My hops are already growing

[corkybstewart]

Except for the first week of Dec ember we've had no real winter here. Today I noticed that my hops plants are already sprouting. I'm glad they're off to an early start, but we always have some major winter weather in Feb and March. Does anybody know what will happen if the bines are up and the temp drops to say 15F? Will they die back and come back later?

[Kyle_Draven]

I don't have an answer just another question. I recently got a house and have room to grow hops. How do you get the acid content?

[chazwicke]

We have had little or no winter here this year either. The Crocus and daffidils are coming up and the bradford pear and cherry trees are starting to blossom. Even down on the tidal basin. I have not checked to see if my hops are coming up but they usually make a fairly early appearence. Early March. They are forecasting colder temps this coming week. Not sure how it will effect all the plants. But I will say, hops are a very hardy plant.

[HarkJohnny]

haven't noticed either of mine but to say that our hosta and day lillies are already sprouting up. we had a week and a half in the 50s but then 3" of snow over the weekend :eek:

[corkybstewart]

I just use the lower value for the strain I'm growing. Also until you have an idea of the acids just use them for aroma or dry hopping. This will be the the first year I'll really have enough to worry about so I'll brew something pale and get a feel for the bitterness and adjust from there.

[DecoJuicer]

I was at my LHBS yesterday, and they have a sign up sheet for ordering rhyzomes. I have to be signed up by March 15 when he places the order. He has about 20-30 different options. I need to do some reading to decide which ones I want, but I can't wait to get mine in the ground.

[chazwicke]

I planted 4 varieties over a decade ago. Saaz, Chinook, Willamette, and Cascade. The Cascade were by far the most prolific. I'd recommend that anyone who is going to plant some now try Amarillo, but only because it is my favorite tasting hop.;)

[Dylan McGehee]

Hi all,
Just found the forums, so this is my first post.

I live in Hawaii and I am planning to try to grow hops this spring. I am wondering if anyone has tried to grow hops in Hawaii before, and how they found it worked for them, and if no one has grown hops here, are there any special considerations that seasoned growers can forsee that I might watch out for. I have read quite a bit prior to making this decision, but our heavy rainfall, increased temps, and lack of any real seasons leave me questioning how well hops will grow here.

[chazwicke]

Welcome to the board. You'd have to have them pass through your agriculture inspections first. I know HI is pretty tight about what they let in.

[DecoJuicer]

Originally posted by chazwicke
I planted 4 varieties over a decade ago. Saaz, Chinook, Willamette, and Cascade. The Cascade were by far the most prolific. I'd recommend that anyone who is going to plant some now try Amarillo, but only because it is my favorite tasting hop.;)

I'm thinking Amarillo, Cascade, Hallertauer, Willamette, Fuggle, Saaz. I certainly don't plan on growing all of them, but maybe 3 or 4 of those varieties.

[corkybstewart]

As I've posted before my Cascade did great, Nugget did well, Liberty not so well, Willamette did nothing.

[Dylan McGehee]

I checked already and I won't have any problems getting the rhizomes in. I am just concerned that the bines may burn up from too much sun, or that I may develop a lot of mildew due to heavey rains. The windward side of Oahu gets quite a bit of rain. Our days don't shorten or cool dramatically in fall and winter either, so I may never get any cones. I guess I'll see.

[corkybstewart]

The sunshine should not be a problem. As for the heavy rain, if you could plant them on a slope or mound so that the water wouldn't always be soaking the roots you should be OK. Remember that hops do best in the Northwest and they probably get as much rain as Hawaii. Also I started harvesting in August when daytime temps here were still in the 95-105 range, and I kept getting cones until the first freeze.Keep the leaves trimmed away from the ground and watch for mildew. I bet your hops will do great down there. Another hint when you buy them. If you buy from freshops.com try to buy the jumbo rhyzomes, they are more mature and you'll harvest cones the first year.

[Dylan McGehee]

Thanks for the advice Corky. I thought that a primary concern with hops was too much water on the upper parts of the plant causing mildew, but that water to the roots was good. When people talk about drip irrigation, I assumed the meant irrigation to the roots vice the leaves and the rest of the plant. Is this not the case?

[corkybstewart]

Hops require quite a bit of water, but mine did great being well watered once or twice a week, and I live in the desert where it rarely rains. But hops aren't swamp plants so the roots can't be always soaking in water-they need to dry out a bit between waterings. Drip irrigation is best because the water is applied to the roots, not the leaves, but you still wouldn't want to water constantly with the drippers, it would still only be once or twice per week.

[Dylan McGehee]

Makes sense. Thanks for the help.