Growing hops in Mississippi.

[maf58d]

Anyone else growing hops in state, and if so, what are you're results with what types. I have had better than expected results on first year cascade and nugget. would like to hear if anyone is having any luck with other varieties such as willamette or sterling or whatever. ---- Mark F. ----

 

[Daybis]

Mark, sorry for such a late reply. I haven't been on HBT in a long time.

I've grown hops last year and this year. I've grown cascade, nugget, and EKG. My cascade and nugget produced cones last year, but no more than maybe a 1/2 - 1/2 oz once dried. However, this year was an utter failure. My hops came up pretty early this spring, shot up, and spread out pretty quickly. However, I got no cones this year. My hops are in large planters. I blame the heat and my hops being in planters for the lack of cones this year. My EKG didn't produce cones this year or last year. I think it's just too warm this far south for that variety in general. I also use a drip irrigation system on my hosp on a timer, so I know they got plenty of water.

 

[maf58d]

Hey Ron, great to hear from you. I picked the last of my hops yesterday to bring my total to 15 ounces of cascade and 3 ounces of nugget dried, from 2 each of each risome. If I have no problems with the ground being too wet and getting some root rot, I hope to have more than I can use next year. I enjoy gardening and may dote on my plants more than most, but I don't know if I was that good at growing my hops or just lucky. I planted them in plastic barrels that I cut in half and used the top half with the top also cut out to make it open on both ends, and put them in the ground two thirds with the soil mixed heavily with compost and some sand to loosen my fairly heavy clay soil. When we hit the hot and dry stretch of summer, I watered them one gallon per plant every day or every other day going by how dry the top inch of soil felt and gave them a half dose of miracle grow twice a week. I also sprayed them for aphids after the almost wiped out one of the nugget bines. I took some pictures of them and will see if I can figure out how to post them on here soon. I think your hops are maybe just a small adjustment away from producing. Hope to hear back from you soon. ----Mark F.----

 

[maf58d]

Ok,finally took some time,[actually a whole lot of time,figuring out how to get these pictures from my camera to a file I could transfer to here was a long go],to post some pictures of my hops that I took in late august.And to Ron, are you going to try taking yours from the planters into the ground? --- Mark F. --- kegged: bavarian dunkel, munich lager, vienna lager, brown ale, rye ale, golden cascade lager primary: vienna lager, blonde ale

 

[dcarter]

Awesome! I am growing nugget in South Louisiana. Those look fantastic.

 

[maf58d]

dcarter, how did yours do this year? ---Mark F.---

 

[dcarter]

dcarter, how did yours do this year? ---Mark F.---

They did great! As this is the first year, I wasn't really expecting much other than bine growth and root development but they probably produced about half of a 5 gallon bucket in hops. I didn't harvest this year since that would only yield about .75 oz of dry hops, but I was very pleased with the growth. Next year should be great.

 

[Daybis]

Ok,finally took some time,[actually a whole lot of time,figuring out how to get these pictures from my camera to a file I could transfer to here was a long go],to post some pictures of my hops that I took in late august.And to Ron, are you going to try taking yours from the planters into the ground? --- Mark F. --- kegged: bavarian dunkel, munich lager, vienna lager, brown ale, rye ale, golden cascade lager primary: vienna lager, blonde ale

Mark, Those look great! Since you seemed to have no problem this year, I'm curious what my major malfunction was this year. I'm guessing it had to do with mine being in planters. I thought about putting mine in the ground, but I have three dogs. One of them will eat just about anything, so I've been super paranoid about putting them in the ground. I've heard (I could be wrong) that once they are planted they are damn near impossible to get rid of since they spread and grow like weeds and it's difficult to get rid of all of the roots. I do have a spot on the south side of my house that's not part of the fenced in back yard I could plant them.

 

[maf58d]

Ron, if you made a small chicken wire, or similar fence around your plants, your dogs won't be interested enough to bother them,[ unless someone dumps bacon grease or such on your plants!]. I also think that maybe in Wisconsin, they might have hops growing like weeds. I don't think the same applies for Mississippi, I think just mowing around them is more than adequate. > Not trying to rag you, just trying to help you decide to stick them in the ground.

 

[maf58d]

dcarter, I'm thinking half a 5 gallon bucket should have dried to at least 4 ounces! You could have brewed up something hoppy happy with that!!

 

[captainkirk83]

Thanks maf. I've been debating on buying some rizomes but was not sure which variety to go with.

 

[maf58d]

Hey captainkirk83, Cascade seems by far the best for growing here or anywhere. After that, maybe nugget or magnum. I hope to try growing a noble type and an english type, maybe sterling, santiam or mt. hood for noble, and willamette for an english. ----Mark F. ----

 

[captainkirk83]

Thanks. I've decided to start with 2 cascade and maybe 2 nuggets. I don't have room for more than 4 total.

 

[maf58d]

captainkirk, have you ordered rhizomes yet? ---Mark F.---

 

[maf58d]

Hey Ron, have you done anything with yours? Have they started coming back up yet? I noticed mine have started to put up some shoots. --- Mark F. ---

 

[captainkirk83]

captainkirk, have you ordered rhizomes yet? ---Mark F.---

No. We will hopeful be moving in next 18 months so it doesn't make much sense long term.

 

[maf58d]

captainkirk, hope your move is good,---and up. You looking to move near or far? ---Mark F.---

 

[captainkirk83]

Not far. Just want a larger house with 3 kids.

 

[maf58d]

Made a couple shots of how they are doing now. Lost one of cascade in computer some how, this one is of nugget, March 19th. ---Mark F.---

 

[maf58d]

hops as of today. Nugget and Cascade. ---Mark F. ---

 

[DrewBrew08]

Nice Mark! Post more pics!

 

[maf58d]

Made some of reworking support for bines, and the third and forth pictures are of the nugget and cascade, as of today respectively. ---Mark F.---

 

[maf58d]

trouble uploading

 

[maf58d]

Don't know what I done any different, but got them in today. ---Mark F.---

 

[maf58d]

A couple shots made today, one week after last posted. Have started pinching off excess shoots. Nugget is 5 feet tall, cascade is 6 feet tall. --- Mark f. ---

 

[DrewBrew08]

Stuff grows like kudzu huh. A lot bigger than they were a week ago ha

 

[maf58d]

They do grow fast. Can see a noticeable difference every day. ---Mark F.---

 

[maf58d]

Pictures made yesterday, Friday, of hops. First picture is nugget at seven and a half foot, second is cascade at nine foot tall. ---Mark F.---

 

[maf58d]

This is a shot of a cedar swing I made a year and a half ago from dead cedars on property, and second picture is shot from that swing to view of pavilion I built two and a half years ago. ---Mark F.---

 

[maf58d]

After work yesterday, I got my camera to take my Friday hop pictures, pulled a pint from tap, and took the hop shots. Was nice outside and didn't feel like working on anything else, so walked about a bit with camera in hand and shot some other projects I've done. These last ones are of the pavilion in previous post, close up. It is about 200 feet down creek of where my hops are. ---Mark F.---

 

[dcarter]

Looks like paradise to me!

 

[maf58d]

hops today, Saturday. Nugget is up to 11 foot, Cascade is up to 13 foot.

 

[maf58d]

Good to here from you dcarter. Yes I like to at least get down there at least a few minutes each day to get a break from anything else going on. after a good rain like last night the creek is generally flowing pretty good. ---Mark F.---

 

[maf58d]

I have a few rooted cuttings from my hops that are potted. If anyone is up in Mooreville, [just east of Tupelo] and is interested in trying to grow your own, stop by and I;ll give you some to try. ---Mark F.---

 

[maf58d]

Still have hops to give and send to good home. are well mannered and house broken. Will outgrow their small containers soon though. Looking for loving family or person to take them in. ---Mark F.---

 

[maf58d]

I have more pictures I was going to put on, but computer disc space is acting up bad, can't enter them in to then load them. Nugget is up to 15 ft. Cascade is up to 17 ft. and covered with hop burrs. ---Mark F.---

 

[maf58d]

For all who are interested in pictures of the hops progression, it will be a couple days at least till I get my computer back from shop. Was so used up on space that nothing was left to use to clear anything out, sort of like constipated to the piont of death.I can post from computer at work, but can't post pictures from here. Hops are really taking off since last pictures, and I want to show them to those interested, so I'll post them as soon as I can. ---Mark F.---

 

[maf58d]

Ok, have another computer that is much bigger than old one in capacity, but different in system,so have to figure everything out all over again. Do have picture doing loaded, so here are pictures taken on Friday the 24th. All cascades are over the top, and one nugget is also. Plus cascades are full of early cones, nuggets are filling up on burrs. Looking real good on year so far. ---Mark F.---

 

[maf58d]

Not far from first cascade harvest, plus nuggets going from burrs to small cones. ---Mark F.---

 

[jrodskreet]

when is the ideal time to plant the risomes here?