2015 Hop Plantations, Show Us Your Hop Garden!

[Simpsoid]

I'd love to establish some Hops in my garden in Brisbane. I have the perfect area set out ready, but no rhizomes.

Where is the best place to buy? I'm looking at maybe 3 or 4 rhizomes worth. Considering 2 Cascade and 1 Chinook and/or Centennial (would love a Citra or 2 too in place of these latter two but haven't seen these for sale at all). Does this seem like a good idea? I mostly want aroma hops (love IPAs).

Since it's growing season now I need to get established. Can't find any rhizomes on eBay but wondering whether anyone is selling here and how I can organise a purchase?

 

[Mardoo]

You'll see plenty of rhizomes on here roundabout June. Best to talk with other hop growers there about planting time, etc. I'm guessing it's quite different from down here in Melbourne.

 

[slcmorro]

would love a Citra or 2

Won't happen. Proprietry.

 

[Fylp]

Hi all,

When I was researching what hops to buy last season one of the pieces of information which lacked massively was what varieties are best for what regions! I thought I would throw up and survey and collate some data on the subject to give back to the hop growing community.

The survey is extremely quick and if you know your harvest weights it will take you maximum 2 minutes to fill out.

Hopefully the results should be able to guide home brewers in deciding what varieties are best for their region... Without having to relocate to Victoria to get a better harvest! It also throws in some other variables to see what difference they make.

Here is the link: http://goo.gl/forms/TPc8FTfTe3

Cheers,

Sam

Hey Sam,

I'd love the results of this research for the same purposes.

Cheers
Phil

 

[jphowman]

Great survey Sam. I had similar questions since my fuggles did horribly and I couldn't find any posts saying they had a good yield I suspected they don't do well in australia.

One thing, it my help to have a separate page to log the vigor of different varieties. My Super Alpha this year were on track to out strip all the other varieties, reaching 3-4m off the ground before the others even had their heads out, but two hot snaps fried he growing tips and I wound up only getting < 30g dried from them. They would probably need more care, but could wind up being the most productive variety.

 

[Ramps]

Great Idea Sam
I'm growing a bit of "Red Earth" (a Western Australian variety) which is doing really well

I know everything can't be accounted for in a survey like this but another column could be "didn't emerge" or a complete disaster like my EKG last year

I am dropping a few of my varieties Super Alpha and the as they haven't yielded well for the last two years

Winners in my area/soil type (SW WA)

Cascade
Fuggles (sorry Franks)
Red Earth

Just hanging out for the day when I can get hold of some Amarillo and Citra ... how long does a patent last on plants?

 

[hoppy2B]

In my experience in the normal hop growing region, Victoria looks like the highest yielding variety, followed closely by Cascade. I wouldn't recommend any other variety to anyone intending to grow hops commercially. Yields just aren't there from other varieties, and I have grown a fair number of different varieties over a number of years to get a good impression.

For anyone wishing to breed hops, my recommendation would be to get Cluster, POR and J58 in addition to the above. It should be noted that Victoria is a triploid variety and therefore you won't get any seeds from it.

 

[pig2au]

My Goldings hops loving pelletized chook ****

 

[HBHB]

I'd put a pic up but between 80kph winds from another ex cyclone and masses of grasshoppers that needed some more hop, there was nothing to photograph again.

:blink:

 

[sp0rk]

Yeah, mine went strong for most of the season, but then we had a pretty hectic wet month and they died right back
I think mine should be ready to dig up early next month
Anyone want any Hallertauer, I should have HEAPS of rhizomes
Willing to swap for anything fruity (cascade, victoria, etc) that will deal with the warmer climate up here

 

[HBHB]

Here's a question for those in "the know":

I'm going to lift my plants out for winter and replant around September in new beds. So, to do this, i'll take the opportunity to give the plants a solid time in a fridge or freezer. The question is, what would be best for them, Fridge or Freezer? Varieties will be Hallertau, Cascade and Chinook.

Thanks in advance. Martin

 

[Mardoo]

Fridge. They'll die if they freeze, either from tissue destruction or dessication. When temperatures get below freezing in areas where hops grow the temperature of the earth does not actually reach freezing. If it does, growers dig the rhizomes and cold store them. This comes from an interview I heard with a commercial grower in a region where the ground freezes. It was on a brewing podcast, pretty sure it was Beersmith Radio, but not certain.

 

[HBHB]

Fridge. They'll die if they freeze, either from tissue destruction or dessication. When temperatures get below freezing in areas where hops grow the temperature of the earth does not actually reach freezing. If it does, growers dig the rhizomes and cold store them. This comes from an interview I heard with a commercial grower in a region where the ground freezes. It was on a brewing podcast, pretty sure it was Beersmith Radio, but not certain.

Thanks Mardoo

 

[Curly79]

All plants have died right back to bare brown bines. Is it ok to dig them up now to re-locate you think ?

 

[Camo6]

It's still probably a bit early Curly79 but I got impatient on the weekend and took mine out of their pots and into the ground. I'm hoping there's still enough warmth to help them develop roots and I really only transferred the root ball with minor disturbance. Time will tell I guess.

 

[Lochem]

It's still probably a bit early Curly79 but I got impatient on the weekend and took mine out of their pots and into the ground. I'm hoping there's still enough warmth to help them develop roots and I really only transferred the root ball with minor disturbance. Time will tell I guess.

Sorry I missed heaps of this topic recently but what's wrong with just leaving them in the pots during winter??

 

[Lochem]

Yeah, mine went strong for most of the season, but then we had a pretty hectic wet month and they died right back
I think mine should be ready to dig up early next month
Anyone want any Hallertauer, I should have HEAPS of rhizomes
Willing to swap for anything fruity (cascade, victoria, etc) that will deal with the warmer climate up here

I could probably chop some Victoria for you sp0rky in exchange for the hallertau. Thanks to mardoo I've got big root system.
Only question is how to do it without disrupting anything too much.

 

[Curly79]

Cheers camo. I'll wait a bit. Might just cut them back.

 

[Camo6]

Sorry I missed heaps of this topic recently but what's wrong with just leaving them in the pots during winter??

Because they'd been in the pot 3 years and were root bound??? (I see your question marks and raise you one )

Have been getting reduced yields on my plants even in 100l pots with regular compost top ups and have been meaning to do it for a couple of years. I figured I should do it either before it gets too cold and wet and risk them rotting or wait until early spring as it warms back up again. Impatience got the better of me.

 

[Dae Tripper]

Would anyone know why my hops would be sprouting new shutes?
What should be my plan of attack to get them ready for winter?

 

[Mardoo]

Cut the shoots and put at least 15cm of soil on top. Last year I just dumped a sack of mushroom compost on top. Figured that would help nutrify the soil over the winter for the spring kickoff. Not sure whether that's true or useful though

 

[spog]

The new shoots could be due to the weather,has it in your neck of the woods been warmer than usual considering its winter now ?

 

[Dae Tripper]

It was for a bit, but it is getting colder now with these cold fronts coming through. I have broken out the uggies
Should I cut back the lot and mulch?

 

[Mardoo]

Could also be species. My Fuggles is sending up shoots whereas all my others are well dying back. Except the Goldings. It's happy as Larry.

 

[Yob]

Who the hell WAS Larry and why was he so ******* happy?

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/as-happy-as-larry.html

Well there you go

 

[Dae Tripper]

So ya recon just keep waiting and see what goes down?

 

[Yob]

My Canterbury Goldings still has green on ot, just gunna leave all bines till mid winter

 

[Dae Tripper]

Good plan Yob

 

[BottloBill]

Decided to cut mine back gradually a metre at a time then bury over in extra soil

 

[Yob]

Rigged up this little unit today to the good ladies garden, well blows me down, wouldnt you know it, there are 3 spare outlets.

Little thing cost me $5 at the wantirna markets.

Next year, watering just got a whole lot easier :super: