2017 Hop Plantations, Show Us Your Hop Garden!

[Mardoo]

Finally got my trellis up today. 4 1/2 meters, bamboo. This will be the highest they've ever been able to go Bamboo poles lashed with slightly flexible cord. Hopefully I built enough flex into it to handle the wind, without it flopping over. I wanted to use rawhide, but thought the possums might eat it. If I can get s good price on it I might give that a go next year. It stretches when wet and then tightens as it dries.

We rent, so I had to see to only a couple attachment points on the house. Two into the eaves and two tied to posts in the ground. Good windy day to remind me of how strong it needs to be.

My Willamette has been gaggin' for it. The Victoria, weeeell, maybe one day soon. Now to make the irrigation bits for the pots.

 

[MartinOC]

Geez Mardoo!!! That reminds me of those towers built by Vanuatu Land-Divers!

I've got plans for my pots this year, but it involves a bit of light clearing of a few inconsequential twigs to actually get the pots in situ between large trees (left & right in the piccie).

 

[Mardoo]

You going to run a cable between the trees?

 

[MartinOC]

You going to run a cable between the trees?

Yep! A cable between the trees (wide straps around them to protect the trees themselves) & as high as I can get them. Cable will be tensioned with a ratchet-strap, so I can lower the cable for harvest.

Each variety will have a length of bamboo suspended horizontally under the cable to spread the individual bines & allow them some breathing-space.

That's the plan....

 

[mofox1]

What are folks using for hop lines?

Bunnings didn't have the sisal I've used previously, so I bought some thinner jute which I used four strands per line... Has a (belated) close look at it last night and found the individual fibres were only a couple inches long. The lines I've got up on the trellis are already beginning to stretch and I'm worried that they'll just pull apart after a bit of weight/wind/time.

Will probably restring them this weekend with something stronger if someone can recommend a product + supplier in E / SE melb open on Saturday.

 

[kaiserben]

What are folks using for hop lines?

Baling twine from Bunnings.

 

[Mardoo]

I use this. Not cheap but I've never had any trouble whatsoever with it. If you're keen you can even unwind it from the bines and re-use it next year. I was keen one year

https://www.bunnings.com.au/whites-outdoor-50m-soft-flexi-plant-tie_p3320936

 

[bevan]

I use this. Not cheap but I've never had any trouble whatsoever with it. If you're keen you can even unwind it from the bines and re-use it next year. I was keen one year

https://www.bunnings.com.au/whites-outdoor-50m-soft-flexi-plant-tie_p3320936

Yob recommended the same sort of stuff (green though) from the Reject shop.

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Yob recommended the same sort of stuff (green though) from the Reject shop.

I might have some coconut coir left over from last year if anyone needs some. I've upgraded to what the commercial guys use.

The stuff I have available is thinner so I doubled it up. Comes in 20m lengths, so cut in half and double up and you can get 2 strings out of each roll.

 

[Benn]

https://www.bunnings.com.au/whites-outdoor-100m-jute-twine-plant-tie_p3320946
I'm using a similar product to this except it comes in a 270m roll. Cheap as chips, found it with the plants etc. in the garden section at bunnings. Worked fine last season & can be bundled up with the dead bine and burnt, composted etc.

 

[mofox1]

https://www.bunnings.com.au/whites-outdoor-100m-jute-twine-plant-tie_p3320946
I'm using a similar product to this except it comes in a 270m roll. Cheap as chips, found it with the plants etc. in the garden section at bunnings. Worked fine last season & can be bundled up with the dead bine and burnt, composted etc.

That's what I would have bought had they stocked it at my two locals... Might see if it had just run out, or try a different store.

Edit - AHA! Just realised you mentioned the garden section... I was in a completely different section. Of course it must have been silly of me to look where all the other rope/twine/string was.

 

[mofox1]

I use this. Not cheap but I've never had any trouble whatsoever with it. If you're keen you can even unwind it from the bines and re-use it next year. I was keen one year

https://www.bunnings.com.au/whites-outdoor-50m-soft-flexi-plant-tie_p3320936

Baling twine from Bunnings.

Was planning on avoiding the plastic stuff, but if needs must... Something beggars something choosers.

 

[AJ80]

I've gone with this stuff:

https://www.bunnings.com.au/grunt-3mm-x-60m-assorted-colour-utility-cord_p4310579

Second year in a row using the same cord with almost no visible wear. Yes it involved stripping off the bines, but it really didn't take long. The strength of the cord pretty much eliminates the risk of broken lines on a windy day.

 

[Rocker1986]

I used this stuff for mine https://www.bunnings.com.au/zenith-3-2mm-x-30m-stainless-steel-balustrade-wire-rope_p4310364 seems to have worked fine so far, the hops are climbing up it well. Should last for years too.

 

[user 36151]

Gave up on the rope and going to try this 5.5 mts cascade doing well at the base

 

[spog]

Finally got my trellis up today. 4 1/2 meters, bamboo. This will be the highest they've ever been able to go Bamboo poles lashed with slightly flexible cord. Hopefully I built enough flex into it to handle the wind, without it flopping over. I wanted to use rawhide, but thought the possums might eat it. If I can get s good price on it I might give that a go next year. It stretches when wet and then tightens as it dries.
We rent, so I had to see to only a couple attachment points on the house. Two into the eaves and two tied to posts in the ground. Good windy day to remind me of how strong it needs to be.
My Willamette has been gaggin' for it. The Victoria, weeeell, maybe one day soon. Now to make the irrigation bits for the pots.

ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1475991523.137849.jpg

Guess who's picking hops without getting out of bed ?

 

[mofox1]

https://www.bunnings.com.au/whites-outdoor-100m-jute-twine-plant-tie_p3320946
I'm using a similar product to this except it comes in a 270m roll. Cheap as chips, found it with the plants etc. in the garden section at bunnings. Worked fine last season & can be bundled up with the dead bine and burnt, composted etc.

Wee! I found the sisal... Stocked in store in the garden section, just not listed online. Spent the better part of 4 hours twisting two strands together for 12 x 5m lines.

I've replaced the jute on the first trellis and about to put up the second trellis (lazy cascade bugger is only just poking a couple of shoots the mulch now, so plenty of time if don't finish it this weekend). The sisal is MUCH better at holding tension and going slack.

 

[mofox1]

The sisal is MUCH better at holding tension and not going slack.

^Stupid word brain.

 

[DigitalGiraffe]

My hops started budding fine and the Saaz are slowly making progress but my Cascade (Bottom left of photo) was doing well but seems to be turning light green/borderline yellow? It's growing in a mound where Hersbruckers thrived last season and the mound was topped up with composted cow manure and compost prior to planting.

Any suggestions to what may be going wrong or what I can do to get it back? Excess nitrogen? Wet feet? Wind drying the soil out too quick? Top 1cm dries out pretty quickly but the rest of the mound is nice and warm and moist.

I've never had this happen in previous years so I'm at a bit of a loss as nothing has changed? Any fellow Tassie hop growers experiencing this?

 

[Rocker1986]

Got this crappy looking **** on some of the leaves towards the bottom of my Hallertau bines. Doesn't seem to be really affecting anything above about 40cm from the ground though. What is it and how do you treat it?