2015 Hop Plantations, Show Us Your Hop Garden!

[Curly79]

Yeah first year. One cascade one cluster. Got some chinook and goldings coming. Might pot them and string up the back deck. Or maybe squeeze one more between the two in the photo?


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[hoppy2B]

Just finished the frame. It's about 3.5 metres high. Just need to run down some strings now. How many strings per plant should I run?

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Can you build a T-bar at the top of the vertical post so you can set up more horizontal bars? For example, having 3 parallel horizontal bars a couple of metres apart will enable you to run more strings.

For maximum yield its usually a case of running 2 or 3 bines up each string and having the strings space well enough apart to allow light around them and to prevent the bines and laterals from knocking into each other. As per Yob's suggestion, you can only fit 3 strings maximum to each plant unless you are going for a big bush, which probably won't yield as well.

 

[Curly79]

I should have enough room for at least three per plant on the one horizontal bar. As the root system matures do you think I could get more?


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[Curly79]

My other two zomes will be going up off the back porch I think. Only two going on the poles in the picture


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[GrantSpatchcock]

Has anyone got any good ideas for a cheap frame? Had a wander around bunnings today, but didn't see any really good options. We've got an old post hole for a long gone clothesline that I can use as a support, but I'll be buggered if I can think of a cheap option!

Planted my 'Inner West' Goldings today, so it's not urgent, but won't be too far off I'm guessing.

 

[Ramps]

Hey Grant,
have you tried the tip. scrap metal yard or salvage yard for some fencing. Some of the gal pipe that is used for the chain-mesh fence works ok. and if you're kitted up with a welder you can buy a couple of couplings to join them if they're not long enough (or you want to run a horizontal across the top)

 

[Tahoose]

I'm thinking a 5m piece of structural pine bolted to the fence post with 2 bolts.

Have a T piece at the top that I can run some lines down from and come harvest time I can unscrew the top bolt and lower the whole thing down.

 

[Kingy]

Would the hops climb up a 50mm conduit. I'm thinking of banging a few star pickets in the ground then sliding a conduit over them. Come harvest just slide the conduit off the star picket?

 

[Tahoose]

I reckon the surface might be too smooth, maybe if you cut some grooves in every couple of cm's and stagger them around the conduit they would have something to hold onto..

I'm out of my depth here as this will be my first year growing hops.

 

[Mardoo]

Yep, likely too smooth. The cuts might work, or chuck some screws in (if plastic) every 20cm in three rows around the conduit, staggering the gaps.

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

They have trouble growing up my 100-200mm bamboo without twine as well. Conduit is thinner, obv, but also smoother.

 

[Yob]

Could always hit it with an angle grinder wire brush to roughened it?

Interesting idea, you'd likely get a fair amount of swing from it though as they tend to get top heavy

 

[Dave70]

Would the hops climb up a 50mm conduit. I'm thinking of banging a few star pickets in the ground then sliding a conduit over them. Come harvest just slide the conduit off the star picket?

Grab some ag sock from Bunnings a plumbing supplies shop and slip it over. That'll give em something to grab.


On a more worrying note, after seeing early signs of activity, my hallertau seems to have stopped at ground level. Chinook and cascade have yet to make an appearance. May have to have a dig and see whats going on down there.
No doubt this shitfull cold weather isn't helping.

 

[Yob]

Chinook is often the last to show Dave. Its also not uncommen for a period of dormancy with the nodes just showing, My Victoria is doing this ATM.

 

[leighaus]

my cascade popped through after 4 days.. my chinook has only just peaked through now.. and this is a couple weeks later.

 

[Mardoo]

My Hersbrucker did exactly the same thing last year Dave. Popped up, then didn't move for three weeks. Then went hell for leather.

 

[Kingy]

Planted a radish circle so I've got something to look at everyday while I wait for my Victoria to pop up.

 

[Kingy]

I reckon the surface might be too smooth, maybe if you cut some grooves in every couple of cm's and stagger them around the conduit they would have something to hold onto..

I'm out of my depth here as this will be my first year growing hops.

Yea I might do some slits every foot or so and coil some rope around the conduit (hemp rope maybe )

 

[slcmorro]

Yea I might do some slits

I used to try this most Friday nights back when I was young and single.

 

[Tahoose]

I used to try this most Friday nights back when I was young and single.

9 times out of 10 come home completely smashed with a 1/3 of a kebab down your shirt? I can relate.