2017 Hop Plantations, Show Us Your Hop Garden!

[earle]

Might be getting close to harvest time. Cluster in the foreground, 4th year I think. First year EKG behind it, less vigorous growth as so young but loaded with cones anyway. See how it comes up weight wise. With dense foliage like the cluster it can be difficult to judge how much cones are there. Also the silly first year doesn't know the rules yet about not growing past the top of the ropes.

 

[abyss]

I like your set up there earle. I am thinking of doing similar next season with raised colour bond beds and about 8m ropes.
Your plants look healthy as well.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Regarding the soil temp not being cold enough over the winter, this is most probably an issue in Brisbane, and since I don't really have any practical way of refrigerating the crown over this period, do the plants acclimatise to local conditions after a few years or whatever and begin to produce better as the years go on? Or do they always need to be chilled down further than it gets here in order to flower well? This first year Cascade has gone nuts with flowers but I suspect the rhizome would have been kept cold during the winter and it did stay in the fridge here for a few weeks before I planted it too. After this season is over though, it will have to stay in the soil so I'm wondering whether the harvest next season will be lessened as a result. It seems to have worked out that way for the Hallertau so far :unsure:

This is a really interesting question, I grow strawberries from seed, and I have grown rhubarb from seed, for successful germination it is best to put the seeds in a freezer for a couple of weeks, but once the seeds have germinated there is no need to replicate a freeze and thaw environment, why, I don't know, but they all produce satisfactorily. Maybe it isn't an ideal environment for hops but can they adapt, probably, I would be more inclined to leave them be and not disturb the root system, I have seen the photos of Liam's rhizomes and they look healthy enough in Qld.

 

[earle]

Pretty happy with the harvest off my 1st year EKG bine. Will weigh in a little while. Some cones are thumb size.

 

[earle]

I like your set up there earle. I am thinking of doing similar next season with raised colour bond beds and about 8m ropes.
Your plants look healthy as well.

Thanks. Mine are about 5m tall and go quite well. As you can see in the photo the EKG had grown through the eye bolt at the top of the pole, so they wouldn't lower down or harvest this afternoon. Was able to get up there with a ladder and sort it out. Not sure if that would be possible with 8m poles though.

 

[drsmurto]

Chinook has gone berserk, Victoria suffered due to storm damage and blocked drippers.

 

[earle]

Pretty happy with the harvest off my 1st year EKG bine. Will weigh in a little while. Some cones are thumb size.

EKG Hop Harvest Ale going into the fermenter today.

 

[Benn]

Check it out Growers,

Faarken beautiful

 

[Rocker1986]

Check it out Growers,

IMG_5068.PNG
Faarken beautiful

Pricks! :lol: :lol: No rain in sight up here :angry:

Thanks for the replies about the soil temp over winter too. I had a thought of dumping a heap of ice on top of the soil each week or whatever for a month or so but that would get a bit expensive. I guess my only options are to either piss off the root system every year and take a couple of rhizomes and refrigerate them, or just leave them be in the soil and see what happens.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Do both Rocker. I have to reduce some of my subterranean growth too. I do believe plants will adapt to their locality over years.
So some left in the ground to adapt over years compared to the cuts gone through the fridge/hibernation thing. If only I had more space to try this.

 

[Rocker1986]

Mine are in big planter boxes rather than the ground, but yeah haven't decided yet. Knowing me and my laziness with things like that I'll probably just leave them in the soil. As long as I get enough off them each year for one batch from each variety I'll be happy, and if they start to increase in yield when they adapt to the conditions better then that'll be a bonus.

I read somewhere, maybe this thread even, that the more established plants tend to prefer less frequent long and deep waterings, as opposed to first year plants that prefer more frequent shallow waterings. Perhaps this is the reason the Hallertau isn't growing as well this season as it did last year, and not growing as well as the Cascade beside it. The Cascade could well be used as a shade screen now, but the Hallertau has a lot less coverage across the trellis. I've started doing deep watering twice a week now rather than shallow watering every day. Hopefully this helps it.

 

[Mat B]

Three of my very tall and flower laden cascade bines fell down in the storm last night!! :unsure: Hopefully there's not significant damage and I can re-hoist them after work. Shattered!!

 

[Dave70]

On hop resilience:
I bought these, Cascade and Chinook off Dr Smurto probably five years ago. Got a half decent harvest year two and since then they were sitting in big black pots pretty much neglected after a savage storm blew everything to pieces the following year and I couldn''t be arsed re erecting the trellis.
I was surprised to notice a little activity late last year so decided to dig a couple of holes at our new (second hand) house and transplant the comically root-bound suckers into them, apply water and see what happens. That was about December 16, now look at em go! Cant wait to see how they spring back next season after some decent feed and watering.
Take home message, get them into the ground, if space permits, and don't fret over them to much. There as tough as old boots!

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Three of my very tall and flower laden cascade bines fell down in the storm last night!! :unsure: Hopefully there's not significant damage and I can re-hoist them after work. Shattered!!

I had about 10 drop late last year, moved up to a thicker coir this year and hope that solves the problem. It's a ***** getting them back up. You may lose a lateral or two, but damage should be minimal.

 

[Mat B]

I had about 10 drop late last year, moved up to a thicker coir this year and hope that solves the problem. It's a ***** getting them back up. You may lose a lateral or two, but damage should be minimal.

I managed to hoist them back up. you're right - it was a massive *****. On inspection yesterday, looks like one bine has started to die due to the damage. It wasn't a major one, but still a bit bummed about the loss. Still on track for a good first harvest though!

 

[Matplat]

On hop resilience:
I bought these, Cascade and Chinook off Dr Smurto probably five years ago. Got a half decent harvest year two and since then they were sitting in big black pots pretty much neglected after a savage storm blew everything to pieces the following year and I couldn''t be arsed re erecting the trellis.
I was surprised to notice a little activity late last year so decided to dig a couple of holes at our new (second hand) house and transplant the comically root-bound suckers into them, apply water and see what happens. That was about December 16, now look at em go! Cant wait to see how they spring back next season after some decent feed and watering.
Take home message, get them into the ground, if space permits, and don't fret over them to much. There as tough as old boots!

Looks like you could have an entire wall of hops next year!

 

[Rocker1986]

Just finished the first harvest of the season from my 2nd year Hallertau plant. A bit disappointing considering the higher trellis, bigger area to spread roots etc. but anyway, there are more flowers forming and I am using Maxibloom on it twice a week so maybe it will be a repeat of last season when it saved its biggest harvest til last (mid-late March).

For this harvest I've managed to pick 52-53g off the plant, so that should dry out to somewhere around 13-14g. A far cry from the Cascade plant whose first two harvests have netted just over 100g dry with plenty more to come from the looks of it. However, if I only get another 20/30/40g off the Hallertau, I'll still have enough for another batch of Home Grown Lager.

I haven't mentioned anything about my Fuggle plant because it's really done nothing this year. There are a literal handful of burrs on it. I suspect it's suffering somewhat being stuck in a pot, but unfortunately there isn't room to have it anywhere else, so that one is one I'm simply keeping alive until such time as I can give it a bigger home.

 

[Matplat]

Yeah, that seems to reflect my growing conditions also, I think that given the QLD disadvantage, they have to go in the ground to have any chance of doing well.

My enthusiasm for hop growing is seriously wearing thin... the upkeep required compared to the return doesn't seem quite worth it at the moment.

 

[Mardoo]

Yep, it's not an economic proposition.

 

[mofox1]

What causes yellowing around the edge of the leaves? It's persisted for a couple of weeks, extra seasol/powerfeed/chook poo hasn't seemed to do anything. Can't see any sign of pests.

Is it just a case of not enough nutrients during the growth phase?


Edit: Wait - it looks like Mg deficiency. I've plenty of epsom salts... any guidelines, hints etc?