The Homegrown Hops Thread

Cones always grow on laterals...what you trimmed were "offshoots" from a separate bine coming off the rhizome crown

 

Ok, right... That's why I wish I took a picture of it, but that's what I was thinking. This one was already like 3 feet long and seemed to be starting a life of its own so I trimmed it along with the other smaller ones at the base.

If anything this has been an incredible learning experience, even as someone who has been gardening/keeping plants for many years.

 

my buddy and I just planted 9 vines(seeds), 3 Citra, 3 Cascade, 3 Chinook. Only 6 of the 9 are sprouting up(been about 4 weeks), not sure which ones are sprouting or what. Do you guys think we could get usable cones this year? so excited to use our own hops!

 

I hope you didn't buy "hop seeds" on Craigslist/Ebay. I seem to recall some scammers a few years back selling who knows what. Seeds wouldn't be genetically identical to any particular cultivar, because sexual reproduction would have reshuffled the deck. AFAIK, the only way to grow the cultivar you want is to propagate from rhizomes.

 

No my buddy bought the Rhizomes from our local supply store that we get everything from. brain fart on seeds, plus I am a rookie at growing hops!

 

you maybe right, just double checked we are growing centenial, not Citra. So we are growing the same ones! I am a hot mess over here, and not even drinking yet!

 

One of my first Cascade cones already ripe

 

I bought a hop plant about five years ago and only had one year w/o flowers. When bought, the tag read "American Hop". I suspect Cascade. I live in southern Ohio and the plant loves it here.
My question: how can I identify what type of hop it is? Any source out there to identify by physical characteristics?

 

You might get some from the crowns. The growers in the Yakima valley get a bunch the first year, but they are pros in a perfect location.

 

This is the first year that I actually have my hops in the ground as opposed to in planters.. I have Chinook, cascade, Columbus and Nugget. I have Hallertau as well, but in the 3 years I have had it, I have never had it produce cones..
Cascade and Nugget are doing the best at the moment.

 

It is probably Cascade, Willamette, or Cluster...brew a Smash assuming Cascade and the result should be readily apparent

 

My Cascade plant is about 2/3's the height of my Columbus and Centennial bines. It is not in the same spot but still receives the about same amount of sun and rain.

 

If you're lucky ... the cone is pictured here ...

http://www.americanhopmuseum.org/varieties.htm
http://www.oregonhops.org/varieties/
http://www.usahops.org/userfiles/fi...ety Manual - English (updated March 2011).pdf

 

Hops dont like hail... ijs.

 

If your oven has a 'food dehydrator' setting on it, that'll do it as well. If not, the ac/furnace filter, hops, and box fan sandwich is a good method, as mentioned above.

 

I don't know if it's "realistic," but it's definitely possible. My first year Cascades produced enough last year for me to brew a harvest ale with them.

 

Got a question I was hoping some of you hop growers could help me with.. I've got some vines that are developing flowers already. Once they are ripe, and picked off the vine, should I cut back that section of vine, or will more begin to grow off that same section? Just wondering if the hop flowers need new growth to start flowering again, or if I should expect to see more vines develop off that same area later in the year. TIA

 

No need to cut back the bines once harvested b/c they continue to support the root / mound / rhizome (whatever you want to call it).

More will continue to grow -- but you'll have to wait till next year!

 

I will probably harvest only Chinook, Cascade, Zeus, and Santiam this year....almost everything else will get moved

 

Warrior(s) my favorite tonight : )