Hop Growing 2013

[seymour]

Planting mine from pots today, at least that's the plan. Just checked them as they have been negletcted in the pots since harvest last year, and they all seem to be sprouting!

I can relate. I moved across town early last summer, a terrible time to transplant my hops, so I left them behind. Sadly, without me being there to nurse them along, spring floods and summer drought killed all but one plant, no crop to brew with. I mean, fully withered, toasted to a crisp, no signs of life whatsoever.



I finally got back over there today--the first time this growing season--hoping to retrieve my one survivor. LO AND BEHOLD! I was wrong. Apparently more rootstocks survived underground like the weeds they are. There were five more hops plants sending up healthy shoots, totally unexpected: 2 Cascades, 2 Northern Brewers, and a Saaz!!! I successfully dug 'em all up to replant at my new home. OH HAPPY DAY! I am still shocked.

[jmc]

Planting mine from pots today, at least that's the plan. Just checked them as they have been negletcted in the pots since harvest last year, and they all seem to be sprouting!

I can relate. I moved across town early last summer, a terrible time to transplant my hops. Sadly, without me being there to nurse them along, spring floods and summer drought killed all but one plant, no crop to brew with. I mean, fully withered, toasted to a crisp, no signs of life whatsoever.

I finally got back over there today--the first time this growing season--hoping to retrieve my one survivor. LO AND BEHOLD! I was wrong. Apparently more rootstocks survived underground like the weeds they are. There were five more hops plants sending up healthy shoots, totally unexpected: 2 Cascades, 2 Northern Brewers, and a Saaz!!! I successfully dug 'em all up to replant at my new home. OH HAPPY DAY! I am still shocked.

Great news.

[pofke]

[The post was deleted by the author]

[Cazamodo]

Mt hops seems to of taken to the ground ok. One of the crowns seems to e too high and the root stock is poking through the surface, and something ate the growing tips off my fuggles =[ Other than that they look good haha

Not sure how to water them, in pots last year i watere until it came out the bottom.

[Twistedfinger]

Here is my hop support framework.

38mm tubing hammered into the ground, 25mm conduit uprights and 20mm conduit cross piece. 2 x V's made of 10mm rope.

I'm a bit worried about the wind once its covered in foliage I might have to fit some out riggers to give it some extra support .



They are planted in an old raised bed at the top of the garden, I covered the soil with a fabric weed barrier and have covered that in cardboard and old books so that the soil stays moist.

I've given them both a couple of hands full of pelleted chicken manure ( B&M £4.95 BOGOF) so fingers crossed that we've seen the last of the cold weather and they reach for the sky

[scuppeteer]

Mt hops seems to of taken to the ground ok. One of the crowns seems to e too high and the root stock is poking through the surface, and something ate the growing tips off my fuggles =[ Other than that they look good haha

Not sure how to water them, in pots last year i watere until it came out the bottom.

So long as the majority of the root is below, then not too much to worry about. You could always cover with more soil. Probably slugs or snails taking the tips, they seem to like Fuggles. Little blue pellets are very effective or beer trap.
As for watering, if the soil is reasonable then you shouldn't have to water them. As they are growing and you only put them in a couple of weeks ago they are already drawing all the water they need. Keep an eye on them though if we do have a long dry spell of weather... not likely but you never know!

[Manx Guy]

Update from the Isle of Man:

Hallertau M 6 shoots 15-20cm
Mt. Hood 6 shoots 10-15cm
First Gold 5 shoots 5-10cm

At 54.14 N we are at the edge of the recognised hop growing lattitudes...

As many of you may be aware from the national news reoprts the Island suffered from some heavy snow fall in late March (with many livestock lost in 10-20ft drifts!)

However my plants dont seem to have suffered any lasting damage, but may have been slow to shoot because of this.

In a couple of weeks I will select the strongest shoots for training up my soon to be completed hop support system (for Hallertau & Mt Hood) the First Gold is happy growing up the fence trellis...

Good luck to all for the 2013 growing season!

Slainte!

Guy

[robbarwell]

not got a lot from my Bramlin cross....sniff!

[scuppeteer]

not got a lot from my Bramlin cross....sniff!

Don't worry just yet, they're always late starters. I've just split my 6 year old plant into 4 and they've all taken and have a good amount of buds on each one. Bramling X love cold weather over the winter then really get going... assuming we get some sun that is!

[boingy]

Pleased to say both mine are just starting to poke through their winter bedding.

[chivelegs]

The Rule of Sod...
Hallertau in garden is about a foot.
Cascades at allotment just poking through
Hallertau at allotment likewise just poking through.
Decorative unknown hop in garden flying up the fence at a rate of knots.

[smuggles]

My Prima Donna is just getting going, I've got 13 shoots all a couple of inches long. I have a couple of questions though.

How long should I leave it before removing the weaker bines, and how many should I leave? Also, can I use the ones I've removed as cuttings?

[FuzzySteve]

Pleased to say both mine are just starting to poke through their winter bedding.

Mine too. The Wye Challenger and Goldings are ahead of the Fuggles, but only just.

[far9410]

my north down shoots are coming along nicely now, but took a bit of a battering in the high winds!

[Eadweard]

My Sussex planted last year is up to 20cm, no sign of this year's Mathon yet.