2017 Hop Plantations, Show Us Your Hop Garden!

[abyss]

The big green shed stock it. It can be kinda hard to find but its tucked away near the other organic products like eco oil in the the pesticides section.

Thanks Mate, I'm going in to town to get some band aids anyway.

 

[ein stein]

Yeah, that's Chinook. So different from other varieties. Late to the party and then 1st to hit the top wire.

Exactly what my first year chinooks are doing

...Cascade has been attacked by something and has been dormant for a while, but there are more shoots coming up now.
...

Exactly what my first year Cascade is doing.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Dipel for caterpillars if you want to go organic

Its called Catapillar Killer by yates in the big green shed as the shelf grab scenario goes.
Its a little green box with 4 sachets. Follow the rehydration ratio instructions. (I'll use rain water and add fresh compost tea to the mix). I use a 5lt pump pressure sprayer, with the spray arm thing you can get under and over the leaves.
By my experience if you use it after invasion it can kill in a few days, then a week or two to really see the better results of caterpillar free growth. It seems to last in your leaves for a few weeks as protection.
So if you've got heavy moth/butterfly's then the odd spray over your garden basically prevents the problem.

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Crap Spring this year in Victoria, but finally starting to see some upwards growth. Hopefully things start kicking on this week.

 

[abyss]

Crap Spring this year in Victoria, but finally starting to see some upwards growth. Hopefully things start kicking on this week.

Cool set up mate, you've got me thinking about a similar set up for next year.

 

[drsmurto]

Growth rate is crazy.

 

[abyss]

I have been liquid fertilising my hops and vegetables every two weeks on the full and new moon with thrive and seasol and everything is powering.
I am using the flower and fruit thrive on my tomatoes etc but still using the higher nitrogen one on my greens and hops and am wondering when to change to the flour and fruit for the hops ?
If my hops flower as good as the tomatoes I'll be hoppy.

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Cool set up mate, you've got me thinking about a similar set up for next year.

Let me know if you need any advice.

How many plants/varieties are you growing?

 

[ein stein]

Belgrave Brewer, Is there a specific reason you have the posts at the end of the rows set at an angle?

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Belgrave Brewer, Is there a specific reason you have the posts at the end of the rows set at an angle?

The end poles carry the majority of the top wire strain, and all the strain of the hop plants. The hop plants can become very heavy in rain, and wind also adds strain. All the center poles hold everything up, but the cables crossing them are free to slide. The angling of end poles help to counteract the weight, they are anchored to the ground with guy wires and 1.4 meter screw anchors into the ground.

 

[ein stein]

I see, I really dont have much of an idea how heavy they can actually get.

 

[abyss]

Let me know if you need any advice.

How many plants/varieties are you growing?

I've only got three 1st year plants in pots so far,Saaz, Dr Rudi and Cascade. I was in too much of a hurry to get started.
Next year I want to plant POR, Cluster and Enigma if I can find them.
I'm thinking of building a huge steel frame with endless ropes hanging down or string some wire cable between some spotted gums. I want maximum height.
I'll make large raised beds out of logs or colour bond for the rhizomes to keep them in and weeds out.

My main question is when to start using the flower/fruit type fertiliser as two of the Bines are already over four meters high with laterals going mad. Should I wait until the cones start to form or give it to em sooner ?

 

[Mardoo]

I see, I really dont have much of an idea how heavy they can actually get.

He's growing commercially, so lots of plants. Also, 30 meters of hop risers can generate a fair bit of wind load, so there's also that to consider.

 

[Aydos]

Has anyone got any rhizomes they are willing to split at all? I think mine are dead as they haven't come out of the ground yet.

 

[Robbieb]

This is my first year growing hops and it looks like mine are lagging behind a bit.
Pic 1 is a Cascade which I got from Diggers club towards the end of last year, it died back to the rhizome almost as soon as I got it home. It wasn't doing much until about a week ago but has shot up since then.
Pic 2 is my set up, I just have 1 pot for Cascade and 1 for Chinook and have tied some string to the roof for them to climb.
Pic 3 is Chinook from a rhizome I got from Dr Smurto this year. The first shoot was doing well until the slugs and snail annihilated it last week, now the other 2 have started to pop up.

Does it look like they are lacking nutrients? or is this just normal for new plants?

Also, should I cut that first Chinook shoot back and let the other ones go?

Thanks for any help!
- Rob

 

[Rocker1986]

and am wondering when to change to the flour and fruit for the hops ?
If my hops flower as good as the tomatoes I'll be hoppy.

When you start to see burrs.

 

[abyss]

When you start to see burrs.

Ok thanks Rocker I'll keep watching.

 

[Rocker1986]

Same here, my Fuggle plant has a number of laterals on it now so probably not too long before burrs start to appear. The other plants are further behind, but they are catching up pretty quickly.

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

This is my first year growing hops and it looks like mine are lagging behind a bit.
Pic 1 is a Cascade which I got from Diggers club towards the end of last year, it died back to the rhizome almost as soon as I got it home. It wasn't doing much until about a week ago but has shot up since then.
Pic 2 is my set up, I just have 1 pot for Cascade and 1 for Chinook and have tied some string to the roof for them to climb.
Pic 3 is Chinook from a rhizome I got from Dr Smurto this year. The first shoot was doing well until the slugs and snail annihilated it last week, now the other 2 have started to pop up.

Does it look like they are lacking nutrients? or is this just normal for new plants?

Also, should I cut that first Chinook shoot back and let the other ones go?

Thanks for any help!
- Rob

Hi Rob,
It's been cold and wet in the Dandenong Ranges so hops are off to a slow start. Generally for first year plants, let everything grow to help develop the root system. What kind of soil are they in? I'd get a liquid fertiliser with a good N-P-K and trace minerals and give them a feed every few weeks.

 

[Rocker1986]

Cascade has a few new shoots starting to get moving. This is a first year rhizome so it's just being left to its own devices.

Third pic is 2nd year Hallertau. I'd cut off a couple of early "bull shoots", and now these newer ones are starting to make a move and looking good.

Last pic is a 2nd year Fuggle plant which has a number of laterals on it now. Probably start seeing some burrs near the end of the year.