Preparing For 2012 Hop Growing Season?

[hamsy]

As last year wasn't the most prolific growing season for myself I am trying to get a plan together for this years hop growing season...

Anyone with helpful knowledge and experience in this field, please feel more than free to share!

What can I do at this time of year, or in the weeks to come, to give my plants the best possible chance of reaching their full potential???

 

[Wolfy]

There are epic-long threads "Hop Plantations 2010" 2011 etc that contain a great deal of information, what has worked and what has not worked, so I'd suggest you start by reading those.

My plans include: clear weeds, add fertilizer (some kind of animal-crap), re-mulch and contemplate a drip-watering system.

 

[felten]

my prep during winter is prune the old bines back, and dump a bag of manure on them

 

[Mattese]

I think a bush turkey may have eaten mine, so I think I might sit this dance out...

 

[kalbarluke]

I think a bush turkey may have eaten mine, so I think I might sit this dance out...

:lol: Little buggers.

Make sure your garden bed has good drainage so the roots don't rot. This is really important. Also make sure it is healthy soil by adding lots of manure.

 

[drsmurto]

My prep work is done for the upcoming season.

At the end of the growing season, i cut all the bines back to the ground, pruned back the excess rhizomes and then thoroughly weeded the area. Covered them all in ~10cm of horse manure.

Over winter the manure will break down and the rain will help take the nutrients from the manure into the soil reinvigorating it in time for the plant to break the surface.

I set up a drip watering system a few years ago that runs at the same time as the vegie patch, all attached to a timer. Makes watering a breeze, minimises water wastage. If the tomatoes need a drink then so do the hops!

 

[petesbrew]

I do nothing.
If I do nothing, I usually kill it, if I try to do something I still manage to kill it.
Less is more with my hopeless gardening abilities.
I still managed to harvest 100g (dried) of Perle off my vine, so my methods are paying off.
Sadly it didn't pay off with the cascade that withered and died.

 

[Anofre]

Nows the time to prep new beds & split wintering zomes.
My beds are mounds with layers of hay, manure, soil repeated to about knee height, 2m apart each.
Tuck the new zome in & mulch cover.
No water till grow time (spring / summer) apart from initial water-in & natural rain.