Last year I had ordered some rhizomes to help me crush two virs with one stone;extend my green thumb and harvest some home grown hops. I had them behind the garage their first season. It was the best I could find where they had access to a trellis and an adequte amount of sunshine, The trellis was a a couple nails on the top of my garage and some twine strung down, about 12 feet in all. Two varieties, Nugget and Cascade, were planted in two hand made containers and set to shine. The cascades took off like Danika Patrick in a gay bar. Growth was almost instantaneous and continued until they reached the top of the garage. They probably would have reached mush further but I had no other support system and they refused to be trained to grow downwards from the peak to the side. I saw maybe a foot of effort. The cones were fantastic and I was able to yield about two ounces when all was said and done.
The Nuggets were another story, but not a disappointing one. this variety has a slow start phase and new from rhizomes could take a season or ore to establish themselves. In fact, there was a chance neither variety would have produced at all. I had faith that I might get soem bloom from the Nuggets, but when late August reared its head, I lost hope. There was only about three feet of growth. Yet I was happy with my first season, and used some of those hops to dry hop (see previous post) a pale ale.
When summer turned to fall, I moved the pots to the side of the house (next to my very strange neighbor who wont talk to me outside, but will wave to me from his car and once gave my the middle finger for no reason). Here, they had the winter to settle and the spring to get some new root structure. My neighbor didnt give me the finger until after I had placed these here and maybe he was pissed about it, or just nuts. I'll take the latter.
Growth fromt eh cascades was / is enormoous. At first I thought I had a weed growing. The infant vines were so thick and white. I thought I ruined them in the transfer and some nasty being took their place. But after a bit of patience and development I was at ease, they were in face hops. Again the Nuggets lagged behind, about 3-4 weeks totla before I saw some sprouts. Next to the house they have probably 30 or more feet to grow. I have scaled the roof in three seperate intances to supply a sturdy trellis. Once they were knocked down by the wind, I only had some resistant clamps keeping the lines in place. I reinforced those bitches with some c-clamps so nothing will take them down.
Th nuggets are on full tilt, growing inches by the day and are sure to produce this season. The cascades might just take over the roof. Harvesting wont occur until later summer and early fall, so Ill have plenty of time to think of some great uses in the long run.
