2015 Hop Plantations, Show Us Your Hop Garden!

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Well the storm last night that swept across Melbourne wreaked havoc on my Cascades.
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Got up early this morning and managed to drag them back up onto new strings before work.
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Just went out and picked a small bucket worth which are now drying in the dehydrator. Still sh*tloads on the bines so will have plenty for a wet hopped harvest ale as well as for future brews.

Next year will be running stainless cable across to the house from the frame in a criss cross so give plenty of stability for the strings.
 
My hop trellis snapped in the wind last night also.
 
Yob said:
10 minutes tooling about this morning and I have a drying rack (un finished)

a sneaky half kilo picked yesterday, welts up both arms.. long sleeves while picking are a must.. I knew this for for some reason, decided a tank top was appropriate... lesson learned, pick early morning, not late afternoon

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Loose basket and a bit of left over fly screen

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:super:
Damn, scrolling back a bit and I see this... You've already harvested yours, and mine are still on the bine. That normal for a 1st year?

I *think* mine are almost ready. A couple will come apart if I give them a hard scrunch, definitely a lot more papery than a few days ago.

That how you know? Or do you just know? Lol...

Was going to pick them tonight, but figured I was getting antsy and should back off until the weekend.
 
It's definitely been slower in Melbourne this year than last year. Not for everyone, Camo6, but I harvested in early Feb last year. This year mine are just showing signs of finishing up now.
 
Last year we had a really good summer in Melbourne though. This year has been a little all over the place.

First hop harvest for me tonight. Not sure how much just yet guessing maybe enough for 3-4 hefeweizen's.

All tettnang.

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I have 2 varieties which are both only just starting to show flowers. Considering the tettnang seen above took 5-6 weeks to go from a tiny bud to a ripe hop cone do you think it's too little to law from the other ones?
 
Picked and dried my first year Victoria cones. Just over 200g wet. There's that much at least again I'm yet to pick.

I let dry on a window screen for 3 days in a room with minimal light but decent air flow, turning a few times.

I now notice zero aroma from them.

Is this normal? Have I dried too much?

edit: Spelling!
 
Mardoo said:
It's definitely been slower in Melbourne this year than last year. Not for everyone, Camo6, but I harvested in early Feb last year. This year mine are just showing signs of finishing up now.
I'm still not sure why I had such an early crop as meager as it was. The second pick is nearly ready but my chinook and goldings are doing zip.




@ Botch: break some flowers up in your fingers and give them a smell. I've found my flowers aroma to be a bit suppressed until you pulverise them a bit.
 
Did the most sinful thing
Left my fuggle too late ... browning off on the bine!
Sorry shouldn't tell people of this but...

with 750g Cascade DRY
plenty enough Red Earth, a bit of Chinook and Hallertau and some Fuggles already I feel I already more than I can use in a year

Next year .. hop picking and brewing w/e at my place

Cascades and Fuggles much bigger this year and about 4-5 times production from last year

Others ... well I think I will send on to a good home next year ... well I might try to coax my Chinook along for another year
 
Nice work DAC, how many plants do you have in total? How do you dry such a big quantity and were they all picked in one sitting?

I got another 97gms of Goldings last night, wet. Should get the same again in about a week.

Aiming to pick The last of my Chinook and hopefully start on the Victoria and Cascade on Monday.

Also my Orved Vacuum sealing machine arrived today along with some rolls of bags. Very excited to get my hops all sealed up in the freezer.
 
It's Thierry 3rd year, 2 plants grow taller & yield more each year.
I'll pro pull one out in spring to divide up. They had one medium burst wich I picked around Jan.
A second final burst I picket now.
Just went by a few tell signs but mainly smell end of the day.
 
Impressive hauls! Mouth is watering =)

Im thinking about growing this year. I am thinking about planting in an unused part of my yard (the meter gap between a very high fence and my brewery [dont let me hear you calling it a shed!] ). It just wouldnt get full sun until it makes it the first 2 meters up above the brewery roof shading it. Do you think it would manage to make its way up without full sun? Or should I pot them in open sun first and then move them to the location (the high fence makes a perfect place to string them to).

Thanks for your advice =)

P.S. Ive previously grown cascade and POR in perth, anyone had success with chinook? Would love a couple of C hops towering over my brewery ;-)
 
Harvested half of the cones on the Cascade plant I have in the Alpine Valley this week, it dried out to be 400grms which went into a harvest Ale yesterday. 110ltrs, 80% Pils, 20% Wheat, 200grms @ 20, 200grms @ 5 and Nott 18deg.

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I would have thought they would need direct sun to take off goatus. Dunno fir sure. I'd go the pot in the sun option. Maybe plant the root crown in position after the first year.
 
aw man, I want to un-sub from this page :D
very nice looking harvests guys!! hopefully next year I'll get more than the 50 grams I got this year :p
 
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