Best Missus ever

[BrewBilly]

Hey chaps, my missus got me an early birthday present. I was trying to give hints for my bday so left the Wellingham nursery page open for her to see. And look what I got. Any tips on planting and maitenance?

[LordEoin]

oh wow, that's a hefty root system it came with! I bought mine off some german crowd and it came with a tiny root ball. That should take off running
mix plenty of fertilizer in with the soil.
My first year I had a load of chicken shit and they grew mad, this year i had none and the yield was disappointing

[sub82]

Looks class - will be interesting to see how they turn out!

[Will_D]

Billy - welcome to the hopgrowers!

What I would do is pot it up in a big pot (as its such a HUGH specimen) moisten the compost and pop into a green house, or  find a sheltered spot in the garden. Usually we plant out in March when the frosts have stopped. The roots are frost hardy so when in the grounf they overwinter no problem. Its just the first year. They will probably start growing in the green house. No problems there just plant out when the weather is sound. Other thing they don't like is wind!

HTH: Will

[BrewBilly]

So a quick update, my cascade rhizome has been in the pot for a month now. Initially nothing then slowly the shoots started growing, now its taken off like stink at this rate i will have to put a climbing frame up

[BrewBilly]

Quick pic for update

[BrewBilly]

I am waiting for two more shoots to out grow the rest then i will trim all the excess shoots leaving three for proper growth

[Will_D]

Its a hard thing to bring yourself to do but the advice is to cut out the first 2 or 3 shoots and grow on the next 2 (if new plant) or 3 if its established.

That way you apparently get shorter "inter-node" distances (i.e. more leaves and a heavier crop of cones)

Also when you get the next 2 shoots let them grow to about 2 foot long then peg them down into a small pot of compost buried next to the mother plant (Called the "Irish Man's Cutting") Make sure you bury a leaf node that has had the leaves removed (a pich of rooting powder works well)

They will develop roots and the top will grow away.
When well rooted, cut off from the mother plant, pot up, and grow on. Keep well watered for the first week or so as the roots take from the missing mother plant.

You now have two more plants!

[sub82]

Looking good - will be looking forward to trying your beer made with these!

[BrewBilly]

I think I have created a monster, grown a foot in a few days. I am going to need to get a very tall pole and some twine to start training it properly.