7 replies to this topic

[jayb151]

Hey all, I was wondering if anyone could explain how this person grows hops in containers or if anyone has already done this and has any pictures.BYO articleI know the BYO article explains how to build this trellis, but I just can't picture it in my mind. It sounds like this person starts with a string that has been doubled back, and lets out some slack as the hops begin to reach the top. Wouldn't that put the hops on the ground? I just can't visualize this. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[ncbeerbrewer]

Hey all, I was wondering if anyone could explain how this person grows hops in containers or if anyone has already done this and has any pictures.BYO articleI know the BYO article explains how to build this trellis, but I just can't picture it in my mind. It sounds like this person starts with a string that has been doubled back, and lets out some slack as the hops begin to reach the top. Wouldn't that put the hops on the ground? I just can't visualize this. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Jayb, It seems to me he ties the string to the eyelet and lets the vine grow up that string. Once it gets close to the eyelet he lets it out, the hops bunch up at the bottom of the vine and he keeps giving the vine more room to grow but never reaching top of the string or eyelet. Its like pulling the vine starting at the top and the excess bunches up near the base and roots. As he said the hops keep growing up and the base gets bunched up. Hope that helps!!

[jayb151]

Jayb, It seems to me he ties the string to the eyelet and lets the vine grow up that string. Once it gets close to the eyelet he lets it out, the hops bunch up at the bottom of the vine and he keeps giving the vine more room to grow but never reaching top of the string or eyelet. Its like pulling the vine starting at the top and the excess bunches up near the base and roots. As he said the hops keep growing up and the base gets bunched up. Hope that helps!!

Just so I "got it." It seems like (if you'll humor me) i can compare the vine to a sound wave. There are crests and troughs, right. For the hops he lets them grow, and when the hops come close to the top, he basically pulls the hops down. It's like increasing the frequency of a sound wave, the crests simply become closer together, right?Thanks for the response.

[zymot]

I grew some Mt Hood in 30 gallon Rubbermaid containers.I had a good layer of rock on the bottom and drilled many holes in for drainage. I used cheap potting soil mix and fed regularly with miracle grow. They were placed in a sunny spot and got watered regularly.The first season, I got my trellis filled with bines and the bines were filled hop cones. I could not have expected better results.Bottom line. For whatever reason, if you are forced to use containers, do what you can and hope for the best. See what you get.

[WallyG3]

Just so I "got it." It seems like (if you'll humor me) i can compare the vine to a sound wave. There are crests and troughs, right. For the hops he lets them grow, and when the hops come close to the top, he basically pulls the hops down. It's like increasing the frequency of a sound wave, the crests simply become closer together, right?Thanks for the response.

No, he's not pushing the vine down the string, he's letting out more string to let the vine continue to grow up. I believe he says in the article that the vines ended up laying on the ground.I did this last year, and after letting out more string, I looped the vine over a little stand I fashioned - think coil of garden hose.P.S. It was a pain so I planted them in the ground this year, where they are going nuts. If you have any means possible, plant them in the ground. If you have no choice, this does work, it just takes more constant care. Like Zymot said, they LOVE miracle grow!! I got good results from using the blue powder (mixed with water) weekly during growing season.

[BarelyBrews]

I put a small rhizome in a bucket(6.5 gallons)a couple of years ago.Had holes drilled in the bottom for drainage.By the end of the year the roots were two foot out the bottom of the bucket.Lesson learned ,definitely atleast go with the 30 gallon rubbermaid.

[jayb151]

No, he's not pushing the vine down the string, he's letting out more string to let the vine continue to grow up. I believe he says in the article that the vines ended up laying on the ground.I did this last year, and after letting out more string, I looped the vine over a little stand I fashioned - think coil of garden hose.P.S. It was a pain so I planted them in the ground this year, where they are going nuts. If you have any means possible, plant them in the ground. If you have no choice, this does work, it just takes more constant care. Like Zymot said, they LOVE miracle grow!! I got good results from using the blue powder (mixed with water) weekly during growing season.

Thanks Wally, That's exactly what I thought the author meant. Right now, I do have some hops in the ground, but I'm going to graduate from college next semester and hope to move out eventually. I'd rather put new rhizomes in containers so I can take them with me when I leave.Thanks for the help guys!

[chuck_d]

When I was growing hops in a container last year I just built a string for them to grow up in my apartment. Over the winter I left the planter on my friend's porch for the cold dormant period. His landlord drowned them, so this year no hops for me. Who does that? Who waters someone else's plants without asking? You should see his plants next to where my planter was, they are not growing very well.Anyways, all anger aside, my point was you don't need to use that "expanding trellis" design for growing in containers.When I get back to my apartment I'll dig up more photos for you, ironically these don't have my "trellis" in them as it wasn't built yet.https://dieseldrafts.com/journal/2009/04/growing-hops/