Little Hop Plants
- Posted by Josh on June 08, 2008 at 9:04pm
- Categories: Pictures, Planting Hops
- 1 Comment »
Apparently, we planted our hop plants poorly. Our new rhizomes have grown to barely 10 inches since we planted them nearly two months ago. When I asked Doug, the proprietor of the homebrew shop, he said he has specimens that have grown 12 times that in the past six weeks. He did mention that it could be the variety. We planted Chinook and Mount Hood, and even Doug’s Chinook plant is small (though still larger than our plants).
We have noticed evidence of growth – as much as an inch or two just in one day. But that has only been very recently – since we put a thick bed of mulch around them and started watering them everyday.
With luck, the plants’ new treatment will cause stellar growth. I can’t say I’m holding my breath though.
Here are pictures of our two little plants:
Chinook
Mount Hood
It is most likely the variety versus your location and growing conditions, or else your rhizomes may not have been healthy. Last year I made my first attempt to grow hops, and all were planted in the same location and were given similar care (eventually, as my Fuggles became massive, they received a lot more water than my still struggling Magnum, but all were watered equally in the beginning).
My six Fuggles did very well, my two Centennial were marginal, and my two Magnum did VERY poorly with one eventually dying after I had nursed it for a couple of months. The one Magnum which lived never grew to more than perhaps a foot or two in height. If you are not already a member, our Grow-Hops groups (2,170 members now) has lots of great resources that you might find helpful: http://www.tinyurl.com/29zr8r.
Good luck.
Bill Velek