2017 Hop Plantations, Show Us Your Hop Garden!

[Stu Brew]

Cut yourself on a corny keg Stu?

Really badly..... 6 stitches in the palm of my hand going to have a nice scar too..... ******* lost a ton of work.....worst time of year

 

[Stu Brew]

Have you tried to grow anything that deep rooted in a wicking bed before?

Love my wicking beds for herbs and vegies but they are reasonably shallow rooted plants. Hops have a monster tap root and a habit of spreading so will take over your wicking bed completely.

Hops is WAY more prolific than an annual vegetable or fruit......containers dont really work....unless said container is 10x10m3

 

[AJ80]

Finally my cascade has popped up through. First time growing and whilst not as nervous as a parent, certainly up there

Now I best hurry to move the barrel and attach the strings.

How do people attach them into the ground? Tent pegs? Swords? Bury a small child at the bottom?

ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1474170334.885058.jpg ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1474170368.144551.jpg

Nice one mate. Enjoy watching them grow. I use hardwood timber stakes knocked about a foot into the ground - drilled holes in the stakes and then run my strings up to the roof. Worked well last summer and have done it again this year.

As an aside, I'd recommend getting some pea straw mulch onto those hops. Will really help come summer for water retention.

 

[AJ80]

Edit: double post.

 

[Stu Brew]

Sorry im bad at forums. Went down to check the flooding hasnt caused to many problems.....geezus

Still a bit to do on the rigging as well, getting there slowly slowly.....probably a bit to slow at this rate....

 

[Nullnvoid]

Nice one mate. Enjoy watching them grow. I use hardwood timber stakes knocked about a foot into the ground - drilled holes in the stakes and then run my strings up to the roof. Worked well last summer and have done it again this year.

As an aside, I'd recommend getting some pea straw mulch onto those hops. Will really help come summer for water retention.

Great, thanks for the advice. I have stakes and a drill so that might be the go.

Yeah was going to mulch was just waiting for them to poke through as I wanted to make sure I saw them. Like a proud parent.

 

[Stu Brew]

Great, thanks for the advice. I have stakes and a drill so that might be the go.

Yeah was going to mulch was just waiting for them to poke through as I wanted to make sure I saw them. Like a proud parent.

We used 2m Bamboo stakes last year. Worked a treat and we harvested them from our own property! I just tied the coir twine on our top lines and they acted as our anchors. Hook eyes on the roof or under the eves should work on a roof and some short stakes should work. Its all about the twine. I have 5kms of the stuff...can probably help out with that if anyone needs it, exact same stuff we used last year!!

 

[Benn]

This 1st year Tassie Cascade is leading the race at my place, last night I set the strings up and just moved the bine over so it was hanging on by half a turn. It's been busy!

 

[AJ80]

Great, thanks for the advice. I have stakes and a drill so that might be the go.

Yeah was going to mulch was just waiting for them to poke through as I wanted to make sure I saw them. Like a proud parent.

A pleasure. I'm amazed at the difference between first year and what's already shooting through on my second year plants. It's an excellent extension of the hobby.

 

[drsmurto]

No I haven't, this is my first time using the wicking bed and first year growing hops. It has a soil depth of about 40cm and it's dedicated just to the two hop plants. So it doesn't really matter if it takes it over completely. If they don't work this season I'll transfer the rhizomes out of the bed into solid ground I guess.

Drsmurto have you had success growing in a wicking bed before?

Never tried growing hops in a wicking bed, my hops have been in the ground for 9 years.

Edit - They need space to buildup the extensive root system. 40cm of soil is not a lot for such hungry plants.

My wicking beds are brilliant. Currently have 12 made from wooden onion crates and am setting another 4 up. Can survive 4 weeks without adding water in the height of summer.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Futer. I have wicking beds made out of cut down IBC tanks 1200mm X 1000mm and 40cm deep. Cascade thirds season this time around. The first season was very impressive and same yield for the second season. They must be big crowns under ground now they have pocked up some distances from the original planting spot. The roots do go all through the beds but I do manage to grow vegies in there too but they would be better without competing with the hops.

 

[Futur]

Futer. I have wicking beds made out of cut down IBC tanks 1200mm X 1000mm and 40cm deep. Cascade thirds season this time around. The first season was very impressive and same yield for the second season. They must be big crowns under ground now they have pocked up some distances from the original planting spot. The roots do go all through the beds but I do manage to grow vegies in there too but they would be better without competing with the hops.

That's real nice to know Dan! Fingers crossed mine work out just the same

Never tried growing hops in a wicking bed, my hops have been in the ground for 9 years.

Edit - They need space to buildup the extensive root system. 40cm of soil is not a lot for such hungry plants.

My wicking beds are brilliant. Currently have 12 made from wooden onion crates and am setting another 4 up. Can survive 4 weeks without adding water in the height of summer.

I have the ability to grow them in the ground, but being the lazy ass I am and knowing hops need lots of water I thought the wicking bed route would be safe!

Can I dig them up at the end of the season and take a rhizome from each and plant it elsewhere? If so I'll most likely do a comparison between them being planted in the wicking bed and straight in the ground.

 

[Hopsta]

Possibly the most boring photo ive ever posted but im excited anyway. 3 x Cascade rhizomes planted ready to climb up the deck. Better late than never!

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Possibly the most boring photo ive ever posted but im excited anyway. 3 x Cascade rhizomes planted ready to climb up the deck. Better late than never!

They might cook in those little black pots in the heat of summer.

 

[Hopsta]

Should be right, I've grown them like this before without any problems. Will make sure I keep them well watered on those hot days.

 

[LiquidGold]

You might need a machete to walk up the stairs if they really take off :lol:

 

[ScottyDoesntKnow]

Is that green garden tie(thin gauge wire coated in plastic) strong enough for a trellis? Only want the bines to grow on a 45 degree angle from a star picket in the ground to the height of my fence which is 2m.

 

[spog]

I wouldn't risk it the bines will have a fair amount of weight when grown and they'll catch a fair amount of wind.
Use rope as the bines will get a good hold on rope.

 

[DigitalGiraffe]

My Saaz and Cascade are finally showing some form of life.

 

[Mardoo]

Man, I'd imagine they'll go off. They love the long sunlight down there.