Hello all,

As the header says has anyone got any experience of growing Hop plants. My wife has for some reason got her heart set on it. I had a read up on the net and understand they grow like stink and are related to that other plant, oh whats it called...Hemp that's it.

Anyone know where I can buy some stock plants we can grow on for a year or 2 ? we do have enough space for them I think.

The thing is, in a couple of weeks (after nearly a 2 year wait) the lecky board will be removing FOC some very large conifer trees that are growing too close the the supply cables on some green belt land we have access to where we grow our fruit and veg.

So my brilliant idea was to have the trees pollarded rather than cut down to ground level and leave an already made frame for wires to be nailed to to grow the Hops up, I realise the soil will be quite acidic and dry but we have a ready supply of horse muck, in the next field, so I'm preparing for next year realy.

Any input would be appreciated

JOM

if you find some can you let me know mate
I'd like to grow a few too

Here you go guys
not sure about the live linky bits so i xx'd them

hxxp://www.hopshop.co.uk/hopmo.asp

hxxp://www.ukhomebrew.info/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=21399&sid=866fa31e8dcc14ad2a54521c28ee3116
another one
hxxp://www.deaconsnurseryfruits.co.uk/hops1/

thanks mate
already tried the hopshop but they have a backlog of orders and are saying 3-4 weeks for dispatch which is cutting it a bit fine for this year

I've tried several garden centres too but no luck there either

you're welcome,
the third one hxxp://www.deaconsnurseryfruits.co.uk/hops1/ , has a sale on. 10% off all plants !

Top Banana,

Cheers lads,

My order will be going in with the Deacon place later, I thought a couple of Fuggle (what a brilliant name), plants will do for us to get going this year in a nursery bed.

They grow easy from root cuttings, so if it all works we should have plenty for next year when I think the permenent ground will be ready.

Thanks Peeps,

JOM

Go to Kent, hop farms all over the show, you could always get some cuttings (probably for free) from one of the farms.

Ha, mate of mine runs a small farm in Cornwall...

Came up to see me a couple of years ago and we went for a pint, sat in the pub telling me about the farm and what he'd been growing, and pulled a lump of hop flower out of his pocket....at first glance it looked like a big bud, and the smell even is slightly fruity skunky aroma....

Always fancied doing it too, would be good cover for little outdoor grow...

Let us know how the brew goes J, guess you'll be needin someone to come and drink all that beer for ya

Monk...x

(Homer Simpson moment): Mmmmm Kentish hops

Thanks for the input,

Got my Fuggle order confirmed today, well to be honest they wanted my correct exp date of my card, so with a bit of luck I shall have them some time next week.

Still wondered if anyone had any experiance of growing them and if my idea of growing between pollarded Conifers would work ?

These are the saplings that are coming down on Thursday.


Click to view attachment


JOM

BTW the wife looks a lot better in real life

I've grown hops - they grow really vigourously and love loads of feed. Plant them in a big pit of muck, soil and bonemeal and they'll grow fast..

Now I don't know how true this is, and I can't be bothered to research it, but the hop is the only other plant than Cannabis in the family cannabacae, and I sure I remember some guy being done a while back for conducting research into grafting cannabis plants onto hop rootstocks, and producing some workable results.

It might just be rubbish, and grafting annuals is very hard, but they are the same family so i've no doubt there probably IS a way, probably involving the use of a lot of hormones or something..


Maybe you should investigate..

Thanks Andy Spud,

Can I call you Spud?

You are right about the relationship between the 2 plants.

Funny old world.......

JOM

You can use cannabis as a rootstock for hops, but it doesn't give you psychedelic hops.

I have a golden hop and I'm almost certain it's where my LSF comes from.

Andy Spud mate,

Thanks for the reply.

How high have your's grown in the first season ?

The tree people are coming in the morning and I'm still wondering if it will be worth while keeping some rather tall conifers as a frame for the Hops to grow up in future years.

JOM

I reckon the best all round hop for the home grower is a dwarf var called prima donna in the domestic market for commercial producers its called first gold.

Don't have a clue why it has two names, its a good all round english brewing hop.

Grows to approx 1.75-2.5 metres

Analytical data
Alpha acid (range) 5.6 ~ 8.7%
Beta acid (range) 2.3 ~ 3.6%
Ratio
Alpha : Beta 2.4 ~ 3.2 :1
Cohumulone (% of alpha) 29 ~ 34%
Total oils, ml/100g (dry) 0.7 ~ 1.3

Time of ripening mid-season

Tolerant to wilt, susceptible to downy mildew, resistant to powdery mildew.

Joolz it takes a couple of years before you get much of a crop, ie it takes time for them to establish.

My Fuggle plant arrived today,

Complete with a free live snail, water snail I think as it made a bee line for the water I've stood the plant in.



Click to view attachment


Andypotato,

Would I be able to grow this on in a very big pot on the patio ? or will it have to go in the ground, I mainly want to propergate from it to start with.

JOM

P.S. is it OK to release the snail into the wild ? only ask as it has come from abroad, the Isle of Wight....

Thanks again for all the input,

This is a picture of the little plant that arrived 7 or so weeks ago, it's now over 9 feet tall so a picture was in order before she gets topped, already got 4 cuttings going, can't believe the vigour of the thing.


Click to view attachment






PPst, want to buy some Hops.....Cheap

JOM

Nice lookin garden there JOM.

Thanks mate,

We do like our gardening, we let a lot of things seed where they like and pull lumps up when they get out of hand, can't stand gardens with rows of neat flowers, more of the wild and unkempt look, a bit like myself.

Cheers,

JOM

OK,

I have grown the plant on, no problem, I just wondered if anyone knew when to harvest, the leaves are turning yellow so the sugars are being used up, took this about a week ago,


Click to view attachment

JOM

Just foud this pic JOM, Click to view attachmentHome grown Cascade hops torn in half to display lupulin glands
containing resins and oils that flavor beer. Aug 3 photo (© 2008
Charlie Papazian) about 2-3 weeks from harvest.

Thanks mate,

So I'm just about right then, It's a bit hard to check them as they are so high, would rather not bother them untill I'm sure, not going to be brewing with them, might pinch a few BTW,

Mrs JOM wanted them to put under her pillow, relieves stress or period pains or aggresion or bad breath or flatulence or poor sleep or lack of cooking abilities,, something like that, she saw it on the telly so I grew it for her, thats love that is.........

JOM

i grew them for many a year ..something i should warn you about ..careful when handling the fruits ..the pollen can cause nasty contact dermatitis ..it literally burnt my arms one year ..

Thanks Vince,

I only got 1 mature fruiting plant, I'll take my chances,

JOM