Anyone Else Growing Hops This Year?

[Popo the Reprobate]

Yeah, it's a nice part of the world @The Captain1525230099. 

I'm interested to see how they go in the pots. The ground would have been better but I'd like to see how they go before I commit to a permanent spot.

Good luck with it @Dirtman Dan. Yeah, the experiment is the half the fun. If I do get any hops it'll be a bonus.

[Otto Von Blotto]

9 minutes ago, Dirtman Dan said:

Are you in Bris Otto? What time of year did your plants produce cones?

Yeah mate. First year around February to March and into early April which is pretty normal, last year October was unusually very hot and it flowered early, harvest was done before the end of the year. Not sure what will happen this year, depends on the weather I guess.

[Otto Von Blotto]

These are a couple of pictures from previous seasons. First is the Cascade plant (right) with Hallertau beside it (I think I've killed that one though). Second is part of a harvest from the Cascade. So it can certainly be done in Queensland, you just won't get as much yield as say Victoria would.

[Dirtman Dan]

Thats bloody awesome mate, my faith is restored.

[headmaster]

BTW my cascade plant just threw it's first shoots up mid last week here in Sydney. 

 

Thinking about having a dig and cutting off a couple of rhizomes, in my limited experience, I think now or possibly a couple of weeks ago was a good time to be harvesting these?? 

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

39 minutes ago, headmaster said:

BTW my cascade plant just threw it's first shoots up mid last week here in Sydney. 

 

Thinking about having a dig and cutting off a couple of rhizomes, in my limited experience, I think now or possibly a couple of weeks ago was a good time to be harvesting these?? 

The POR I got about a month ago and planted threw up 2 shoots last week as well. 

From what I read online the crown maintenance and rhizome cutting should happen when they are still dormant but doubt it matters. They are supposed to be pretty resilient things

[Shamus O'Sean]

My Cascade; Red Earth and Goldings that I planted last year, and had a harvest from them all, are up again this year too.

Cascade

Red Earth

Goldings

[headmaster]

Thanks Greeny, maybe I'm a bit late but will have a dig around the edges, would like to get some more bines happening, 

Those plants looking good there Shamus!

 

[Shamus O'Sean]

Thanks Headmaster

I'm in the Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne, so almost ideal weather for hops.

I have two of each of these plants and last year they only sent up one main shoot.  All of these have a few this year and the Goldings looks like it could go coco bananas.

I reckon you could carefully dig up and cut off a couple of rhizomes away from the main crown and replant.  Just get to it soon.

Cheers Shamus

[JoeB7]

On 9/15/2018 at 12:08 PM, Otto Von Blotto said:

I see you are using the 'Dry Wit' of Seth Mcfarlane to accelerate the drying process

[Otto Von Blotto]

4 hours ago, JoeB7 said:

I see you are using the 'Dry Wit' of Seth Mcfarlane to accelerate the drying process

Yes, I hadn't finished the drying rack yet, and still haven't properly

[Popo the Reprobate]

Yeah!

[headmaster]

That's the stuff POPO! Just had my two Rhizomes shoot like that, chopped them off my cascade root crown while still in the ground and planted in pots, about 10 days ago I think. 

My main plant is going nuts, will have to trim it to only two or three bines. I did not do this last year and hardly a flower. Let run with 8 or 10 bines, Big mistake. Also didn't really fertilise last time so will do that this year as well.  

[porschemad911]

My Perle is starting to shoot as well. My wife has smothered it with peas or beans or something, so see how it goes. It will probably kill them off no doubt. 

@headmaster good reminder on the fertiliser... I did the fruit trees this morning but forgot about my hop. I'll trim all the early bines, then train the 4 strongest of the second lot that appear. 

Cheers, 

John

Edited September 29, 2018 by porschemad911

[Naughty Corner Brewing]

They look like asparagus spears coming up!

[Popo the Reprobate]

Yeah, I was pretty happy @headmaster. I had thought there was a good chance they wouldn't do anything.

The one that has started to poke its head up is Cascade. That rhizome was much bigger than the Columbus ones I also planted. Hopefully they get up too.

 

So you trim back to only the strongest looking bines?

[Beerlust]

On 9/17/2018 at 11:04 AM, Shamus O'Sean said:

My Cascade; Red Earth and Goldings that I planted last year, and had a harvest from them all, are up again this year too.

Goldings

Are you sure that goldings isn't a giant trap door spider? 

Good stuff.

Cheers,

Lusty.

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

My 1st year POR going great guns. Got 4 bines popped out so far but cut the last 2 off. Going to train this horizontally across the fence. I know I shouldnt hope too much on a 1st year plant but am hoping for 40gm dried for a batch. Fingers crossed.

[Otto Von Blotto]

First year plants are better left alone from what I understand, it's more important to get a strong root system/crown, so I wouldn't bother cutting bines back. 2nd year and beyond though yes it's better to trim them back.

[Shamus O'Sean]

3 hours ago, Beerlust said:

Are you sure that goldings isn't a giant trap door spider? 

Good stuff.

Cheers,

Lusty.

I did think it looks like an upside down Huntsman Spider.

56 minutes ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

2nd year and beyond though yes it's better to trim them back

Mine above are second year plants.  Clearly I will have to be a bit brutal with the Goldings.  

[YeastyBoy]

Picked up a couple of POR rhizomes for a few shekel's and dropped them in the paddock this year. They have decided to leap out of the ground (bonus) so I better build a frame for the vines before too long. From what I can gather water & fertile soil are the key ingredients with a fairly low expectation as to height plus cones/flowers with year 1 hop vines.

 

Just having a bit of fun to see how they go and may diversify if they do OK. Some great info in this thread, thanks. Any tips, tricks for Year 1 Hops?

BTW on the little island south of Australia.

 

[Otto Von Blotto]

Keep them well watered and fertilised, give them plenty of height to climb and you should be fine. Don't trim them back, as they're first year plants just let them go, it's more important to build a solid root system, which won't happen if you cut them back. Tassie is a good location for growing hops, your yields might be more than you think.

[Popo the Reprobate]

One of the Columbus rhizomes has poked it's head up but the other three are still hiding away. The Cascade is only marginally bigger than it was in the first photo.

The grass is starting to boom but the hops are pretty slow going at the moment.

Edited October 21, 2018 by Popo

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

Where are you at Popo? I have 2 bines going from a first year POR. Going crazy at the moment after the rain in sydney. They must love rain water.

[Popo the Reprobate]

Hey Greeny, glad to hear yours are going strong. Good work!

I'm about 3 and a half hours north of you. They are mostly in full sun but I'm gunna try moving the pots as there are a couple of trees that cast their shadow over them a couple of times during the day that I hadn't realised. I've got a fair bit of space but lots of tall timber that makes finding a the right spot a bit tricky.

We've had a fair amount of rain here too. I thought that would have spurred them on. 3 of them have not come up so I dug around a little bit to see if they were dead. 2 had some small shoots but the 3rd looked cactus.