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5 tips for growing hops and shit
5 TIPS FOR GROWING HOPS AND SHIT
INTRO
Growing hops, especially in California isn’t that difficult, but maybe I’m a much better green thumb than I think. I mean last year, I planted a pretty successful garden. It’s not bragging because I actually did a crap load of research and asking around before planting it, in addition to actually planting that fucker.
I think I may just have a knack for finding the right information or not being afraid to make mistakes.
Don’t get me wrong, making mistakes sucks ass. It’s way better to do it right the first time, but if a mistake is made it is a pivot point to correct it the next time.
That being said, hops are pretty cheap to plant. They run around $4-5 each rhizome and whatever you want to spend outside of that is up to you.
Without further delays, let me explain my recipe for planting a successful hop garden. LET’S HOP TO IT (I know, cheesy, but I’m HOPing to make it somewhat lighthearted).
http://traffic.libsyn.com/bminusshow/growing_hops.mp3
PH AND SOIL
Fucking PH, it rules the brewing water world, my swimming pool and also GARDENS! I have been inundated with the need to understand PH, I was essentially forced to learn about it…but in the end for a good reason, HOPS!
PH is the acidity level in water or soil.
Now I admit I did not measure my PH for my hop soil. But you should strive for around a 5-8ish PH level. You can buy a PH meter, buy a PH test kit or use soil with the right PH level. You can use baking soda to lower the PH or an acid additive to raise it.
All will cost you money, JUST LIKE BREWING. Brewing was supposed to be cheap, now I’m heavy into debt on this brew thing (not really).
Or you can do it B- style season 1 and plant it in the ground without a PH test and let it roll.
That’s all I kinda sorta technically know about nutrients and PH and stuff.
Tip 1: Consider getting the PH right over 5.7-7 should work.
GROWING HOPS
As of this post, I have only grown hops for one season. I had very B- success so far. Out of 4 hop rhizomes, 2 made it up and produced cones. The other two just vanished into dark matter.
A rhizome is the root, or vine of that is planted in the ground about 6 inches down after frost season (unless they are pre-existing from the season before). I just dug a hole and put them in there. I watered them every couple of days. I also made sure they had ample sunlight.
Some peeps start them or keep them in a pot. I don’t like the pot method; I haven’t had much luck planting in pots in general. Sometimes I’m old fashioned, ground and pound. I think you need
To my surprise the next year, I was re digging the holes and the two “survivor” rhizomes were about quadruple in length! They were also starting to bud in January (underground and warm winter).
So I dug them up, cut them in half and planted them in the other rhizome graveyards. I intend to mix soil with them when it’s time to bloom, which will be a month later. And no, I likely won’t do a PH test unless I have another unsuccessful year.
Let me back up for a minute. If your hops grow, they will shoot up like a vine. They are vines and need a trellis or something to climb up.
They grow like 20-30 feet long and can have multiple shoots coming off each rhizome. Many people like to cut all but two vines per rhizome so the focus of energy and growth. That can result in more hop cones produced.
People then guide them on a trellis or climbing device and water every few days.
I just planted them on my chain link fence along the back side of my back yard. I let it go, did not even cut the vines down to two because the plant was new, I wanted Darwinism to kick in (survival of the fittest).
I have three tips within this portion for ya:
View all episodes
By Shawn Myers5 TIPS FOR GROWING HOPS AND SHIT
INTRO
Growing hops, especially in California isn’t that difficult, but maybe I’m a much better green thumb than I think. I mean last year, I planted a pretty successful garden. It’s not bragging because I actually did a crap load of research and asking around before planting it, in addition to actually planting that fucker.
I think I may just have a knack for finding the right information or not being afraid to make mistakes.
Don’t get me wrong, making mistakes sucks ass. It’s way better to do it right the first time, but if a mistake is made it is a pivot point to correct it the next time.
That being said, hops are pretty cheap to plant. They run around $4-5 each rhizome and whatever you want to spend outside of that is up to you.
Without further delays, let me explain my recipe for planting a successful hop garden. LET’S HOP TO IT (I know, cheesy, but I’m HOPing to make it somewhat lighthearted).
http://traffic.libsyn.com/bminusshow/growing_hops.mp3
PH AND SOIL
Fucking PH, it rules the brewing water world, my swimming pool and also GARDENS! I have been inundated with the need to understand PH, I was essentially forced to learn about it…but in the end for a good reason, HOPS!
PH is the acidity level in water or soil.
Now I admit I did not measure my PH for my hop soil. But you should strive for around a 5-8ish PH level. You can buy a PH meter, buy a PH test kit or use soil with the right PH level. You can use baking soda to lower the PH or an acid additive to raise it.
All will cost you money, JUST LIKE BREWING. Brewing was supposed to be cheap, now I’m heavy into debt on this brew thing (not really).
Or you can do it B- style season 1 and plant it in the ground without a PH test and let it roll.
That’s all I kinda sorta technically know about nutrients and PH and stuff.
Tip 1: Consider getting the PH right over 5.7-7 should work.
GROWING HOPS
As of this post, I have only grown hops for one season. I had very B- success so far. Out of 4 hop rhizomes, 2 made it up and produced cones. The other two just vanished into dark matter.
A rhizome is the root, or vine of that is planted in the ground about 6 inches down after frost season (unless they are pre-existing from the season before). I just dug a hole and put them in there. I watered them every couple of days. I also made sure they had ample sunlight.
Some peeps start them or keep them in a pot. I don’t like the pot method; I haven’t had much luck planting in pots in general. Sometimes I’m old fashioned, ground and pound. I think you need
To my surprise the next year, I was re digging the holes and the two “survivor” rhizomes were about quadruple in length! They were also starting to bud in January (underground and warm winter).
So I dug them up, cut them in half and planted them in the other rhizome graveyards. I intend to mix soil with them when it’s time to bloom, which will be a month later. And no, I likely won’t do a PH test unless I have another unsuccessful year.
Let me back up for a minute. If your hops grow, they will shoot up like a vine. They are vines and need a trellis or something to climb up.
They grow like 20-30 feet long and can have multiple shoots coming off each rhizome. Many people like to cut all but two vines per rhizome so the focus of energy and growth. That can result in more hop cones produced.
People then guide them on a trellis or climbing device and water every few days.
I just planted them on my chain link fence along the back side of my back yard. I let it go, did not even cut the vines down to two because the plant was new, I wanted Darwinism to kick in (survival of the fittest).
I have three tips within this portion for ya: