Hop Rhizome

[johnrm]

I have root cuttings, but theres no movement on them.
The balance of hops I need to hold on to, so fingers crossed I will have some next year.

[Tom]

JohnRM, check just below the surface of the soil for little white grubs. They nibble the roots and really slow down the growth. I've lost a few cuttings this winter to those feckers. They're bad. If you've some of last year's growth above soil level, give it a little pull, and if it feels loose you've got chafer beetle larvae. I've just spent the last hour on a search and destroy.

[johnrm]

You calling me names again Tom?
I pulled up my hops before season started, chopped and transplanted them holding on to the left-over roots.
I AM that grub 

[Tom]

Of course, what I meant to say was "watch out for little JohnRMs, just below the soil"!

Good thinking there with digging the rhizomes up. Let me know how it affects the yield, if at all.

[johnrm]

Credit where credit is due 
I have one rhizome bustling with activity in a pot in a polytunnel. One shoot is up to 1m already.
The rest (new arrivals) are pretty tame.

[Cathal O D]

Hey Tom. Probably wont be up at easter but maybe a weekend or two after that. Will let you know.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

[Tom]

No problem Cathal, they'll still be here. Might even actually have some beer ready, but don't hold your breath for that one!

[bionut]

Do you have any extra rhizomes yet? 

[bionut]

I hope that the rhizomes are dead, not the whole plants