Hop plants/rhizomes - growing report

[Sandimas]

Finally got the Cascade in, weather could be on the turn plus I've got a busy 2 weeks coming up. Loads more on the bines but I've run out of trays to dry them on. I ended up just picking off the decent-sized ones. Along with the Challenger and Styrian Goldings, that's a lot of hops I've got to bag up and store, a bumper crop this year. I'll post the weights when I bag them, I used 30g of just-dried Challenger in a brew earlier this week.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Clearly better weather than I had for growing hops. I only got 100g wet hops to use from 2 plants.

This year though the sprouts coming up look like they mean business.

 

[Sandimas]

Clearly better weather than I had for growing hops. I only got 100g wet hops to use from 2 plants.

Record-breaking summer here, on a par with 1976 for dryness, sunshine and heat. In fact, a very dry year: got a new dog in Jan and have hardly had to walk him in the rain. Other crops have suffered though, pumpkins and sweetcorn were total failures this year: first year I've never managed to grown a pumpkin.

 

[AXW123]

I have been growing my own hops for a few years and posting pictures in this thread. I have always harboured the fantasy that they would somehow be used commercially. Well its happened! It might not be beer (it’s actually kombucha) but its on sale and tastes great. So proud

 

[RoomWithABrew]

@AXW123
Well done.

 

[foxy]

Finally got the Cascade in, weather could be on the turn plus I've got a busy 2 weeks coming up. Loads more on the bines but I've run out of trays to dry them on. I ended up just picking off the decent-sized ones. Along with the Challenger and Styrian Goldings, that's a lot of hops I've got to bag up and store, a bumper crop this year. I'll post the weights when I bag them, I used 30g of just-dried Challenger in a brew earlier this week.

View attachment 75276

How did you go keeping water up to them? I had no end of trouble, I have the block next door to and grew Cascade for 3 years this was the final year 25.02 2015. They were just to thirsty I couldn't keep my garden watered and the hops.
I might give it another go but I will need a lot more tanks.

 

[Sandimas]

How did you go keeping water up to them?

I didn't! The Styrian Goldings and Challenger are on the edge of my veg patch so benefited from some residual watering of the veg, the Cascade however are in a little patch of dirt next to the woodshed so never get watered. I'm surprised they survived this dry summer, let alone produced a great crop.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

I didn't! The Styrian Goldings and Challenger are on the edge of my veg patch so benefited from some residual watering of the veg, the Cascade however are in a little patch of dirt next to the woodshed so never get watered. I'm surprised they survived this dry summer, let alone produced a great crop.

Deeper roots!

 

[Sadfield]

What a difference a year makes.

First year harvest vs second year, about 25g versus 2.5kg of Prima Donna.

 

[Sandimas]

What a difference a year makes.

First year harvest vs second year, about 25g versus 2.5kg of Prima Donna.

Similar for me, I haven't weighed the Challenger yet but there looks like well over 1kg compared to 30g last year (first year).

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Very encouraging, hoping that this year my hops rise to the challenge. Trouble is it's quite windy where mine grow and I think they don't like that.

 

[foxy]

I didn't! The Styrian Goldings and Challenger are on the edge of my veg patch so benefited from some residual watering of the veg, the Cascade however are in a little patch of dirt next to the woodshed so never get watered. I'm surprised they survived this dry summer, let alone produced a great crop.

Well that is why they are called rhizomes, the roots grow horizontally so can find a source of water. I checked out the water needs it is 9 litres per day for one plant! I don't know if it would be that much for heavily mulched hops. I am keen to grow them again, maybe EKG also something like Challenger. I did try to grow them hydroponically but that didn't work. There is one guy growing them here using Aquaponics and is very successful, he also uses his spent grains to produce Shiitake mushrooms.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

@foxy Interesting using the grains for mushrooms. I'd rather grow in brewing grains if I was a mushroom than in used coffee grounds.
I'll have to look that up.

 

[Polcho]

Well that is why they are called rhizomes, the roots grow horizontally so can find a source of water. I checked out the water needs it is 9 litres per day for one plant! I don't know if it would be that much for heavily mulched hops. I am keen to grow them again, maybe EKG also something like Challenger. I did try to grow them hydroponically but that didn't work. There is one guy growing them here using Aquaponics and is very successful, he also uses his spent grains to produce Shiitake mushrooms.

9lts, that’s an eye opener.

 

[foxy]

9lts, that’s an eye opener.

I thought tomatoes were thirsty at 1 litre per day! Mind you tomatoes are mostly water.

 

[foxy]

@foxy Interesting using the grains for mushrooms. I'd rather grow in brewing grains if I was a mushroom than in used coffee grounds.
I'll have to look that up.

https://aussiecraftbrewing.com.au/thread/2981/mushrooms-growing-cooking-recipes-substitute

 

[Sandimas]

Just processing some of this year's crop, not quite as many Challenger as I expected 600g but way better than the 30g last year. Vacuum packing them with a cheap machine from Amazon.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Worth a watch to optimise your storage.

 

[Polcho]

That’s really interesting. Does anybody else have a way of reducing the volume of hops?

 

[RoomWithABrew]

That’s really interesting. Does anybody else have a way of reducing the volume of hops?

I think pelleting them is difficult, but have heard that you can distill the oils off. No idea how to do that but my neighbour does have a still.
Given that year one I only got 100g of hops ( wet weight ) not planning on a space issue. Need to get control of my hop habit though as I picked up a lot of hop pellets for next to nothing and 10kg of hops makes a lot of beer!