2012 Hop Plantations

[newguy]

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

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

 

[mckenry]

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

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

Any thoughts?

 

[Weizguy]

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

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

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

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

 

[Robbo2234]

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

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

buggers were hiding in the mulch!!

 

[pimpsqueak]

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

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

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

 

[Filfy]

Completely unnecessary.

thanks for the words of encouragement. Much appreciated.

 

[Golani51]

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

 

[pimpsqueak]

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

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

 

[Malted]

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

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

 

[pimpsqueak]

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

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

 

[Liam_snorkel]

starting to see some action:

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

 

[JoeF]

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

Must plant on the weekend!

 

[hoppy2B]

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

 

[Liam_snorkel]

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

 

[Florian]

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

So now there is a line in exactly 6m height


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


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

 

[Florian]

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



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

 

[adryargument]

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

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

 

[hoppy2B]

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

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

 

[Filfy]

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

 

[Florian]

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

12mm svivel NP $2.68 at Bunnings