Hop plants/rhizomes - growing report

[marlon]

These look ready to me.

Yeah, they look ready to me too, but this morning I took a ride out in the countryside around me to look at the commercial hop gardens and so far, none have begun picking. I'll look again in a couple of days.

 

[Honk]

Keep us posted @marlon. It would be good to know when the commercial pickers start.

 

[sdt7618]

So from 4 little bits of roots, nearly there now!! think i might be a few weeks away as none are anywhere near as big as the prev pictures.

Question for all you growers, do cascade have red stalks?

Got cascade and target mixed up, one plan says cascade first the other says target first!! one has red stalks and the other doesn't. so any help would be great!

 

[Flyerstarter]

Well here's my Whitbread Golding Variety this year, looking nice and healthy, hoping to harvest in the next few days.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[binnster]

Here's my 2nd year Prima Donna, hopefully starting to produce something this year. Maybe a late starter looking at the other photos on here, but I'm up in Aberdeen so to be expected I would think. Been fighting off aphids, caterpillars, slugs and snails for the last few weeks.

 

[sdt7618]

Here's my 2nd year Prima Donna, hopefully starting to produce something this year. Maybe a late starter looking at the other photos on here, but I'm up in Aberdeen so to be expected I would think. Been fighting off aphids, caterpillars, slugs and snails for the last few weeks.

View attachment 10029

View attachment 10030

View attachment 10031

Think to be fair I am probably about a week in front of you, and I am all the way down in Dumfries, so the guys down south are probably a good few weeks in front of me.

 

[jceg316]

I've got a total of 8 different varieties growing, 4 of them in a field in Kent and 4 of them in NW London.

The ones in London are doing very well. I have a saaz, Fuggles, Cascade and Chinook. The latter 3 are doing really well. Fuggles and Cascade a 3 years old or so and seem to be at full maturity. The Saaz didn't have a good year due to various reasons relating to that specific plant. The Chinook is in its 2nd year.

The ones I have in Kent: Bramling X, Centennial, Styrian Goldings and Tettnang. The first two are doing well, especially the Bramling. I'm growing it with plenty of sun around a waterbutt which is very warm, not sure if that's helping, but it's the best crop I've seen for a first year hop. The Centennial is doing well. Not very tall but some flowers. The latter 2 were planted in a field and mowed down by a tractor during the spring . The shoots didn't regrow but the rhizomes are still alive so should come back next year. I'll post some pictures when I get the chance.

 

[marlon]

Am I going a bit OTT here..?

...just trying to protect my baby from the rain.. :-?

 

[MagnusTS]

Question for all you growers, do cascade have red stalks?

Got cascade and target mixed up, one plan says cascade first the other says target first!! one has red stalks and the other doesn't. so any help would be great!

My cascade have green stalks.

 

[jceg316]

My cascade has green stalks too. Some neighbours at the bottom of my road have a huge hop plant with red stalks, I'm gonna knock on their door and find out if they need help turning it into beer. Hopefully they'll know what the variety is too.

 

[Batlugs]

Firstly, apologies for crashing this thread at the eleventh hour, just found it!

I am a first time grower and have centennial and prima donna growing on a maypole setup.

I have returned from holiday to find that the burrs have developed into flowers and look like producing a fair crop.

I am thinking about how to dry them, I note johhnyboy has suggested the airing cupboard, we don't have one so need other suggestions. The hop plants are on my allotment and I have a large potting shed and a greenhouse, would they dry ok in there?

All advice gratefully received.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[jceg316]

I dry my flowers by putting them in a dehydrator for about 10 hours on the lowest heat. If you leave them in the greenhouse, it should be warm enough but I think they also need airflow otherwise they go stale. I've heard of other people putting them in the oven on a low heat with the door open, although I've never tried this.

 

[Batlugs]

I dry my flowers by putting them in a dehydrator for about 10 hours on the lowest heat. If you leave them in the greenhouse, it should be warm enough but I think they also need airflow otherwise they go stale. I've heard of other people putting them in the oven on a low heat with the door open, although I've never tried this.

Thanks for that, I have no way of ventilation on the allotment so that's no good.

I have seen this dehydrator, I this the type you have?

http://www.appliancesdirect.co.uk/p...MIionhxpKB1gIVCpPtCh2QUwQYEAQYBSABEgJqF_D_BwE


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[jceg316]

Thanks for that, I have no way of ventilation on the allotment so that's no good.

I have seen this dehydrator, I this the type you have?

http://www.appliancesdirect.co.uk/p...MIionhxpKB1gIVCpPtCh2QUwQYEAQYBSABEgJqF_D_BwE


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yes I have something very similar. That one has 35 deg as the lowest setting by the looks of it which is the same as mine.

 

[kohoutec]

Got cascade and target mixed up, one plan says cascade first the other says target first!! one has red stalks and the other doesn't. so any help would be great!

My First Gold (Prima Donna) have red bines

[edit] Just realised that probably doesn't help at all, sorry!

 

[Flyerstarter]

I find the easiest way to dry is to lay all the cones on a sheet of tarpaulin and set a fan on them. I managed to dry perfectly in my conservatory this way last year and will be doing the same this year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bigjas]

I have been growing a Fuggle and a Progress for the first time this year. The Fuggle has always been a bit ahead of the Progress and that is true of harvest too. I picked all the cones from the Fuggle today as they were papery and the tips were starting to brown. The Progress needs another few days I think.

I am now drying the Fuggle Hops. I built 4 trays made from a timber frame and some insect screen material stapled to it. The hops are spread out over the trays and I have a fan underneath to circulate the air to aid drying.

The Fuggle produced 3545g of hops, so will probably expect about a kilo once dried. I am very happy with that yield in its first year. Not expecting that much from my Progress. I have bought a vacuum sealer, so will bag them up and freeze them until needed. The garage smells lovely....

 

[Batlugs]

I have been growing a Fuggle and a Progress for the first time this year. The Fuggle has always been a bit ahead of the Progress and that is true of harvest too. I picked all the cones from the Fuggle today as they were papery and the tips were starting to brown. The Progress needs another few days I think.



I am now drying the Fuggle Hops. I built 4 trays made from a timber frame and some insect screen material stapled to it. The hops are spread out over the trays and I have a fan underneath to circulate the air to aid drying.

The Fuggle produced 3545g of hops, so will probably expect about a kilo once dried. I am very happy with that yield in its first year. Not expecting that much from my Progress. I have bought a vacuum sealer, so will bag them up and freeze them until needed. The garage smells lovely....

Looks grand, how many plants? Where in the country are you, up north my plants are still ripening.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Bigjas]

Just the one plant, in its first year!! I'm in Fareham, on the south coast.

 

[Batlugs]

Just the one plant, in its first year!! I'm in Fareham, on the south coast.

Oh ****, I've got 5 plants, would have been 6 but one failed.

Don't think I'll have enough space in the freezer.

Could be a give away or swop!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk