbeer

pirateagenda said:


> 2nd year Victoria kicking off.
> This one was a rhizome in september last year.
> Should i have cut it back further? Should i cut cut it back now? Theres lots of shoots happening
> View attachment 113353


I recognize that. Aquaponics! i think i remember when you first planted them. Aquaponic hops are um, different.
Huge stems, trunks, to the diameter of a 50c coin. Most the nodes sit above ground dormant and visible all through winter. Many more spring out from underneath as well until its like some huge Kraken creature. I just had to remove one from the grow bed that was fun! not. This started as a tiny cutting experiment. Its not even 3 years old yet. Last season I got 3kg dry off this Cascade. 














I now replaced this with Tettnang. The Tettnang has failed every year in the ground through 2 seasons now so its the new experiment in the Aquaponics this year see how it goes. Shooting days after planting. This was a week ago they are now to 2 foot long.


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## garage_life

Danscraftbeer said:


> I recognize that. Aquaponics! i think i remember when you first planted them. Aquaponic hops are um, different.
> Huge stems, trunks, to the diameter of a 50c coin. Most the nodes sit above ground dormant and visible all through winter. Many more spring out from underneath as well until its like some huge Kraken creature. I just had to remove one from the grow bed that was fun! not. This started as a tiny cutting experiment. Its not even 3 years old yet. Last season I got 3kg dry off this Cascade.
> 
> View attachment 113499
> View attachment 113497
> View attachment 113498
> 
> 
> 
> I now replaced this with Tettnang. The Tettnang has failed every year in the ground through 2 seasons now so its the new experiment in the Aquaponics this year see how it goes. Shooting days after planting. This was a week ago they are now to 2 foot long.
> 
> View attachment 113500


Sweet fancy Moses! What a mutant! Hope she flower like a hot damn!


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## pirateagenda

Danscraftbeer said:


> I recognize that. Aquaponics! i think i remember when you first planted them. Aquaponic hops are um, different.
> Huge stems, trunks, to the diameter of a 50c coin. Most the nodes sit above ground dormant and visible all through winter. Many more spring out from underneath as well until its like some huge Kraken creature. I just had to remove one from the grow bed that was fun! not. This started as a tiny cutting experiment. Its not even 3 years old yet. Last season I got 3kg dry off this Cascade.
> 
> View attachment 113499
> View attachment 113497
> View attachment 113498
> 
> 
> 
> I now replaced this with Tettnang. The Tettnang has failed every year in the ground through 2 seasons now so its the new experiment in the Aquaponics this year see how it goes. Shooting days after planting. This was a week ago they are now to 2 foot long.
> 
> View attachment 113500



yep i definitely took some inspiration off your kraken cascade 

should i trim some of the nodes back or let them go? 

I need to get some more fish in the pond too. had a leak and had to replace the liner, which led to a mass fatality of my fish... only have a dozen let at the moment!


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## koshari

fuggles and cascade coming up.


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## Belgrave Brewer

Centennial rhizomes just starting to rise here in VIC. Field is ready for spring. It won't be long now for the rest of them.


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## Company of one

Hi all 
All of my plantings have started to rise with the Dr Rudi plants going gang busters, I noticed that when I dug then up late winter that the root structure was far and away the most developed of all my plantings from 1st season cuttings, I was wondering if anyone else has had the same experience with this variety?
Anyway I have hung all my ropes, I use 10mm sisal as I feel it gives a furry like surface for the bines to grip on to and is cheap enough to replace every couple of seasons.
Will update again when frames are loaded and again just prior to harvest.
Happy growing and brewing.


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## dgrgurich

Company of one said:


> Hi you all.
> This year I have gone all out and bumped up my plantings from eight verities to eleven and now have twenty four crowns in the ground.
> I have Fuggles, Chinook, Cascade, Victoria, Dr Rudi (Super Alpha), Target, Nugget, Perle, Pride of Ringwood, East Kent Golding and Hersbrucker.
> I'm going to have far more than I could use but being and avid gardener I really like the whole growing stuff you can use vibe.
> Hope all goes well for other growers, gotta love spring when hops are finished with all the planning for world domination and come out and put their plans into action.
> 
> Now just gotta get an avatar pic.
> Cheers


Hi, I'm really interested in the potential for trying to grow my own hops though I'm not sure how successful it will be in Perth. Can you point me in the right direction for obtaining my own rhyzomes?


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## Belgrave Brewer

dgrgurich said:


> Hi, I'm really interested in the potential for trying to grow my own hops though I'm not sure how successful it will be in Perth. Can you point me in the right direction for obtaining my own rhyzomes?


You have a few choices in WA for rhizomes outside of home growers.

https://www.facebook.com/SouthWestHops/

https://www.facebook.com/Kracanup/


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## n87

Managed to get myself a handful of cluster rhizomes from @fungrel (thanks) and planted them about 6 weeks ago
about 2 weeks ago, the shoots started appearing.
They were starting to get a bit long, so I figured I had better make something for them to climb.

Using 3mm army/camo cord from bunnies and a couple of eye bolts, I made this:




Easily lowerable for harvesting




It is 3m high at one end and 2.2m at the other... hopfully this is enough for them to play.
Cost about $20, including 316SS eye bolts, and I still have plenty of cord for other stuff

And a quick photo of the hops... that somehow ended up sideways...


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## SwagBiker

After a good start, my hops bines have slowed dramatically. Thanks to the advice of a friend who has much greener thumbs than mine I discovered that my soil was acidic, ph was down to 4.5.
I've added garden lime and brought the ph up close to 7, but the bines haven't taken off again yet.
Has anyone else ever experienced ph issues stunting the growth of their hops? I'm hoping they kick off again, but there's always next year I guess.


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## altone

SwagBiker said:


> After a good start, my hops bines have slowed dramatically. Thanks to the advice of a friend who has much greener thumbs than mine I discovered that my soil was acidic, ph was down to 4.5.
> I've added garden lime and brought the ph up close to 7, but the bines haven't taken off again yet.
> Has anyone else ever experienced ph issues stunting the growth of their hops? I'm hoping they kick off again, but there's always next year I guess.


A soil pH that low would have a lot of plants reeling! How long since you added the lime and how much?
Remember a big pH shift will set the plants back until they acclimatize.
Imagine yourself moving to Greenland, it'd be a while before you ventured outside without a huge coat 

If you're lime addition was recent, chances are the pH will increase but then drop over time.

I think it's something like 300g of lime per sqm to up the soil pH 1 point but don't take my word on that.
Check multiple internet gardening sites to be sure.
You're looking for a final pH around 6 to 7

If you are still amending - aim for 6 because hops don't like alkalinity.

edit: I hope you are not relying on one of those cheap electronic testers, they are way off sometimes.
This one works very well and is easy to read.
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/product/inoculo-soil-ph-test-kit/


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## garage_life

Anyone got a couple of cents to throw in regarding pruning new growth? I've got 2 Chinook plants (2nd year, 1st was pots now in ground) training 4 bines each to a bit over 2m on a frame. Going beserk, new shoots popping up all over and climbing the surrounding hip height mesh fence. Should I cut the right back, try to get them on the ground or just let them go nuts? I pruned a few right back the the first node last week and after a bit of a lull they just took off again like nothing happened. Located Brisbane NW metro.
Cheers!
Edit - will add photo tomorrow, no light.


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## fungrel

garage_life said:


> Anyone got a couple of cents to throw in regarding pruning new growth? I've got 2 Chinook plants (2nd year, 1st was pots now in ground) training 4 bines each to a bit over 2m on a frame. Going beserk, new shoots popping up all over and climbing the surrounding hip height mesh fence. Should I cut the right back, try to get them on the ground or just let them go nuts? I pruned a few right back the the first node last week and after a bit of a lull they just took off again like nothing happened. Located Brisbane NW metro.
> Cheers!
> Edit - will add photo tomorrow, no light.


I trimmed all my second year chinook to the ground today, they were all bull bines that were getting about 30-45cm.

If you're happy with 4 bines, keep trimming the rest that emerge. The plant will get the idea.


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## garage_life

I figured I'd leave 1 or 2 I can train onto something. The rest my gut says they'll rot on the ground in the humidity or be eaten. Seemed to recover ok from the last clean pruning. Thanks!


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## Belgrave Brewer

garage_life said:


> Anyone got a couple of cents to throw in regarding pruning new growth? I've got 2 Chinook plants (2nd year, 1st was pots now in ground) training 4 bines each to a bit over 2m on a frame. Going beserk, new shoots popping up all over and climbing the surrounding hip height mesh fence. Should I cut the right back, try to get them on the ground or just let them go nuts? I pruned a few right back the the first node last week and after a bit of a lull they just took off again like nothing happened. Located Brisbane NW metro.
> Cheers!
> Edit - will add photo tomorrow, no light.


Keep cutting back the new growth. It'll take a few rounds. 

Each bine you cut will grow laterals, and there will still be some bines that have not come up yet. It'll lessen over the season, but the plant will still kick a few bines out.


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## wide eyed and legless

SwagBiker said:


> After a good start, my hops bines have slowed dramatically. Thanks to the advice of a friend who has much greener thumbs than mine I discovered that my soil was acidic, ph was down to 4.5.
> I've added garden lime and brought the ph up close to 7, but the bines haven't taken off again yet.
> Has anyone else ever experienced ph issues stunting the growth of their hops? I'm hoping they kick off again, but there's always next year I guess.


Did you put a load of fresh manure around the hops? Dolomite lime would have been the go to lime to use, but if you have it up to 7 the hops themselves can adjust the pH level in the soil to a certain degree.


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## Rocker1986

My Cascade has finally poked its head up properly, should be seeing more over the coming weeks. Glad it will be a more normal season by the looks of things, last year I was harvesting in December. We're moving house in December this year so harvest will be after that which is nice. It's still at my parents place currently, but the new house is one we are buying so I will cut the crown out and take a few rhizomes over there during next winter to start again.


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## SwagBiker

altone said:


> A soil pH that low would have a lot of plants reeling! How long since you added the lime and how much?
> Remember a big pH shift will set the plants back until they acclimatize.
> Imagine yourself moving to Greenland, it'd be a while before you ventured outside without a huge coat
> 
> If you're lime addition was recent, chances are the pH will increase but then drop over time.
> 
> I think it's something like 300g of lime per sqm to up the soil pH 1 point but don't take my word on that.
> Check multiple internet gardening sites to be sure.
> You're looking for a final pH around 6 to 7
> 
> If you are still amending - aim for 6 because hops don't like alkalinity.
> 
> edit: I hope you are not relying on one of those cheap electronic testers, they are way off sometimes.
> This one works very well and is easy to read.
> https://www.ozbreed.com.au/product/inoculo-soil-ph-test-kit/


Thanks for the advice. I put the garden lime on about three weeks ago now. The ph, as tested yesterday, is between 6 and 6.5. I’m just using a colour match swatch and indicator solution from a garden shop.
It seems that the vines that came up before ph correction have been permanently stunted but new growth is going well now.
On the varieties that have new growth of pruned the old bines and the new ones are happy. But my Victoria hasn’t had any new growth yet, so it’s relying on only a small sprout for any sunlight. We’ll see how it goes.


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## bevan

My cascade has decided to start popping some flowers (well I think they are) a bit early. Do I need to cut them off or is there something else I need to do? Or just leave them
Location is Riddells Creek Victoria.


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## garage_life

I've got burrs last week that have gone into full budding cones already on a few bines only.
Keep nutrients up and harvest and store as they mature, don't leave them too long. I usually supplement my organic fertilizer with "%hrive flower and fruit" @1/4 dose and potash as per recommended during flowering. Plenty of guides for harvesting and nutrients out there. I've never gotten to serious about pH etc and just run what I've bring with good soil / prep and been working so far. Chinook BNE


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## bevan

Thanks garage_life.


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## bj2

My cascade is sending out laterals already. Seems a bit early? I’m in Melbourne.


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## Belgrave Brewer

bj2 said:


> My cascade is sending out laterals already. Seems a bit early? I’m in Melbourne.


It is early, but every year is going to be different. First year plants are unpredictable.

I have burrs on my Centennial already, and Victoria and Chinook have thrown out laterals and close to producing burrs. I cut back my Cascade a few weeks ago and am now just training it up.

Commercially, many cutback the first growth (after first year) and train up the second growth.


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## Jimmayo

My second year hops is doing really well.. late start to the season here in Sydney due to the cold wet and rainy weather, albeit it has taken Like wild flower once they popped there head out in early October.

Evidence of a few pests on my chinook but nothing overly hindering. 

My irrigation system I put together is doing wonders. Still trying to workout the best configuration timing wise, if any one has more experience on this topic im all ears. I’m currently setting the drip line to 10 mins evvery 12 hours in this 30+ weather, with a quick splash of extra water mid day to cool them down.

Starting to bud at the moment. Last year I waited too long to harvest and they had a browny tinge to the cones. I’m going to pick them nice and green this year.


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## Belgrave Brewer

Jimmayo said:


> My second year hops is doing really well.. late start to the season here in Sydney due to the cold wet and rainy weather, albeit it has taken Like wild flower once they popped there head out in early October.
> 
> Evidence of a few pests on my chinook but nothing overly hindering.
> 
> My irrigation system I put together is doing wonders. Still trying to workout the best configuration timing wise, if any one has more experience on this topic im all ears. I’m currently setting the drip line to 10 mins evvery 12 hours in this 30+ weather, with a quick splash of extra water mid day to cool them down.
> 
> Starting to bud at the moment. Last year I waited too long to harvest and they had a browny tinge to the cones. I’m going to pick them nice and green this year.



There's nothing wrong with a bit of brown on the hops. If the tips are just browning, they are probably ready to be picked. 

Picking them early will not give the lupulin time to do its thing. Pick them late and you may notice onion/garlic aromas and flavours that are undersirable. 

What's the drip line rating? My plants are in mounds and I'm giving them 14L per plant per day on average.


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## wide eyed and legless

Belgrave Brewer said:


> There's nothing wrong with a bit of brown on the hops. If the tips are just browning, they are probably ready to be picked.
> 
> Picking them early will not give the lupulin time to do its thing. Pick them late and you may notice onion/garlic aromas and flavours that are undersirable.
> 
> What's the drip line rating? My plants are in mounds and I'm giving them 14L per plant per day on average.


14 litres a day is a huge amount of water, I thought tomatoes were a thirsty plant at 50 litres, but that's in its lifetime.


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## Belgrave Brewer

wide eyed and legless said:


> 14 litres a day is a huge amount of water, I thought tomatoes were a thirsty plant at 50 litres, but that's in its lifetime.


That's one of the downsides of mounds, any excess water drains to ground level. I'm also watering a 1.5sqm area per plant. It's about 2000L per day for my field. On dry hot days, it's more. Keeping the soil moist can be a challenge. Most years I don't fire up the irrigation system until some point in December and I don't use much water after end of February. I have 45,000L of tank water at the beginning of the season and a dam to tap into when needed.


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## fungrel

Chinook has once again outdone itself. Rivals Cluster as being the best variety to grow in our region (Central Coast).


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## koshari

bloody vine sucker infestation again,


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## koshari

hope there is a bit of rain in this front, the poor hops are doing it tough


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## bevan

Question for you experienced hop growers, I’ve got a couple of big pots with second year hops (poor harvest this year) and am wanting to plant them in the ground. When is a good time to do this, before or after winter? Would it be worth pull them out of the pots and chucking them in fridge for winter?
Cheers Bevan


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## wide eyed and legless

bevan said:


> Question for you experienced hop growers, I’ve got a couple of big pots with second year hops (poor harvest this year) and am wanting to plant them in the ground. When is a good time to do this, before or after winter? Would it be worth pull them out of the pots and chucking them in fridge for winter?
> Cheers Bevan


Not much to gain by putting them in the fridge, a bit like putting yeast to sleep cold crashing. Prepare a bed where they are going to go plenty of compost some feed (manure) and transfer in a months time. Gives them time to settle in and get ready for spring. I am moving all my rhu arb in much the same way.


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## splitice

Has anyone successfully grown hops in pots with even a moderate yield? I've got some in 50L pots (biggest I could find). The only real spot I've got that gets sun isn't suitable for ground planting.


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## wide eyed and legless

splitice said:


> Has anyone successfully grown hops in pots with even a moderate yield? I've got some in 50L pots (biggest I could find). The only real spot I've got that gets sun isn't suitable for ground planting.


A 50 litre won't contain them, you need something like a cubic meter to possibly stop them escaping. In saying that you should still get a decent yield, but they will escape.


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## splitice

Thanks @wide eyed and legless I encourage them to try and escape. Maybe they will grow legs.


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## wide eyed and legless

splitice said:


> Thanks @wide eyed and legless I encourage them to try and escape. Maybe they will grow legs.


They will grow legs allright, they will be coming up al over the place like a mad womans shit, where did you get the rhizomes from? South eastern suburbs of Melbourne Garden World has a good variety.


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## splitice

wide eyed and legless said:


> where did you get the rhizomes from?



Yass via ebay in the end. I've got a lead on some one who sells them in pots and I plan to get a couple more later in the year.


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## hoppy2B

If you search thoroughly some of the years gone by Hop Plantation threads, you should find lots of images of people doing a good job of growing them in pots. It's important to ensure they have enough nutrients and get plenty of water.


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## Weizguy

splitice said:


> Has anyone successfully grown hops in pots with even a moderate yield? I've got some in 50L pots (biggest I could find). The only real spot I've got that gets sun isn't suitable for ground planting.



you can buy fabric (root pruning) or plastic (black poly) grow bags in much larger sizes, fwiw.
https://fernland.com.au/nursery-supplies-products/plant-containers.html or search for them


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## Mcsnacker

Hi fellow hop growers,
I have two hop crowns to give away. One Victoria and one Hallertau. Both about 3 years old. Still in the ground at the moment and not sprouting yet. Vic grows well in Canberra and produces well, Hallertau not so much as it's too hot. It would need a good spot to grow well and I don't have one. I'm located in Belconnen ACT, pick-up only please. 
Cheers Pasi


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## koshari

Weizguy said:


> you can buy fabric (root pruning) or plastic (black poly) grow bags in much larger sizes, fwiw.
> https://fernland.com.au/nursery-supplies-products/plant-containers.html or search for them


grab some 200l blue poly food drums and dock them in half.


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## koshari

well were off and racing again, and again the fuggles are well out of the pot faster and stronger than the cascade, however both last year and the year before the fuggles have hit the wall and the cascades motored past them, i wonder if the last couple of sumemrs have been to hot for the fuggles being an English variety?


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## hoppy2B

Day length is an issue with Fugglies. They will grow ok in Brisbane and northwards going on what others have gotten from them. They probably won't do much good in Tassie because it is not far enough south.


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## hoppy2B

Mcsnacker said:


> Hi fellow hop growers,
> I have two hop crowns to give away. One Victoria and one Hallertau. Both about 3 years old. Still in the ground at the moment and not sprouting yet. Vic grows well in Canberra and produces well, Hallertau not so much as it's too hot. It would need a good spot to grow well and I don't have one. I'm located in Belconnen ACT, pick-up only please.
> Cheers Pasi


I think you need to make a few more posts before anyone can message you.


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## koshari

hoppy2B said:


> Day length is an issue with Fugglies. They will grow ok in Brisbane and northwards going on what others have gotten from them. They probably won't do much good in Tassie because it is not far enough south.


that statement sort of contradicts itself?


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## hoppy2B

koshari said:


> that statement sort of contradicts itself?



Day length is longer in Tasmania than Brisbane during summer. You need to get down to the latitude of New Zealand's South Island for Fugglies to start doing ok. Once day length gets too long they stop growing. Same thing with Tettnang.


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## Mcsnacker

hoppy2B said:


> Day length is an issue with Fugglies. They will grow ok in Brisbane and northwards going on what others have gotten from them. They probably won't do much good in Tassie because it is not far enough south.



Thank for the reply. The silence was deafening. Good to know it's not just me.


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## koshari

hoppy2B said:


> Day length is longer in Tasmania than Brisbane during summer. You need to get down to the latitude of New Zealand's South Island for Fugglies to start doing ok. Once day length gets too long they stop growing. Same thing with Tettnang.


Thats very interesting given they are an english variety and they have longer days.


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## TwoTinVin

Hi AHB hop growers,
Just moved back from about 18 months in Hong Kong and have totally missed the boat on acquiring rhizomes for this year. I’m interested in trying to grow a few plants from cuttings in the hope that I either get some yield or a nice little rhizome for next year. Have any of you successfully grown from cuttings? I also still need to get my hands on cuttings so if anyone lives near Perth WA and can spare a couple of off-shoots, I’ll be able to repay in hops if I don’t kill em..

Cheers!


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## koshari

i have never taken cuttings from hops before but for other plants i have found you need a nice fresh stem and pretty much need to cut it, use a razor to splice the stem , dip it in the growth hormone and straight into a seed bed for it to have any chance, i dont think cutting some bines and sending them for someone to much later try to propagate would be very successful. pity your on the other side of the country otherwise i would be happy for you to take come cutting of mine and try.


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## wide eyed and legless

Cuttings are good, but for a novice the easiest way to produce a new plant is layering, bend the bine over and bury beneath the soil where leaves or buds are they will become roots.


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## devoutharpist

my Cascade, Chinook, Victoria and Red Earth are all up. Surprisingly the red earth was the first one to come up this year and that is historically the under-performer.


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## TwoTinVin

Cheers for the tips! Yeah I really do need to make some WA mates who have hops.. might just have to wait until next year


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## Lukas

TwoTinVin said:


> Cheers for the tips! Yeah I really do need to make some WA mates who have hops.. might just have to wait until next year


Hey mate,
I'm down in bridgetown. I only just planted my first rhizomes this year. I found some on facebook. Have you checked the Facebook marketplace or Gumtree. There might be some on there still. 
I also remember that Preston valley hops in donnybrook were selling some in pots at some.point in the year


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## koshari

cascade well underway, just trained a couple of the lower bines.


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## theredone

hope this attachment works... first yeear hops heading up, doing ok given the brisbane weather we have had


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## koshari

burrs already


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## splitice

Any idea what's plaguing mine?


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## wide eyed and legless

Looks like caterpillar damage, they are small and when they stop feeding bring a leaf around them, so if you see a bent leaf thats where you will find it. If its still feeding it will be on the underside of the leaf.
Don't worry too much about the burnt looking edges.


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## splitice

@wide eyed and legless Thanks I'll go looking now. And see what I can find. I removed some of the mostly dead leaves earlier today so I'll check those too for evidence.


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## splitice

@wide eyed and legless 

No catapillers that I can see. I checked all the rolled over edge leaves too which seemed empty.

Found something that looks like a small bug, scampered away on me but I got a photo. Slightly larger than a mosquito in size and black, at first that's what I thought it was. Didn't appear to be a caterpillar or wiggle. Sorry I didn't get a great look or shot before I bumped the leaf.







Found some webs under a couple of the leaves of the worst plant and a web under another leave of a different plant as well. I couldn't find any spider or insect responsible for the web. Photo non-interesting as camera wouldn't focus on the web.

The burnt edges are a separate issue?


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## Wobbly1

I'm having the same problem. I have 5 varieties planted and on the climb. The Hollertau and Williamette have the problem. From my reading, I believe they are burnt from the hot winds we have been getting. Definitely no critters involved, at least in my case. It would appear that some varieties are more susceptible than others. Even in the Illawarra, we are further North than the recommended latitude so it's all a bit iffy I think.
Cheers


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## splitice

@Wobbly1 We do get alot of wind here and these plants are largely unshielded as we are on the side of a hill. The sadest looking leaves are dry and crunchy (I checked, soil is moist at finger tip at first nuckle depth). If it's hot winds is there a corresponding treatment? It's only going to get worse in summer.

Found some spiders inhabiting the saddest looking hops plant. Harmless?









Confirmed alive.


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## Wobbly1

Sorry mate, don't know about the critters but they don't look too good, maybe more than just wind-burn. Maybe a call to the Dept. of Agriculture, I've found them quite helpful. Have you been keeping the water up to them? They're thirsty little buggers. Also I feed mine liquid Dynamic Lifter once a week. I reckon, think, guess that if the bines are kept healthy they are better equipped to survive.


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## wide eyed and legless

Spiders are good, in your first photo you have a leaf which is just about eaten away and another with a large hole. When you see damage like that it is either slug or caterpillar, my money is on the caterpillar.
The burnt looking leaves aren't a problem most plants the earlier leaves go like that and die off. The caterpillars are about 10mm x 1.5mm and green.


Wobbly1 said:


> Sorry mate, don't know about the critters but they don't look too good, maybe more than just wind-burn. Maybe a call to the Dept. of Agriculture, I've found them quite helpful. Have you been keeping the water up to them? They're thirsty little buggers. Also I feed mine liquid Dynamic Lifter once a week. I reckon, think, guess that if the bines are kept healthy they are better equipped to survive.


Far too much Dynamic lifter, once a month is more than enough, to much nitrogen is no good.


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## splitice

@Wobbly1 whats your watering schedule?

Mine have been getting ~4L per water twice weekly. A third watering if it's been a hot week. One less if it's rained significantly.


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## splitice

@wide eyed and legless Thanks again. I really can't find any. I'm going to have a third search shortly.

Do you have any recommendations for a pesticide? Since these are first year plants and clearly no harvest is going to be possible I'm not concerned about human consumption. Just want the plants to survive and establish themselves at this point.


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## splitice

@wide eyed and legless you are a legend mate! Gave them a water and look who came out.






I have him a flick and squish but I'm going to assume there are more than one.

Treatment suggestions?


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## wide eyed and legless

splitice said:


> @wide eyed and legless Thanks again. I really can't find any. I'm going to have a third search shortly.
> 
> Do you have any recommendations for a pesticide? Since these are first year plants and clearly no harvest is going to be possible I'm not concerned about human consumption. Just want the plants to survive and establish themselves at this point.


If ti is what I think it is, fore finger and thumb or try some caterpillar dust, remember insecticides don' discriminate what they kill.
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/712717/hops-guide-for-new-growers.pdf


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## wide eyed and legless

splitice said:


> @wide eyed and legless you are a legend mate! Gave them a water and look who came out.


I know.


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## splitice

@wide eyed and legless 

I've got some Caterpillar & slug pellets around so I'm going to throw them around near the pots for future protection in case any new caterpillars decide to visit.

I'll go around playing god later tonight and then I'm thinking I'll apply some https://www.bunnings.com.au/yates-40g-natures-way-caterpillar-killer-dipel-insecticide_p2961898 to the leaves according to the instructions.

I don't really like insecticides (grew up near orchards) but in this case I'd rather be safe than sorry. Need these to survive the year for the next.

Do hops plants re-grow the following year if they suffer catastrophic damage to the leaves / vine resulting in vine death?


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## wide eyed and legless

splitice said:


> @wide eyed and legless
> 
> I've got some Caterpillar & slug pellets around so I'm going to throw them around near the pots for future protection in case any new caterpillars decide to visit.
> 
> I'll go around playing god later tonight and then I'm thinking I'll apply some https://www.bunnings.com.au/yates-40g-natures-way-caterpillar-killer-dipel-insecticide_p2961898 to the leaves according to the instructions.
> 
> I don't really like insecticides (grew up near orchards) but in this case I'd rather be safe than sorry. Need these to survive the year for the next.
> 
> Do hops plants re-grow the following year if they suffer catastrophic damage to the leaves / vine resulting in vine death?


I doubt that you will get any failure, they are pretty hardy plants, a healthy plant looks after itself, main thing is keep the water up to them and the occasional Seasol on the plant when the sun isn't out and water the ground around the plant not the plant itself.


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## koshari

they will regrow but i reckon the spiecies makes a big diff, my cascade has been killing it for the last 3 years where the fuggles has struggled every year, reckon iam gonna pull the pin on the fuggles.


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## malt and barley blues

splitice said:


> Any idea what's plaguing mine?
> 
> View attachment 117071
> 
> View attachment 117072


You have to keep an eye on those black pots, they can cook the rhizome.


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## fdsaasdf

malt and barley blues said:


> You have to keep an eye on those black pots, they can cook the rhizome.


Certainly has happened to a few rhizomes I've seen (including a few of mine).


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## Grmblz

fdsaasdf said:


> Certainly has happened to a few rhizomes I've seen (including a few of mine).


Paint them white, I use old 200ltr oil drums (they're free) topped, tailed, and cut in half, natural black they get hot, and dry out a couple of inches on their North/West side, painted white (any old ceiling white, off white wall paint, whatever) makes a huge difference, doesn't look pretty but works.


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## fdsaasdf

Grmblz said:


> Paint them white, I use old 200ltr oil drums (they're free) topped, tailed, and cut in half, natural black they get hot, and dry out a couple of inches on their North/West side, painted white (any old ceiling white, off white wall paint, whatever) makes a huge difference, doesn't look pretty but works.


Reasonable suggestion, although I don't think the primary tenant at my house would consent (seeing as they faced the road).

We've since moved and I've thrown my last couple of rhizomes in a raised garden bed. Hoping they'll be much happier, but with the drought conditions they're unlikely to prosper for a while.


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## wide eyed and legless

Better in the ground than a pot, though they will escape the pot anyhow. Plants have been around far, far longer than the human race. Better to try and get to understand them, they really are a fascinating subject to study.


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## tramsjoe

I planted my first rhizomes this year. They are in 100l pots and i have let them shoot without cutting back as i read that this can improve the crown stock.
I have some bines where most of the leaves are mutilated as per the picture. 
Do you experienced horticulturists know if this is a sign of disease or anything to be worried about?
TIA

Joe


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## wide eyed and legless

Look under the leaves for a small green caterpillar.


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## tramsjoe

Ive been checking, and finding catipillars regularly, does this happen when the leaves are new shoots and they get nibbled?


wide eyed and legless said:


> Look under the leaves for a small green caterpillar.


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## wide eyed and legless

tramsjoe said:


> Ive been checking, and finding catipillars regularly, does this happen when the leaves are new shoots and they get nibbled?


Yes happens with a lot of plants, I get the same caterpillar (not the one from the hops) on parsley, cucumber, beans and marrow. Its not such a big deal unless you get a real infestation of them, and they will not go on the flowers just the leaves.(on the hops)


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## Danscraftbeer

Dipel works for catapillers. You can buy it at your local hardware stores as called Caterpillar Killer. Its also Organic so no chemicals or poison (apart from being toxic to caterpillars) Also I find having a bug zapper outside near the garden will keep the moth population down. I have it on a timer to come on each night around sunset to 1am.


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## theredone

So mine are ticking along well but they are growing at different rates per string. Some have nothing. Some have burs, some have proper cones. Am I going to have to pick at seperate times?

Also have a few lower leaves getting munched, and a few look to be really struggling in BRISBANE heat and browning or dieing. Though the fact I have cones already is promising that I’m doing something right at least


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## koshari

prolly the first year i have had cones developing b4 xmas., west gippsalnd here.


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## hoppy2B

TwoTinVin said:


> Cheers for the tips! Yeah I really do need to make some WA mates who have hops.. might just have to wait until next year


 
Check the Kracanup hops facebook page. They should have some in pots.


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## SKBugs

theredone said:


> So mine are ticking along well but they are growing at different rates per string. Some have nothing. Some have burs, some have proper cones. Am I going to have to pick at seperate times?
> 
> Also have a few lower leaves getting munched, and a few look to be really struggling in BRISBANE heat and browning or dieing. Though the fact I have cones already is promising that I’m doing something right at least


Where do you get plants in Brisbane? Seems hard to find 
Can't help you much with the growing rates.


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## Belgrave Brewer

theredone said:


> So mine are ticking along well but they are growing at different rates per string. Some have nothing. Some have burs, some have proper cones. Am I going to have to pick at seperate times?
> 
> Also have a few lower leaves getting munched, and a few look to be really struggling in BRISBANE heat and browning or dieing. Though the fact I have cones already is promising that I’m doing something right at least



The beauty of home growing is that you can harvest when cones are ready, and not harvest all at once and take an average of most ready and some not ready as they do commercially. Of course they do train so growth is at a similar rate across varieties. 

Lower leaves will be the first to get attacked, and the plant will start sacrificing the lower leaves for cone development so you may see some yellowing which is normal.


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## theredone

SKBugs said:


> Where do you get plants in Brisbane? Seems hard to find
> Can't help you much with the growing rates.


Ordered them online. Think one lot come from sa, the other maybe melb way? Can’t remember. Most people post them very carefully


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## SKBugs

Cool. Probs not the time of the year to be looking I guess. 
Good luck with em


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## Grmblz

SKBugs said:


> Where do you get plants in Brisbane? Seems hard to find
> Can't help you much with the growing rates.


Which varieties were you looking for?


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## SKBugs

Grmblz said:


> Which varieties were you looking for?



All? Any? I’d like to have a ready supply of bittering hops as they seem to be the most regularly used varieties - so any of the Cs I guess

I see in your bio that you may be in the fire zones. Hope it’s all ok for you mate


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## Grmblz

SKBugs said:


> All? Any? I’d like to have a ready supply of bittering hops as they seem to be the most regularly used varieties - so any of the Cs I guess
> 
> I see in your bio that you may be in the fire zones. Hope it’s all ok for you mate


Thanks for that SK I'm near Moruya, it's more like a war zone, black hawks ferrying out the burned, and the navy evacuating people stranded on beaches, just got power and comm's back after 4 days (we're the lucky ones) not sure how long we'll have it though as we are pretty much the last unburnt spot and we have fires N,W and South, East is the ocean @900mtr's away and a last refuge when the fire hits, it's due sometime around Saturday depending on wind but anything other than an Easterly and we're toast, about 150 homes all on 5 or 10 acres surrounded by forest/bush, wife and dogs evacuated this morning, first chance we had because of the road closures, and no fuel (you'd think servo's would have gennies but apparently not so, and no power = no fuel, the whole town has been out but at least it's still there, we've lost 3 townships within 30k all on the Princes hwy) I'll defend if we get spot fires and the RFS don't need me but at the first sign of a major fire front I'm off to the beach with my esky. 
I have a few varieties of hops, I can't supply rhizomes but was thinking I could layer some and when rooted could send the plants to you, you wont get much (if anything) this year but would be set for next season, that's if there's anything here, but I'm trying to stay positive. Williamette, Cascade, Hallertau, Challenger, Tettnang, Vic Secret, Super alpha, EKG, Red Earth, Chinook, and POR. There's a few people that reckon Vic Secret is all you need for aroma and flavour, and a high alpha for bittering, personal choice of course and depends what you plan on brewing. Anyway let me know if you're interested and I'll see what I can do. Cheers G


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## Wobbly1

*Hang in there brother! The safety of you and yours is paramount .* 
In Wollongong we are sitting on a powder keg. Narrow coastal strip, years of fuel build up just waiting for that fatal spark. Only a matter of time we fear.


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## SKBugs

Grmblz said:


> Anyway let me know if you're interested and I'll see what I can do. Cheers G



Mate you just gotta get through the weekend. Yeah I hear Sat is gonna be rugged. Stay safe and I look forward to hearing next week that all is ok for you. 

Steve


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## Grmblz

Wobbly1 said:


> *Hang in there brother! The safety of you and yours is paramount .*
> In Wollongong we are sitting on a powder keg. Narrow coastal strip, years of fuel build up just waiting for that fatal spark. Only a matter of time we fear.


Unfortunately I have to agree with you, it's not a case of if, it's a case of when. Eerily quiet here at the moment, almost as if everything is holding its breath (or pissed off somewhere else lol) Thanks for the best wishes guys, it is what it is, and what will be, will be, or as a legend once said "such is life" Not so concerned about the house but I'll be gutted if the brewery goes. Cheers Grahame


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## koshari




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## SilasM

Hi all,

I’m about to move house and want to take my hops with me. Has anyone successfully relocated hops at this stage of the season before?


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## TONY VAN DER ZANDEN

SilasM said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I’m about to move house and want to take my hops with me. Has anyone successfully relocated hops at this stage of the season before?



G'day SilasM,
Trim vine from rhizomes, using a spade slice of a section of around 5cm X 8cm rhizome roots and all & place in zip lock bags with a little saw dust, place in veggie bin in fridge until you are ready to plant. Do this as many times as you you need plants.


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## Nullnvoid

I just did, but mine were in pots. I cut the strings and coiled into the pots.

Have yet to hang them back up at the new place.


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## SilasM

Thanks for the reply’s guys. 
As I was only moving 10km’s down the road I ended up trying to transplant the whole plant but lost a fair bit of the root structure in the process. They’re in the ground but not looking happy, will report back how they go. 
Cheers


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## tramsjoe

Im a first time hop grower and have a problem some experienced growers may be able to help with. Im growing in 100l tubs as i rent. Pic from a while back.
I allowed all the bines to shoot and trained them up as they grew. Once they reached the top of the trellis i trained the horizontally, and i now have a bush of intertwined varieties!
I see three options. 1 pick the flowers as the are ready and hope for the best, 2 cut them down, untangle and sort by variety, 3 pick and try to sort the flowers!
I welcome any suggestions!

TIA

Joe


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## wide eyed and legless

As they are intertwined they will be a bugger to separate, I would go with option 1 and take it as a lesson learned. What varieties are they?


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## Danscraftbeer

tramsjoe said:


> Im a first time hop grower and have a problem some experienced growers may be able to help with. Im growing in 100l tubs as i rent. Pic from a while back.
> I allowed all the bines to shoot and trained them up as they grew. Once they reached the top of the trellis i trained the horizontally, and i now have a bush of intertwined varieties!
> I see three options. 1 pick the flowers as the are ready and hope for the best, 2 cut them down, untangle and sort by variety, 3 pick and try to sort the flowers!
> I welcome any suggestions!
> 
> TIA
> 
> JoeView attachment 117409


Good question. Re- what variety are they? They will be nearly impossible to trace the bines to seperate them. You could just combine them and call them the Home Blend whatever. 
I have let Tettnang mix with Hallertau and I'm ok with that both being similar (Noble Hops).


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## tramsjoe

From left to right, well in the pots, Chinook, EKG, POR, and Saaz.
I was thinking the same thing about just using a blend, im not really one for following recipies anyway. Im not expecting a big yeild, so will chalk it up to experience and train them better next year.
Its amazing how hard and fast they grow! Totally didnt expect it


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## tramsjoe

From left to right, well in the pots, Chinook, EKG, POR, and Saaz.
I was thinking the same thing about just using a blend, im not really one for following recipies anyway. Im not expecting a big yeild, so will chalk it up to experience and train them better next year.
Its amazing how hard and fast they grow! Totally didnt expect it


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