Winterize potted Hops?

[JnLnNOVA]

Just getting an idea of what others are doing if they are growing hops in containers of some sort. I have mine in large grow bags until I figure out what I want to do with them. Its year one so should I leave the vines as is or cut back? I’m in Virginia and was planning on just letting them ride it out.

 

[FromZwolle]

i have to transfer into my garage or the illinois winter kills it pretty fast! i get it as close to the chest freezer as is practical to try and get a tiny bit of heat off of it, but nothing special outside of that.

 

[day_trippr]

Potted or planted, I believe one should allow bines to wither before removing from the crown as there are carbohydrates in green bines that the plant can pull out as it heads towards "hibernation". After that, placing potted crowns against the north wall will keep them out of the winter sun so they'll stay dormant. Winter cold won't bother them, but repeated warming and freezing definitely isn't good for them...

Cheers!

 

[Dgallo]

Potted or planted, I believe one should allow bines to wither before removing from the crown as there are carbohydrates in green bines that the plant can pull out as it heads towards "hibernation". After that, placing potted crowns against the north wall will keep them out of the winter sun so they'll stay dormant. Winter cold won't bother them, but repeated warming and freezing definitely isn't good for them...

Cheers!

Depends on where he lives. Rhizomes in the ground are insulated and is not likely to ever fall below 25*f which, most hardy varieties can handle. If it is a potted plant and you leave the pot outside exposed, they will get as cold as the air temperature. 3-5 days of negative temperatures would almost certainly cause them die. I would be very surprised if they would break dormancy a winter outdoors in a pot.

OP - you have a few options, however you need them to truly go dormant so you are looking for temps no more than 50. You could bring the pot into a cold cellar, an unheated garage or shed (If you’re in a very cold area and the shed temp typically falls below zero, your going to want to insulate the pot with some burlap or an old blanket). You could rake your yard leaves over the pot so it is completely covered by more than 1.5 ft of leaves. All of these will work but you could always Pull the entire roots system out, shake it out and put it in a shoe box with newspapers and put it in the basement. Then replant it in the spring

 

[Sylvain]

in pot I would not risk outside if it drops regularly to -4 or -5°C especially if there is no thaw in the day

 

[Kent88]

I've kept potted hops in my garage over winter. They usually put out bull shoots in early spring that way.

My cuttings are currently sitting in my three-seasons room.

 

[apache_brew]

Following: I have about (8) first year potted plants that have almost all dried up since August. I'm thinking to cut them all down to the soil level and toss some soil on top. I'm concerned with moisture though.

Last year I did something similar but left the pots on the north side of my house. They were exposed to rain all year and when I uprooted them the following year, all the roots were water logged and rotten. I think it had to do with my clay content in my native soil mixture. Seemed to not drain away like I thought it would.

Should I throw a tarp on top of all my plants?

No worry of frost where I am.

 

[Kent88]

Don't cut them too low.

If there is no worry of frost, you probably don't need to tarp them, but I'm not sure.

 

[Beerisgud]

I live in CT. Last year I planted chinooks in a 2’x2’x1’ galv steel planter. They grew about 8-9’ and produced a couple handfuls of cones. I used outdoor potting soil with perlite/manure/sand then mulch. I did not cut them back yet or move the planter. They are under a bunch of snow from recent storms. Should I unbury it and move it to my basement slider at 55F until spring?

 

[Dgallo]

I live in CT. Last year I planted chinooks in a 2’x2’x1’ galv steel planter. They grew about 8-9’ and produced a couple handfuls of cones. I used outdoor potting soil with perlite/manure/sand then mulch. I did not cut them back yet or move the planter. They are under a bunch of snow from recent storms. Should I unbury it and move it to my basement slider at 55F until spring?

Too late now. They already froze and any damage is done. Give them a chance this spring but If they bounce back, I’d be surprised

 

[Beerisgud]

Man you had me worried! @Dgallo and any others wondering, the planter chinooks survived a full CT winters exposure and lots of snow. These are pretty hardy plants! I wonder if the insulation of snow for most of the season may benefit perennials in planters. I did however unbury the top of the planter towards the end of winter to let it enjoy some of these warm days approaching spring. Each old shoot has small pink shoots surrounding it

 

[Dgallo]

That’s awesome. I bet the snow cover def help the insulation, especially with that really cold early/mid February we had. Congrats! Next year Id still suggest bringing them in though lol