AHB Articles: Hops - How to Grow Them

[Camo1234]

Hi Guys, I have done a bit of research first so hopefully this isn't a silly question.

Is it too late to plant hops now or should I wait till Spring next year? I understand its probably too late to get a first season harvest but just wondering if I would get benefit of planting some now and get the benefit next season?

Cheers.

 

[Yob]

Hi Guys, I have done a bit of research first so hopefully this isn't a silly question.

Is it too late to plant hops now or should I wait till Spring next year? I understand its probably too late to get a first season harvest but just wondering if I would get benefit of planting some now and get the benefit next season?

Cheers.

you will probably get some good root development which will be of benifit, if you have rhizome, plant it

 

[Camo1234]

you will probably get some good root development which will be of benifit, if you have rhizome, plant it

Unfortunately I don't have any... What's the best place to get them?

 

[Yob]

it's the wrong time of year unless you can find someone willing to take a cutting for you...

winter is when rhizomes become available generally.

Yob

 

[Spork]

Unfortunately I don't have any... What's the best place to get them?

Right here on AHB I'd say.
Come winter people will have them for sale, or even for free!
Stuffa sent be a bunch a few months ago and they are all growing, although some are still only very little, others have alteady outgrown the trellis I set up for them.

How far north are you? I thought hops needed a cool / cold winter, but I may well be wrong. Perhaps the 'fridge would do instead.

 

[colonel]

Hello all.
I was pretty happy with my first attempt at growing hops last summer, and now (late August) there are plenty of shoots coming up.
I'm wondering if I should dig them up and put them in the fridge or something until the risk of frost has passed?
Cheers

 

[Yob]

Hello all.
I was pretty happy with my first attempt at growing hops last summer, and now (late August) there are plenty of shoots coming up.
I'm wondering if I should dig them up and put them in the fridge or something until the risk of frost has passed?
Cheers

no, if you are worried, just put some mulch over them (lightly) or some straw.. etc

 

[colonel]

no, if you are worried, just put some mulch over them (lightly) or some straw.. etc

Ok, Thanks Yob

 

[mckenry]

Good article.

My only (pedantic) problem with it, is that it starts off stating in the Utter Basics - "hops are basically a weed"

Ask yourself - what is a weed? A weed is a plant out of place - or a wild plant competing with what you want to grow.

A weed is a concept really - not a 'type of plant'
If you want to grow daffodils and a rose bush springs up, then the rose is a weed. Not something most people would associate with a rose.
If by weed, you mean 'doesn't need human nurturing to thrive' just say hops are a hardy plant.

Anything you are trying to grow is not a weed.

Sorry, but this and larger (lager) are my pet hates and I'm at home with the man-flu, so not really happy :lol:

Still, great article.

 

[Muscovy_333]

Not trying to challenge or be combative in any form, but I was under the impression that weeds can be classified as such by Council regulations where a plant is deemed out of place or a potential problem if left unattended. I suspect just like Bamboo or English Ivy hop rhizomes could be a disaster if not managed appropriately, hence the arbitary 'weed' statement.
For example, If you choose to grow English Ivy you are growing a known noxious weed, even if you love it to death.

Hope your man flu gets better soon. I have heard a couple of largers a night are good for a cold (he he).

 

[glenwal]

For example, If you choose to grow English Ivy you are growing a known noxious weed, even if you love it to death.

Important word underlined and bolded. A noxious weed is one defined by some type of governing body.

 

[mckenry]

Not trying to challenge or be combative in any form, but I was under the impression that weeds can be classified as such by Council regulations where a plant is deemed out of place or a potential problem if left unattended. I suspect just like Bamboo or English Ivy hop rhizomes could be a disaster if not managed appropriately, hence the arbitary 'weed' statement.
For example, If you choose to grow English Ivy you are growing a known noxious weed, even if you love it to death.

Hope your man flu gets better soon. I have heard a couple of largers a night are good for a cold (he he).

haha largers, yep, thanks Muscovy.

Councils classify undesirable plants into two categories. Noxious weeds - which they can force you to remove, and Environmental weeds - which they suggest you should remove. These are weeds, because they are out of place 'anywhere', so yes, you are right, but because they have been targeted as unwanted - not because the plant type is a 'weed'. Hope this makes sense.

 

[Muscovy_333]

haha largers, yep, thanks Muscovy.

Councils classify undesirable plants into two categories. Noxious weeds - which they can force you to remove, and Environmental weeds - which they suggest you should remove. These are weeds, because they are out of place 'anywhere', so yes, you are right, but because they have been targeted as unwanted - not because the plant type is a 'weed'. Hope this makes sense.

I concur.

 

[Northside Novice]

has anyone thought to use or used co2 to enhance the growth potential of their young bines ?

 

[FuzzyDropbear]

Good article.

My only (pedantic) problem with it, is that it starts off stating in the Utter Basics - "hops are basically a weed"

Ask yourself - what is a weed? A weed is a plant out of place - or a wild plant competing with what you want to grow.

A weed is a concept really - not a 'type of plant'
If...

OOO, an internetz argument. :lol:

See the word I highlighted. Basically a weed, ie. In our situation the plant doesn't tick all the boxes of a typical 'weed species', ie, we want this plant to grow (my missus and my mum have a different view on hops, they consider them to be a weed, why do you want to grow that? :lol: ) .

I believe the author was referring to the growth habit of hops. ie. if you leave them alone they'll just grow and grow and grow without any input from humans and if they find themselves in this situation, they have the potential to become quite invasive. Compared to growing other plants which require pruning, regular feeding and are susceptible to diseases, hops will basically do their own thing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what I believe the author was getting at.

And yes, weed is a loosely used term which has a different meaning depending on who you're talking to.

Cheers.

 

[mckenry]

OOO, an internetz argument. :lol:

See the word I highlighted. Basically a weed, ie. In our situation the plant doesn't tick all the boxes of a typical 'weed species', ie, we want this plant to grow (my missus and my mum have a different view on hops, they consider them to be a weed, why do you want to grow that? :lol: ) .

I believe the author was referring to the growth habit of hops. ie. if you leave them alone they'll just grow and grow and grow without any input from humans and if they find themselves in this situation, they have the potential to become quite invasive. Compared to growing other plants which require pruning, regular feeding and are susceptible to diseases, hops will basically do their own thing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what I believe the author was getting at.

And yes, weed is a loosely used term which has a different meaning depending on who you're talking to.

Cheers.

Yes, yes, yes, I knew this would be a can of worms. I'll try another explanation as to why a weed is a concept, not a species. There are noxious weeds, which your local council will happily supply a list of and same goes for environmental weeds. And yes, these are deemed invasive and can get out of hand. Any other plant that is not on the list is not a weed. If anyone says plant A is a weed, its because it grew where they didnt want it to grow.
I understand peoples mentality that weeds dont generally need looking after to survive, neither do hops. That doesnt make hops weeds.


This is the point. Dont call hops a weed, if youre trying to grow hops.

 

[FuzzyDropbear]

But he didn't call them weeds, he said 'hops are basically a weed'.

Yes a weed is a concept, I think everyone agrees with this. But he's used it as a descriptor, that was all I was saying. It's like saying a Commodore is basically a Falcon, which it is to a degree, same sort of car (Family Sedan), similar build quality (some will argue this), they're made in Australia etc. it's not saying it IS a Falcon though.

Anyway, this is getting OT so it's the last I'll say on it.

Cheers.

 

[mckenry]

But he didn't call them weeds, he said 'hops are basically a weed'.

Yes a weed is a concept, I think everyone agrees with this. But he's used it as a descriptor, that was all I was saying. It's like saying a Commodore is basically a Falcon, which it is to a degree, same sort of car (Family Sedan), similar build quality (some will argue this), they're made in Australia etc. it's not saying it IS a Falcon though.

Anyway, this is getting OT so it's the last I'll say on it.

Cheers.

Sure, but its not just this thread - its all over AHB that "hops are weeds", or "basically weeds", or "just weeds" or "only weeds" etc. It really gives people the wrong idea.

Agreed Anyway, this is getting OT so it's the last I'll say on it.

 

[Muscovy_333]

colloquially hops is related to "weed"...
Sorry I just cant help myself, it's like an itch i have to scratch!
Sorry McKenry, i'm siding with you on this one...

 

[Wolfy]

The saying that a plant "grows like a weed" is used to describe a plant (any plant if it's wanted or not) that grows vigorously without any direct human care or maintenance and has the capability to spread, grow and essentially 'take over' without human assistance. Hops are exactly that, even if they might not be 'weeds' according to some pedantic proper dictionary definition.

PS, Hops are weeds in my mother's vegie garden, I planed them there for the first year and then tried to remove them to move elsewhere, however they still continue to grow 3 years later and despite being pulled out, dug up and attempts to eliminate them.