GROWING HOPS
FirePitBrew: don't give up just yet. I had mine in the fridge for almost 2 months, planted them 3 weeks ago (southern Maine). It took almost 3 weeks for them to poke up through the ground. I had already given them up for lost. The one thing I would suggest is to water them often. I had left them pretty much alone, and when I was sure they hadn't survived I decided to water as a last ditch effort, and that's when they came up. I gave the ground where I'd planted them a decent soak once a day and I think that's what jump started them.
Thanks for the bout of confidence Lee. I haven't given up on them yet.. I've just become a little concerned. I usually do a good job keeping them watered. I added a little fertilizer and some compost too. I'm going to go check on them this afternoon and see if there's been any progress.
I have two cascade plants going right now. I planted them first week of March. One plant just has one shoot that is 4 1/2 ft tall now and the other plant has two shoots about 10" a piece. My main problem is that something is eating tiny holes in the leaves about midway. I guess it might be some kind of aphid or mite but can't see or find any traces of anything. I did put down a healthy dose of triazicide yesterday to see if it helps ward off the pests. Does anyone else have this problem?
Well I had a sneaking suspicion that I planted too early and my rhizomes rotted. We had some really good weather the week I planted them and I thought it was the beginning of spring. But then we ended up having a few weeks of cold, wet weather and I think that's what did my hops in. 
The rhizome on top is/was Centennial and it had a large shoot coming off it when I planted it. The picture actually makes them look better than they really are. My Cascade (not pictured) fell to pieces in my hands. All of them were black and wet and grim looking with white mold growing on them. Not exactly what I was hoping my first attempt was going to be like. Is it too late to try growing this season? I guess I'm not really looking to harvest anything at this point but maybe they could at least develop their root system. Are rhizomes still available or am I going to have to wait until next year?
Check with freshops.com for availability.
the hops i planted last year are doing great so far this year, i'm still keeping my fingers crossed
June 4, 2008
Third year Cascade......
and my new ones......
EKG......
Hallertau.......
Tettnang.....
Last year my Willamette hops never came back.
This year my Cascade never came back.
I currently grow no hops.
I think I may be to blame for the hop shortage.
I was at my LHBS tonight picking up supplies for my next 5 beers and I was telling the owner my failed attempt at trying to grow hops this year and he gave me 2 plants. One Cascade and one Willamette and they both have multiple 6'' sprouts. So I'm going to give it another go and now that it's warmer maybe I'll have better luck.
The Hop Yard is finished for this year- 
From Left to Right-
The Hallertauer Mittelfrueh Trellis, Wood Trellis with Crystal, Nugget, Sterling, & Williamette, Metal Gazebo with Cascades
The Hallertauer Trellis, about 15' tall, with a top wire & wires running down on each side of the bines.
These are the poles I swapped for 6 bottles of Home Brew. A brew buddy somehow found 6 rhizomes in his suitcase when he returned from Germany.
Here's a Crystal that I planted about a month ago in the wooden trellis.
4 of the 5 Cascades I got, the gazebo is the top section of an old corn crib that I salvaged.
So, I ended up with 18 bines, 6 varities.
Brewchez, Maybe we can help ease the hop shortage. Let's hope.