1 keg, a spool of twine and 300 knots later

[LordEoin]

I've had my hops in fairly small pots since I bought the rhizomes, so they're after falling behind and are only about 5 foot at the moment, but finally I got around to sorting out their final resting place.

The half kegs sit on top of a hole about the same size again, filled with compost and earth. That should give them plenty of root room, and they can root out into the ground too when they get established.

The one on the left is Smagard, the one on the right is Hallertau Mittlefruh. They both have 3 bines growing. The Hallertau got damaged in the post and only had one remaining tip, but I shoved 2 broken tips into the earth after getting it and they're growing away slowly. They should be good next year.

The web is made from plain old garden twine with the top line reinforced. If it doesn't work out I can always go tuna fishing

[johnrm]

Consider some kind of standoffs from the wall.
Hops like their space and right beside the wall may be detrimental.
Have you tied the bottom of the twine or is it free?

[LordEoin]

The bottom is tethered to the kegs.
I was going to put 4X4 beams up the wall on the sides to keep it a few inches out, but it's not feasbile at the moment. Maybe next year. They're currently about 2 inches out.

[johnrm]

How high is that gable?
Hops can go to 20ft or more you know.
I like the way you have planned to train them sideways 

[Tom]

I enviously presume that the shed in the back is where they'll get brewed too.

[Garry]

Nice work. Is the plan to cut down the net for harvesting or will you leave it up for next year's crop?

I ordered a few plants from eickelmann earlier in the year. They said not to put them inside, so I put them in the ould fella's glass house (it was brass moneys outside). The hops were happy out in the glass house, but I got impatient in late march, waiting for "spring", and set them outside. I think the cold shock killed them because there's been nothing since 


I'll try again next year but I don't think I've got green fingers    Good luck with yours, they look to be flying anyway. The kegs are a good touch; very fitting for what's in them 

[Garry]

 

[Eoin]

The size of your pot will eventually limit the size of the hop plant. Remember that the amount you can see above ground is approximately replicated below ground, so that will automatically limit it.
If you start to see the leaves browning from the bottom working their way up then you probably are root bound at that point and have reached the limit.

[johnrm]

What say we team up with 'green-fingers ireland' or whatever?
They help out with hops in exchange for beer...
Barter is still legal isn't it?

[Eoin]

I'm pretty good at the green fingers stuff, I had a very successful greenhouse and garden plants in the past. I've not built the greenhouse at the moment as the rental property we're in now has a crappy back garden.

[brenmurph]

heres my effort, 10 foot and climbing..............
clearly better growth in the polytunnel, however all thriving outdoor as well....plenty tomato food and some juice

[Partridge9]

Looking Good Lads !

[Garry]

plenty tomato food and some juice

You don't do things by halves Bren? Well done.

I tried the tomato food for a few weeks but it didn't help  What do you mean by "some juice"?

[brenmurph]

plenty tomato food and some juice

You don't do things by halves Bren? Well done.

I tried the tomato food for a few weeks but it didn't help  What do you mean by "some juice"?

liquid refreshment!  hard water from my water recovery well. From what I researched they like minerals and my water is treated so I dont hose them with tap water. Another way is to get some soil from the garden and murky up the water to get some extra minerals for  the roots.

if you water the plants with softened ( treated) water the risk is u will wash out the mineral content rather than adding to it.

some say well rotted manure, which I have but I throw a few pellets of fertiliser as well. They are hungry and thirsty dudes so look after them daily

[Garry]

Gotcha    I thought you were adding some lidl grape juice or something