Lord Gruntfuttock Posted September 22, 2021 Author Posted September 22, 2021 So also during lockdown I looked at growing some hops. Just as a hobby (not sure the climate is right here) but will be nice to throw a few home-grown leaves into a brew if I get any flowers. Best spot was a bit of unused wasteground beside my shed, north facing and gets all day sun, but currently a dump for old bricks, waste oil, weeds and roadsigns... Concreted in an old fence rail that was lying in the paddock... Then read they don't like wet soil, and looked at the swamp I was intending to use after a day's rain... So I dug out the clay/shitty ground, and dug in gravel, compost, good soil, more compost, fertilser, decent top soil, and raised it a little to help drainage... And it looks pretty good. Will string some guide wires from the crossarm and plant 3 plants when they arrive. 2 x Fuggles on the outside and a Cascade in the centre. Might plant herbs in the bit to the right, just got tired of digging... Be interesting to see how they go... 5 Quote
shrike Posted September 22, 2021 Posted September 22, 2021 1 hour ago, Lord Gruntfuttock said: So also during lockdown I looked at growing some hops. Just as a hobby (not sure the climate is right here) but will be nice to throw a few home-grown leaves into a brew if I get any flowers. Best spot was a bit of unused wasteground beside my shed, north facing and gets all day sun, but currently a dump for old bricks, waste oil, weeds and roadsigns... Then read they don't like wet soil, and looked at the swamp I was intending to use after a day's rain... Be interesting to see how they go... Yeah they don't like getting too damp, have had a few rhizomes rot away, also you may need alittle more space then that as they tend to spread out but see how you go I have 3 with shoots atm, and 10 that haven't done anything yet. Not a very good gardener myself however and my dog likes to sleep on them :s 1 Quote
Lord Gruntfuttock Posted November 7, 2021 Author Posted November 7, 2021 Hop update. they're going ok. Cascade in the middle is a star, growing ~ 120mm vertically a day and throwing tendrils out everywhere looking for something to climb. Have since read you don't want to train the first bines that shoot up as they are bull bines looking to spread rather than flower, so might do some pruning (unsure on this as first year is all about establishing a healthy root system rather than yield). Might stick the cut offs in some dirt to see if they grow, and chuck em in random spots on the property... 4 Quote
Lord Gruntfuttock Posted November 9, 2022 Author Posted November 9, 2022 Shit haven't been here in a while. Hops are about the same stage again now, ahead of last year. Got a great crop in March and have made a few brews with them. Actually won a prize at beer festival competition too so things going OK... Just cracked one of these, a passionfruit Gose, a sour German beer with salt and coriander. Sounds gay AF but very refreshing. Cheers... Quote
Lord Gruntfuttock Posted November 9, 2022 Author Posted November 9, 2022 Jim the sex pest Wiltshire approves... 3 4 Quote
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