Balcony hop growing

[RobD]

Interesting article on how to grow hops on a balcony in pots.

http://www.newschoolbeer.com/2012/03/ho ... tment.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bluenose]

So I was thinking... if hops are a member of the cannabis family, then couldn't the same techniques for growing pot also apply to growing hops

The method I was thinking might be useful to growers with limited space is Low Stress Training (http://lmgtfy.com/?q=low+stress+training) where you guide the plant along a grid as it grows. It would also eliminate the need to grow the plant up a high guide wire as you can fit the same length of plant in a smaller area.

Don't ask me how I know this

[amartin]

BYO had an article on growing hops in pots awhile back, although I'm having trouble finding it online. I don't think the yield is supposed to be as good as if they were in the ground, but I would try it if I had no other options.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

even if the yield isn't as good, you could grow them in pots for a year or two, then plant them when you live somewhere with room.

[bluenose]

pots... yeeaah

[newtonjason]

I planted 12 sub-irrigated planter boxes made from storage totes and the results exceeded my expectations.

Keys were to give them enough nutrients and water as you are feeding a large plant from a small root volume.

In the height of summer I watered them almost every day with nutrients a couple times a week.

From 12 plants, (1st year growing) I harvested 43lbs wet hops, 9.54lbs of dried hops. so average 3/4lb dried hops per plant.

I purposely trimmed most plants to only one bine so that may have limited harvest. one of the plants I left go to two bines and it produced twice the cones with no issues seen.

I'll keep posting updates, but in Vancouver, BC I am starting to get shoots coming up so the season (2014) has officially begun

Fuggles (2 vines) - 4.8 lbs wet - 18oz dry
Willamette (1 vine) - 2.4 lbs wet - 9.5 oz dry
Centennial (1 vine) - 2.4 lbs wet - 9 oz dry
Cascade (1 vine) - 4.8 lbs wet - 17 oz dry
Sterling (2 vines) - 9.5 lbs wet - 33 oz dry
Goldings (1 vine) - 3.5 lbs wet - 9.3 oz dry
Galena (1st vine)- 1.9 lbs wet - 6.4 oz dry
Mt Hood (1 vine) - 3.4 lbs wet - 10.7 oz dry
Galena (2nd vine) - 6.3 lbs wet - 23 oz dry
Chinook (1 vine) - 4.6 lbs wet - 16.7 oz dry

http://brewbot.ca/growing-hops-on-a-balcony.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bluenose]

Great job... Looking better than my 2 year plants, but mine were neglected last year

[CorneliusAlphonse]

Yeah they do look awesome.

[mr x]

Very nice indeed.

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