Hop rhizomes

[James P]

Hi All
(Hopefully I didn't miss a thread here, I searched first!)
Just wanted to see if anyone has rhizomes available this year? I hear there is a shortage, however if there are any suppliers anyone knows of I would be keen to given them a go!

Maybe we can get a list of suppliers going? I see in the old forum that Stephen @ Hallertau may have been one of them, any ideas?

Cheers

[Cascade]

I'm in Orewa (north Auckland) at the moment.  I've had really good success from taking cuttings off the Smoothcone.  Hops seem to be incredibly resilient - I can take a cutting, shove it in compost and it will root and grow most of the time.

[Chris Banks]

My Danscade is about six foot tall and heading of down its rope - but the leaves are huge this year about 250mm across heres a pic in case anyone thinks Im talking "Tui"

[Smiffy]

I have moved mine again this year in another attempt to protect them from the wind, and where they are I can't do much to give them support above 2 metres.

Last year they could go horizontally after going up 2 m, but the horizontal growth seemed to be be extra susceptible to wind damage, needed tying on, and didn't produce any cones.

I have noticed that once the growing tip is damaged, it never grows again from there, so I ws thinking that when they have nowhere else to climb, maybe I should cut the tips off, and maybe they will put more energy into producing side shoots and cones.

Has anyone tried this sort of pruning?

[Paul Fraser]

I will be interested to hear peoples response to this as i have a Smoothcone which has just sky rocketed and the tallest bine is at about 8ft tall now and am thinking about whether or not to try it growing horizontally once it reaches the top of the strings or try to build a trellis to increase the height. Got some cascade too which look strong but aren't growing much yet. They came from small cuttings so i guess they're busy putting down roots. As long as they look strong i'm happy.

[Dougal]

Hahaha!  I knew that Smoothcone division would go nuts. You can imagine what the mother plant is like now. Hops are like triffids once they get established.

[Paul Fraser]

Yes, it's amazing. What time of year do they normally stop growing in height and start sprouting side arms?? Looking forward to seeing how it goes. Especially since the weather has been crap and the sun will be showing it's face a bit more. :-)

[Smiffy]

What I have observed is that the side growth gets serious when they can't get any more height, so the commercial growers don't see much side growth until Christmas, mine (2m height limited) are growing sideways before the end of October.

I've given up, as I don't have anywhere they can achieve a practical height without getting battered by the wind, and growing low, they don't produce much. So does anyone want four "danscade" plants, in buckets, ready for next season. Collect from Paraparaumu Beach? First come first served.

[Tom]

I'd be keen on a Rhizome but I'm northern waikato so a bit far for a drive.

[Dan]

Hi Smiffy You must have some serious wind where you are! Im thinking this is like dejavue? did you have them growing over a glasshouse at one stage? a couple of years ago. I cant remember (Im out of touch with the brewing community and brewing, for now.)

Have you tried growing 2 canes to 2metres then tying them sideways on a wire like a grapevine, against a fence or building will help too.

[Smiffy]

Yes. Not as bad as Wellington, but you don't need wind very often to do the damage.

I tried various locations to get shelter, I tried up and along, against fences etc, and inside a glasshouse, but I never got enough to dry-hop more than a few litres of ale, hence I gave up.

I think they need height, lack of wind, sun, and fertiliser, and I couldn't give them height without wind. (And I think salty wind off the sea is even worse than just wind).

[Reuben Rowntree]

Hi Smiffy, do you still have a spare danscade? I'll be in the area this weekend for Beervana. Heading back up the coast on sunday. Cheers

[Smiffy]

Sorry no, long gone.