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The frugal concept intrigues me for some reason....good luck with your project.

A lot of folks seem to swear by a 50/50 mix of potting soil and sand. I like good loam/topsoil mixed with some sand and high organic matter (compost/manure). Throw in some spent grain to make sure the soil doesn't get too compacted.

I bury my tubs to ground level and compost them just like my actual hop yard hills. In the spring I pull them out let them grow.

My established plants are doing fine. The second phase of hop yard expansion seems to be having a tough time. I have about 25 more plants I would like to put in.... September will be the target month. Sweet pumpkins are doing fair but show signs of too much water on the lower leaves.

Wicked frost here last night too. FEF

They will eventually fall over under their own weight, say 12" to 16" depending on variety. Then your concern is moisture contact with top soil on the base of the bine, you can develop a contact rot issue. Like a sore on the bine. You can always train them up something like a driveway...

I have not yet settled on a plan of attack so to speak. I am leaning toward larger containers for this season and a full time home for them in 2014. Suggestions and thoughts are always welcomed!

First round of cuttings are potted. 12 days from cut to pot.... not too shabby I think.

Looks like it's gonna work!

"What is your industry saying relative to the long-term market potential?" The Mass DAR states that the craft beer industry here in Taxachusetts can use 100 acres of hops. They have started a craft beer study to evaluate the potential, I suspect the results will be available this year...

Mark from Bobcat spoke at the 2012 conference about handling, he also served each of the 200 plus attendees 6 samples of beer. The beer samples contained hopping mistakes (4 mistakes/2 correct beers) to show growers what mishandling hops can lead to in the long run.

The general consensus seems to be the failure to establish a relationship with a brewer or brewery. Several people, including a speaker from Canada, had gone into the project rather blind I think. Failure to have testing done was a specific issue, but that ties in to being an unknown...

They are a stand up company to deal with. Good luck with your efforts! FEF

My situation is unique and after speaking with a number of other hop farmers I realize how thankful I am. I am a failed cranberry grower....it still stings a little but its true. I had just over 2 acres of my own and an acre of lease bog. The plan was to have a little for retirement when...

I am trying to get plants started using aeroponics and then transplant them into pots or directly into my hop yard expansion area. I am cautiously optimistic.

I figured I would give aeroponics cloning a try. 20 cuttings of Cascade, Perle, and Saaz underway. If anyone is interested I will update the progress.... if any.

Why not grow some in a container? You'll have mature plants when you get to your new place.

I have 7 varieties in the ground, 6 that I "cropped" last year, and 1 Willamette as an oddball this year. I say cropped kind of tongue in cheek, Cascase and Zeus did very well, Northern Brewer, Fuggle, Perle did ok, and Saaz was so low it shouldn't count. So far I find them much easier than...

Lots of free info at the UVM Extension (University of Vermont) on hops. They have done some extensive trial work on a number of varieties, mostly for commercial use. Are you growing for fun or profit? That may play a factor as well. Paul

They handed out samples at the UVM Hops Conference in Vermont, I loved em! FEF