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Homegrown Hop Help

dnd0327

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Hey all,
I'm hoping someone can help with a hop growing question.
I am growing 10 varieties. All are going well. My centennial however maybe a little too well. I have shoots coming up all over the place. I trimmed them all back once and they keep coming. Some are 3 feet away from the crown.

My question is this:
How do I control this thing? I know I can take cuttings from it and propagate them, but not sure when or how to go about it. I would be happy to share any cuttings as I am completely out of space. I anticipate this happening soon with my nugget and cascade, so I'll need to do it over and over I guess.

Thanks in advance,
Dan
 
Hi dnd,

I had the same problem with Horseradish in my garden. Shoots coming up everywhere and difficult to control. The solution for me was to dig out all shoots/root system of the Horseradish and those that I would like to keep for the next season I put in large plastic pots and put them back in the soil and covered them with earth (you couldn't see the plastic pots).
I did a similar thing with plants that didn't had a root system that went that deep as the Horseradish however still growing fast on a more surface level with their root system (for example Mint): putting plastic roles of garden edging material around the plants (in stead off using it only for bed borders).

I am not familiar with hopplants and how their root system functions, but perhaps this could be ways to control excessive growth.
Regards,
Slurk
 
Usually gathering rhizomes is earlier in the season.  I think you want to limit the number of bines that you allow to come up to one or two so that you can get strong tall growth and keep the base from getting so crowded that you get mildew problems.  If I don't thin mine, I get a bunch of short plants that don't produce cones.
 
I'm only into my third year growing a limited variety of hops, so I doubt that I will be of too much help.  You didn't mention how old your plants are, but from what I've been told and read, you should have no more than 3 bines per plant.  Due to the age of my plants, I limited my bines to two per plant.  As more shoot sprout up, I cut them back to the ground to keep all of the food / nutrition going to the main bines... not the shoots.  So far it looks like my method is working well.  My cascade plants are loaded with cones and no evidence of mildew / disease. 
 
Thanks guys, that helps.
These hops are 2 years old. I have some that are 1 year.
I hope to figure out how to cut back the rhizomes in the spring, if they are large enough.
I hope to convince my friends to grow them as I am out of space.
For now I will continue trimming...it's a LOT of shoots. It's fun though.
Thanks,
Dan
 
Like zymurgist05 said keep cutting back the new shoots that pop up.  That's what I've done for a few years now and have not damaged them so far. ;) As for the Centennial, next spring pull up one or two of the shoots that are trying to make a break for it and cut whats under the ground, and send them to me. I love that hop and will give it some good homebrew to drink  ;D.

 
My wife (professional gardener) and I have Hops growing on the West side of our house for summer time shade, have had them growing for 5 years now with no problems.  They have limited water other then right at the plant.

You might want to dig down around the plant maybe 16" to 24" out and install some galvanized flashing say 18" deep.  That will keep the shoots from running out beyond the border that you set and taking over.

Tim
 
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