Hydroponic hops

[Stu Brew]

So I got a bit keen and threw a crown into my NFT system....Just threw it into the ressy.....so its basically growing in a waterfall now....I cannot believe the nodes its thrown out. I can potentially create about 50 rhizomes from 1 crown if this actually follows through the way its going atm! Cool.

Im using very low EC on that system too. Below 1....mainly just calcium and magnesium coming up in our spring water seems to be ok with a little added nitrogen

Certainly makes me think Hydroponic breeding will be the way to go. I dont have 12 years to bang out 1 generation....3-5 a year suits me just fine!

 

[sp0rk]

So I got a bit keen and threw a crown into my NFT system....Just threw it into the ressy.....so its basically growing in a waterfall now....I cannot believe the nodes its thrown out. I can potentially create about 50 rhizomes from 1 crown if this actually follows through the way its going atm! Cool.

Im using very low EC on that system too. Below 1....mainly just calcium and magnesium coming up in our spring water seems to be ok with a little added nitrogen

Certainly makes me think Hydroponic breeding will be the way to go. I dont have 12 years to bang out 1 generation....3-5 a year suits me just fine!

You'll have enough to supply the whole forums in a year or 3

 

[Stu Brew]

You'll have enough to supply the whole forums in a year or 3

With actual DNA write up, Alpha and Beta content too...at $20 a rhizome....as long as your forearm! Probably wont have DNA done for another season yet. Certainly going for alphas and beta testing this year minimum. We will be drying and supplying Beer Belly with a bit of fresh flowers this season!

I have so much now Im not sure I have room for it but its a bit late in the season not sure people are to keen. Wouldnt make sense unless you're down low like we are here. Still experiments to do on planting up crowns this late....lots going on I dont really share too!

Cheers

 

[wynnum1]

Have a look at mutagenic breeding.

 

[RelaxedBrewer]

I know this is a fair way off, but does anyone know what are the options on winterising the hydro hops?

 

[Stu Brew]

Well it seems to be liking this......about 10 shoots up now....at least I dont have to walk far for propagation material this year

 

[hidara]

Just a quick update. Had some issues with leaf burn but solved that by reducing the overall PPM but still keeping nitrogen high. The tomato plant has turned into something out of the little shop of horrors. Hops are flying not with about 20-30mm per day depending on sunlight. Happy Christmas

 

[hidara]

Latest updates. Had some issues with leaf burn and a disconnected pump but at least my babies are producing fruit.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Aquaponic Cascade. 2nd year. Well technically its only 16 months in the gravel bed from a skinny little cutting not even worthy but hey, Aquaponics has magic in the water that you cant measure. I got 300g hops (wet) off it late season from the cutting last year at only 4 months old.
Night photo's of it now. I was bored. The way its going I should clear a kilo wet this year.
Note that same 50 cent coin at the base of the ,trunk...
I'm now worrying about my choice of string. I hope it holds out.

 

[hidara]

That looks amazing. If love to try Aquaponics but all I have is a balcony. What's your fish setup and what do you feed?

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Good fish food from the Hatchery of the fish. Glenwaters.
Silver Perch. With some Tandanus Catfish in the mix.
I sometimes tweak it with tiny doses of iron of chelate, Calcium minerals with Lime or Dolamite that also help keep the pH up and that don't naturally occur. Or a nutrient that needs a pep up like soluble Sulphate of Potash for heavy fruiting plants like tomatoes, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Eggplants, Flowering! etc. but its a tiny amount like 1 tablespoon to a 1800 litre system no more than once a fortnight if I recall...
Any additions are well diluted with rain water then trickle syphoned into the system through a 4mm hose so its real slow release with top up water so not to stress the fishies etc.

My thinking is that with hydroponics etc it is the oxygen aeration and the regular free running of the water that's the steroids.

If any plant in my system needs some Sulphate of Potash then its just the tiny amount that you add for just that plant/plants needs.
Its just final polish really. Read your plants.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I have read quite a lot about aquaponics but the closest I have got to using fish waste is to going fishing determined to kill the carp I catch and spread the carcasses around the vegetable beds,trouble is I can never bring myself to kill them.
With the auto pot system the nutrient is delivered by the Venturi effect, but even using the nutrient solution the pH has to be raised (if using rainwater) to around 7 for the plants to take up the nutrient.
It will be interesting to see what effect of a rhizome in a pot has after a few years, are they removed from the pot and cut up and replant a small section?

 

[Danscraftbeer]

It will be interesting to see what effect of a rhizome in a pot has after a few years, are they removed from the pot and cut up and replant a small section?

I think that will be the case for me after this season. Otherwise the root system/or crown just gets bigger every year taking up more and more subterranean area. With aquaponics, same with hydroponics one small cutting can probably put out as much as a big crown anyway I think. That stem base got to that size in 4 months from a cutting. Its the same size now but lots of side shoots that spread out around it this seasons growth. I cut off heaps of shoots that were popping up a foot away from that main stem. It gets a bit out of control. Same with the wicking beds too. I guess I'll be another one in the position to off loading rhizomes this year.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Thats what happened when I grew mine hydroponically I had the root system climbing out all over the place, they are certainly 'searchers', as for the wicker beds I wonder if the rhizome could be controlled to go through a length of downpipe with holes drilled along the length for the roots to come out?