2017 Hop Plantations, Show Us Your Hop Garden!

[Yob]

Mine were eaten up to 8 inches away from the fence. I guess that is the reaching length of possums. They seem desperate to eat all the vine but they wont climb out on the vines. They need a steady structure I guess so my vines waft around on strings, netting etc and don't get touched. So I hang bags of dynamic lifter pellets or stinky blood and bone at points were the vines meet up with solid climbing structures. Parrots can also nip off tips I've heard.

Bines.. Hops have bines, grapes have vines, from memory, the difference being bines use the spiky hairs to attach to things to grow, vines do not.

Sorry...

2 bines with leaves from my (finally Re homed) PoR poking out and aassove cluster from a second year er.. Cascade or chinook poking out as well... Growing season is upon us!

 

[Rocker1986]

Yes, my second year Hallertau and Fuggle plants are going a little crazy with growth at the moment, shoots popping up everywhere. First year Cascade rhizome has sprouted two shoots so far too which are looking healthy as well. Never would have thought I'd be growing and brewing with my own hops but I'm really enjoying it.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Danscraftbeer is correct about the possums they only like a fairly solid structure I have had to put the plastic spikes in various places along the fence they will eat the young top shoots of most plants including weed, non native plants do not have a natural repellent for possums.

 

[abyss]

Thanks for all input. I ended up doing this to start with.
The tube welded to the top corners will hold a length of reo bar for extra height down the track.

 

[doctr-dan]

Currently where my hops are sitting they only get sun from about 11am till about 5pm.
I'm not sure if this will change as we get closer to summer and the Suns path changes.
Is this enough time?

 

[neal32]

Currently where my hops are sitting they only get sun from about 11am till about 5pm.
I'm not sure if this will change as we get closer to summer and the Suns path changes.
Is this enough time?

The mistake I made was last year was stressing over their growth, sunlight and nutrients. Once yours is growing, unless you're actively killing it, it will grow like a weed. Inches everyday at their peak.

They are the easiest thing to grow ever.

 

[drsmurto]

My hops, up until recently, only got afternoon sun and the Victoria only late afternoon. They still grew well. 2kg dry from several plants. Now a few willow trees have dropped limbs the vegie patch and hopyard are getting a lot more sun so it will be interesting to see how they do this season.

You can overthink growing hops. They'll grow well with no trimming/tipping or fertiliser as long as you give them plenty of water. I water them as often as the tomatoes (2 hours every 1-3 days) except the drippers are fully open on the hops so they get a much better soaking.

This year I've added dynamic lifter just as they are starting to break through the surface. I've also put more effort into weeding and mulching to minimise competition.

The main issue i face is frost. This mornings was a doosy! Almost looked like snow, everything was white and sparkly.

 

[Benn]

I'm watching a little black bird scratching away at the sugar cane mulch right now, every couple of days I go and reset it all. I just hope they don't scratch too deep and disturb the 1st year Rhizomes before they fire off.

 

[AJ80]

I'm watching a little black bird scratching away at the sugar cane mulch right now, every couple of days I go and reset it all. I just hope they don't scratch too deep and disturb the 1st year Rhizomes before they fire off.

Can only recommend some form of protection from black birds as they'll only get more focussed on your hop beds as the rest of your garden dries out over spring. I lost two rhizomes last year because of this. I went with bird netting, but others have used chicken wire.

 

[ein stein]

Hi,
would it be too late to order some rhizomes soonish and plant them within the next few weeks? How late can you plant? I live around sydney latitude.
Cheers

 

[Mardoo]

If you can find rhizomes you can plant them now, but better get them in ASAP.

 

[pvan340]

POR, Australian Cluster and Saaz are all growing well at the moment.
Made a bamboo pole trellis thing, we'll see how it goes.

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Hi,
would it be too late to order some rhizomes soonish and plant them within the next few weeks? How late can you plant? I live around sydney latitude.
Cheers

It's not too late, but get on it soon.

 

[BennyDee]

Hi guys, anybody have any rhizomes to sell? (Cascade maybe?) Cheers.

 

[BennyDee]

Hi guys, anybody have any rhizomes to sell? (Cascade maybe?) Cheers.

 

[BennyDee]

Hi guys, anybody have any rhizomes to sell? (Cascade maybe?) Cheers.

 

[kaiserben]

Woo-hoo! Shoots have arrived in my hop garden. (have photos, but crappy quality).

EDIT: Pretty much exactly 3 weeks since they were planted.

 

[DigitalGiraffe]

Just finished getting my hops sorted for the coming season. Already a few little heaps popping through! Growing Saaz and Cascade. Hoping for a better season with my Saaz this time, if not I'll ditch them and run with all Cascade.

 

[tugger]

I planted 2 rhizomes about 3 weeks ago and today I found this sticking out of the mt hood pot.
The chinook hasn't come up yet but I'm pretty stoked.
My first hop plant.

 

[Yob]

Who's gunna tell him?