2008 Hop Plantations

[trevc]

Ok... this is unexpected. My POR is showing what looks like small flowers, what do you guys think? These rhizomes were only just planted in the first week of July.

They've climbed across the wall, and are currently a couple of feet away from hitting the ceiling, with a few feet or more of string left to climb. Aside from being a bit sun-burned and thrashed by the wind, they're all looking healthy.

 

[drsmurto]

Looks normal to me.

This was my chinook last year at the same stage

 

[trevc]

So, they were around the same age? Did you get much of a crop from them?

 

[drsmurto]

1st crop so looked impressive but ended up with 4g dry! I have high hopes for it this year.

This was later in the year tho as its only just warm enough now (well... not today) for the shoots to break the surface. My guess is that was late december.

Cheers
DrSmurto

p.s. noone has any thought on how many shoots should be allow to climb? i have heard 3-4 but am still unsure if that was for 1st year plants or was a general rule of thumb? All my 2nd plants have a lot more than 4 shoots breaking the surface!

 

[trevc]

3 POR rhizomes here, two have only 1 shoot, and the other had one strong, and one slow-growing. I killed the weak one Very limited space on the balcony, so I need ensure the healthy ones have the most room to grow. It's already starting to look pretty nice with the vines hanging down above your head.


Edit: I recall hearing 3-4 shoots, but can't remember where. A podcast maybe?

 

[trevc]

Just noticed a bunch of my lower leaves are ripped up from the wind, and a few more are badly sun-burnt. This is definitely not the best location or climate for these guys

 

[dj1984]

i would be taking the stuffed leaves off, the plant will be using its energy to get them back to normal.

 

[stueywhytcross]

Ok... this is unexpected. My POR is showing what looks like small flowers, what do you guys think? These rhizomes were only just planted in the first week of July.

They've climbed across the wall, and are currently a couple of feet away from hitting the ceiling, with a few feet or more of string left to climb. Aside from being a bit sun-burned and thrashed by the wind, they're all looking healthy.

nice work trev!, i have planted 5 varieties about 2 weeks ago. Have had some very warm weather of late (high 20's) however the only variety that has poked it head through is the Goldings, which i have read is supposed to be a slow grower. all the others-hersburker, chinook, cascade and columbus have done didley sqwat. a little bit disapointed, particularly with the columbus which i am told runs riot in our conditions.

 

[stueywhytcross]

Ok... this is unexpected. My POR is showing what looks like small flowers, what do you guys think? These rhizomes were only just planted in the first week of July.

They've climbed across the wall, and are currently a couple of feet away from hitting the ceiling, with a few feet or more of string left to climb. Aside from being a bit sun-burned and thrashed by the wind, they're all looking healthy.

nice work trev!, i have planted 5 varieties about 2 weeks ago. Have had some very warm weather of late (high 20's) however the only variety that has poked it head through is the Goldings, which i have read is supposed to be a slow grower. all the others-hersbrucker, chinook, cascade and columbus have done didley sqwat. a little bit disapointed, particularly with the columbus which i am told runs riot in our conditions.

 

[petesbrew]

Spring has sprung, and my Columbus are slowly poking their heads out of the ground. :icon_cheers:

 

[Mantis]

My Columbus has just sprouted as well. I have in in a small pot in the greenhouse to get it going

 

[trevc]

Wish I had a yard! the Balcony sucks for brewing and growing. Brewday clean up is the worst, as I need to take each item in to the shower to clean it off.

It's still worth it for the beer

 

[Bizier]

My Goldings and Columbus have sprouted (supplied with viable roots), but the Chinook and POR are still looking like sticks (supplied as a cutting).

I am going to put up poles for each, with a T-section at the top to string ropes from. I should be able to make it so that I can hinge it at the base, and lower the whole lot for easier harvesting.

I have to go and check on them this weekend.

I am thinking of freezing the lot wet in smaller bags (rough equiv of 100g dried) and thawing as necessary. Is there any consensus on freezing wet vs dried?

 

[fraser_john]

Decided to count the sprouts on the Goldings yesterday, 38 of the suckers with more probably going to come up, pretty good for a second year rhizome.

Plan on laying two of the bines down when they are about a metre long and burying them all but the tip, this will form some nice rhizomes for me to give away next winter!

 

[drsmurto]

Useful info on growing hops

Not sure Brad (Still Brewing) will be happy to see his youthful mug splashed around but it has answered my questions!

FJ - so burying the shoots you dont want will cause them to form roots that can be split and given away/swapped next year? That sounds like an easier option than trying to grow them in pots. Just have to remember where you bury them!

 

[Screwtop]

Planted my POR, Chinook and Cluster today, all in a row with the Werttemberger and Perle from a few seasons ago

 

[BobtheBrewer]

Spent the weekend in the garden, lovingly tending my hops and getting the vegie patch ready for planting. Also planted 5 different varieties of chillis but thats another thread........

Noticed that the chinook and cluster have poked there heads thru the layer of compost. Got these form Stuart Ferguson in Tassie. Looks like at least 12 shoots each!

The 2 goldings i bought from cannabacae (now hopswest on ebay) last year did didly squat so decided to did them up and have a goosy. They are exactly the same size they were when i planted them more than 12 months ago with no shoots...... :angry: put them back in the ground with a metric shed load of compost and horse crap with a stern wanring they will be fed to the chooks if they dont perform. If i had paid the price he is getting them for them this year i would be pissed.

The POR Wally gave me last year has shoots breaking the surface and the cascade is just about there.

Question - how many shoots should i allow to climb? I recall reading that 4 is the magic number and that i should lop the rest maximising growth on only 4 bines? Is this for 1st season only or does this apply to my 2nd year plants?

Also, is height critically important? I plan on running them up a wire frame for ~1m, then running them across to a fence which is approx 2m high. I had plans to extend the fence another 1-2 m but this will get buffeted by the wind and no doubt need some reinforcing. i cant let them hang over the back as the chooks will have a field day.

Dr Smurto,

I have the same question as you, haven't seen any answers yet. How many bines should I keep/encourage to grow? My cascade, planted about a month ago, has produced three shoots in the past week. I read somewhere that the first two should be sacrificed and the third left to go for it. What do you think?

 

[braufrau]

I am thinking of freezing the lot wet in smaller bags (rough equiv of 100g dried) and thawing as necessary. Is there any consensus on freezing wet vs dried?

see the bit about drying in drsmurtos link ...
"Drying your hops is vital. Brewing with fresh hops is not desirable unless you like your beer tasting like lawn clippings. Hop cones can also go mouldy quickly if stored fresh. "

Although .. how do we explain all those green hop beers then? But anyway, I would have thought that freezing dry would result in less burning and mushifying of the hops. Think about freezing fresh herbs .. they always look revolting when you take them out of the freezer.

 

[HoppingMad]

I put some slow release fertiliser into the soil, and gave them regular watering with some "Seasol". I also have a worm farm, so I used plenty of "worm juice" on them.

Few comments on this thread about fertiliser. So just had a read up on it and the book I have by Ashton Lewis (columnist from Brew Your Own Mag (US)) Says anything with nitrogen is good so seasols, dynamic lifter and worm juice will do the trick. Says that fertiliser during the growing season is a plus.

The section comes with a warning though "Be careful, if you overfertilise, you will get excessive bine growth and the cone yield will suffer."

This could be why some of the guys here with more mature plants aren't getting the yields they're chasing?

Just a thought.

Hopper.

 

[Barramundi]

just noticed a shoot has broken the surface on my cluster rhizome ... woo hoo !!!