Home Grown Hops In Bris

[theredone]

just wondering if it is possible and if so what is the quality like?

just moved into a new house and its got 5 2.5squared vegie patches.... seeing as i dont like vegies and i do like beer and beer needs hops i thought i might inquire about it

does anyone up here grow and is it possible to only grow them about 1-2 mtr high? the site ive been reading into says it should be 6-7 mtrs. http://www.brewerschoice.net.au/html/growing%20hops.htm

also if it is possible what hops suit our climate up here?

cheers guys

 

[DKS]

just wondering if it is possible and if so what is the quality like?

just moved into a new house and its got 5 2.5squared vegie patches.... seeing as i dont like vegies and i do like beer and beer needs hops i thought i might inquire about it

does anyone up here grow and is it possible to only grow them about 1-2 mtr high? the site ive been reading into says it should be 6-7 mtrs. http://www.brewerschoice.net.au/html/growing%20hops.htm

also if it is possible what hops suit our climate up here?

cheers guys

I can only help by bumping thread theredone.
I'll suggest they are similar to grapes in many respects. I would train them on a trellis like a grape vine if height was a problem. Personally, given a chance, I'd grow them as big as possible to reap as much as possible given the price per kilo. From what Ive read , once picked and dried out their weight is reduced to about 1/4. Hence you'll need a shed load of as many varieties as you want to brew with.Go for it. I'm gonna give it a try when the right time comes. :icon_cheers:
Daz

 

[QldKev]

I think there hasn't been a huge response cause there are already sooo many topics on this...

Try searching "2009 hop plantations" and many others

QldKev

 

[clarkey7]

Theredone,

I was waiting for more experienced people to respond to your queries, but I can help by at least encouraging you to give it a go.

I know that many guys in the club have started off on this journey, but I'm not sure if anyone has been growing them for many years here in Brisvegas ????? Anyone?

Also, guys at the Sunshine, Gold Coast, Bundy, Toowoomba as well as the rest of the state are all having success growing them.

I grew my first 2 varieties from rhizomes here in Brisbane this year without any dramas.

I was testing the water so to speak...to see if it was worth the trouble etc......

I didn't get a huge harvest at all (only enough for 1 X 22L batch) but I learned more about one of my favourite ingredients and enjoyed the process even though I'm not a green thumb. I'm expecting a much larger crop from my second year plants next year, and I will be increasing my hop garden and building a proper hop trellis. :beerbang:

Mine grew 4-5 metres up strings on my fence, then up a volleyball net trellis....

I got the vibe that they would have kept going up instead of across if I'd allowed them.

Notice from my photos, that all the cones are near the top.... Something to keep in mind if you only intend to grow 1-2 metres.




Good Luck

PB

 

[Wolfy]

Try searching "2009 hop plantations" and many others

... and that thread has numerous posts by QLD-ers with decent sized harvests.

I also read somewhere that you can extend their 'daylight hours' by providing spotlights etc since their growth/flowering cycle depends on the length of day.

 

[theredone]

cheers guys. ive decided i will give it a go out the front of my house

that way i can run them up about 1.5 -2 then diagonally up to the roof of my house, about 4 mtrs from my fence and maybe 3.5 high.

 

[MarkBastard]

As for varieties I've had the most luck by far with my Chinook. I don't know if that's just because that particular rhizome was better or not, but the others (POR and Tettnang) appeared to not like the heat as much, where as the Chinook seemed to thrive on it.

 

[NickB]

Yep, my Chinook was the one that took off. The POR is doing OK, and my poor Tettnanag just limped along before being consumed by caterpillars. No flowers this year for mine (first year and in pots) but will plant in the ground for next season and see how we go!

Cheers

 

[theredone]

yeah from the research ive done chinook is the only one ive found that actually likes the heat. so ill give that one a go along with cascade which SHOULD grow well in most climates, im thinking of growing 2 smaller vines along my design also, so i need to pick 4 that would go alright up here then pick the shittiest 2 and put them on the smaller lines. was just going to skip pots and go straight into the ground.... dig a big big hole and fill with as much fertalizer and top soil as possible

 

[MarkBastard]

dig a big big hole and fill with as much fertalizer and top soil as possible

Be careful of drainage problems

 

[theredone]

yeah there is a good couple degrees of slope plus im gunna mound up about 6-12 inches

 

[winkle]

yeah from the research ive done chinook is the only one ive found that actually likes the heat. so ill give that one a go along with cascade which SHOULD grow well in most climates, im thinking of growing 2 smaller vines along my design also, so i need to pick 4 that would go alright up here then pick the shittiest 2 and put them on the smaller lines. was just going to skip pots and go straight into the ground.... dig a big big hole and fill with as much fertalizer and top soil as possible

Out of my first year lot the cascade did the worst, very lame, Goldings and Perle grew quite well.

 

[praxis178]

Out of my first year lot the cascade did the worst, very lame, Goldings and Perle grew quite well.

I'll second Perle, mine grew like mad......