2006 Hop Plantations

[Screwtop]

Wow, planted my hop rhizomes a fortnight ago and they are up already. The wurtemberger have taken off, Perle a little slower.

 

[Steve]

Wow, planted my hop rhizomes a fortnight ago and they are up already. The wurtemberger have taken off, Perle a little slower.

not yet - still a bit cool down here....over night frosts are keeping the soil temp down...wont be to long.

 

[Doc]

Still a bit cold down here in Sydney.
Will be waiting another 3-4 weeks before I expect to see my existing plants popping through, and I plant the new season varieties.

Doc

 

[Ash in Perth]

wow thats early isnt it? my main one has a couple of little shoots that have been there since i cut it back and the new columbus rhizome hasnt done anything at all.

is it starting to warm up up there already?

 

[johnno]

Have not checked the ones out the front yet as the grass is about 30 cm high.

Have had 3 rhizomes (thanks kirem) in small pots sitting in constantly wet claylike soil outside for the last about 6-7 weeks.

One has shot up and the other 2 are just poking their head above the dirt now.

Nice sunny day here today, so at last they will see some sun.

They will be transplanted in the new place in a few weeks time.

cheers
johnno

 

[johnno]

Hi Screwtop,

I'm not much of a gardener but it looks like you may have the hops, tea and vine a bit too close together.

The hops root system does get very large apparently and may choke the life out of anything too close to it.

Also a good idea if you have more than one variety of hops to give them plenty of space.

cheers
johnno

 

[Screwtop]

Hi Screwtop,

I'm not much of a gardener but it looks like you may have the hops, tea and vine a bit too close together.

The hops root system does get very large apparently and may choke the life out of anything too close to it.

Also a good idea if you have more than one variety of hops to give them plenty of space.

cheers
johnno

If the root system grows anything like the foliage then those others better look out. Not worried about the grapes, that's the last plant in the row, the tea will be moved next year when it's a little bigger and we can start picking.

 

[lucas]

where does one get the seeds to start a hops plant? are they in amongst the plugs? can you buy them somewhere?

 

[Steve]

where does one get the seeds to start a hops plant? are they in amongst the plugs? can you buy them somewhere?

Lucas - do a search for Hop Plantation 2005. In the first few pics Doc shows his "rhizomes" This is what you plant (not seed). A lot of people on here have bought their rhizomes from a guy in Tassie. Unfortunately I dont know his contact details. If you are quick and do a search he may still be selling them. But you will have to be quick as its now getting time to plant them.
Cheers
Steve

 

[big d]

Anything happening over on the West Coast in regards to your hop season?
Hope to be planting heaps next year.

Big D

 

[Guest Lurker]

Anything happening over on the West Coast in regards to your hop season?
Hope to be planting heaps next year.

Big D

Havent pulled the weeds aside to check but I doubt it, we are getting a late winter.

 

[Asher]

Mine are testing the daylight at the moment Big D....
I was given a rhysome from Chillamacgilla who dug it up from a fence line in rural Pemberton. Must have been from the old Hop Farms of the 40's. I'm looking forward to seeing what it turns into.

POP - Pride of Pemberton

 

[Steve]

Mine are testing the daylight at the moment Big D....
I was given a rhysome from Chillamacgilla who dug it up from a fence line in rural Pemberton. Must have been from the old Hop Farms of the 40's. I'm looking forward to seeing what it turns into.

POP - Pride of Pemberton

Thats a great find Asher! :beer:
Your combining archeology and horticulture. If you know what I mean.

 

[Screwtop]

where does one get the seeds to start a hops plant? are they in amongst the plugs? can you buy them somewhere?

Lucas, if you call Stewart Ferguson 03 6352 7207 in Tassie he may even have a few of this years left. He is great to deal with, good quality rhizomes of known heritage. About $17 each.

 

[Asher]

Mine are testing the daylight at the moment Big D....
I was given a rhysome from Chillamacgilla who dug it up from a fence line in rural Pemberton. Must have been from the old Hop Farms of the 40's. I'm looking forward to seeing what it turns into.

POP - Pride of Pemberton

Thats a great find Asher! :beer:
Your combining archeology and horticulture. If you know what I mean.

I take no credit... Was all Chilla's work - I am nothing more than a backup in case all his cuttings die like last years

 

[chillamacgilla73]

Mine are testing the daylight at the moment Big D....
I was given a rhysome from Chillamacgilla who dug it up from a fence line in rural Pemberton. Must have been from the old Hop Farms of the 40's. I'm looking forward to seeing what it turns into.

POP - Pride of Pemberton

Thats a great find Asher! :beer:
Your combining archeology and horticulture. If you know what I mean.

I take no credit... Was all Chilla's work - I am nothing more than a backup in case all his cuttings die like last years

I have managed to kill all hop plants at my house last year(Bar the POR Deebee strain). Ahem, Asher is my insurance policy(Mother plant for cuttings) in case the mite plague cannot be controlled with recently posted techniques....I will have the last laugh my little mitey friends don't you worry.... :angry:

Oh, none of my hop plants(5xPOP & 1xPOR) have poked a shoot up as yet. A late start to winter probably the cause although the wildflowers have started blooming up my way which is a monthish early....

 

[lucas]

Lucas, if you call Stewart Ferguson 03 6352 7207 in Tassie he may even have a few of this years left. He is great to deal with, good quality rhizomes of known heritage. About $17 each.

Ta screwtop. i think ill give it a miss this season then. if it were as simple as throwing one of the plugs in the ground and hoping for the best I'd give it a shot but i think i'll need to sort out which one(s) i'd want to grow first at $17 each.

 

[big d]

Thanks for the Perth hop info guys.I noticed your winters were like..........well not like winters that i remember from my distant memory of cold weather.

Big D

 

[Keifer]

My tettnanger is waist high and my POR is a foot high. They is pumping!
I put em in 6 weeks ago, mainly because my peach trees were already budding then. Have not much frost since planting so it all looks good.

POR

Tettnanger - looks smaller than it is..

Cheap lattice

 

[Screwtop]

My tettnanger is waist high and my POR is a foot high. They is pumping!

They really have bolted AB, you were game planting six weeks ago. Would like to include some Hallertau and Tettnunger next year.

Stayed in town of New Norfolk in Tassie for a while. This area boomed until government non protectionist policies saw imports of cheaper hops from countries whose governments subsidised their growers. Some hops are still grown here and in the surrounding districts such as Bushy Park. A fantastic place for a brewer to visit, a real step back in time with some very romantic scenery (for a brewer). Hops were dried in Oast Houses, lots of them are left, but most are unused today, fantastic opportunity to run a touristy Micro from one I believe. It's evident from the size of these buildings that farmers must have done well from the crops, remember only one crop per year. A big investment! The kilns were wood fired, couldn't resist getting inside the firing room and taking a few shots. Here strings are strung between poles 6M high and string droppers are hung down for the bines to climb up. The strings are cut away and the bines are dropped for harvest.
In Roger Protz book "The ultimate encyclopedia of beer: the definitive guide to the world's great brews" you will see colour pics of hops grown in hedge-rows for mechanical harvesting. So as home gardeners we have some options as to how we train the bines.