Growing dwarf hops

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Andy
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Post by Andy » Wed Apr 05, 2006 8:31 pm

Ah, THAT trellis! :P

If anyone's a bit more ambitious on the hops front I've found a source for Phoenix and Challenger variety plants for £4 a pop. Alton area and don't know if they do postal.

They're not dwarf hops though and grow to some height!
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Andy
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Post by Andy » Fri Apr 07, 2006 1:51 pm

Just spoke to hop man, very nice man!

Am collecting a couple of First Gold plants tomorrow.
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Road Runner

Post by Road Runner » Sat Apr 08, 2006 9:56 am

Have all you budding Hop Farmers got the space & resorces to build an Oast House in you back gardens too?

Or have you worked out another way of drying your precious crop?
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Post by Andy » Sat Apr 08, 2006 1:15 pm

Here you are hop fans:-

Image

Picked up this morning from the very pleasant Gareth at http://www.thebeeressentials.co.uk/
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bitter_dave
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Post by bitter_dave » Sun Apr 09, 2006 12:26 pm

Excellent :) It's good that they come in plant form - I was expecting a bulb type thing (either that or you have amazing skills of propergation :P ). That should make planting them a doddle.
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Andy
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Post by Andy » Sun Apr 09, 2006 9:09 pm

QUOTE (Road Runner @ Apr 8 2006, 09:56 AM) Have all you budding Hop Farmers got the space & resorces to build an Oast House in you back gardens too?

Or have you worked out another way of drying your precious crop?
Found a potential solution!

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/david.j.ed ... f/DHDM.pdf
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Road Runner

Post by Road Runner » Sun Apr 09, 2006 9:34 pm

That looks like a pretty easy/simple way of drying them.

But does an Oast House not draw the cooler air in from below & pass it out the top. The Author seems to think that next years modification of an inlet pipe drawing warmer air in from higher up would be better.

I know that sounds logical, but why doesn't an Oast house pass warm air up through the house?
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Road Runner

Post by Road Runner » Sun Apr 09, 2006 10:00 pm

Ok, I was wrong. :wall

Oast houses do actually pass warm air up through the hop bed, as they used to light a fire under the hops. I'd have thought this would have given the hops a smokey taste though. :blink:
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Andy
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Post by Andy » Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:26 am

I live near to the last remaining Hop Garden in Surrey, it's in a small village on the side of the Hog's Back. Popped there after getting my hop plants on Saturday and had a look at the structures in place for the hops to climb on. Huge wooden poles with a network of wire! Not much sign of growth just yet but I'll keep monitoring it :P

Found an aerial view of the Hop Garden top of picture:-

Image
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noby

Post by noby » Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:50 am

I've just e-mailed "The hop man". Hopefully shipping to Ireland won't be a problem.
One of the other links ship to Europe for a cheap rate, anyway.

When it comes to drying (getting a bit ahead of myself again), what's wrong with the hot press?

Andy, do you meet many of 'stilt men' round your way?

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tribs

Post by tribs » Tue Apr 11, 2006 12:42 pm

Andy,

There doesn't appear to be a fence around the garden.

If you were so inclined you could go and help yourself ;) :o
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Post by Andy » Tue Apr 11, 2006 1:47 pm

:D You're right, it's all open you can see the entrance at the bottom left of the garden. I think I'll have a stroll around there one warm evening.

I'm sure that if I got in touch with the owner then I could get hold of a cutting!

You can see the full extend of the gardens http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?t=h&ll=51 ... 6,0.007199
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Road Runner

Post by Road Runner » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:41 pm

Has anyone ever been to the Whitbread Hop Farm at Paddock Wood in Kent?

I've been there a few times over the years & it's really interesting. Shows you the full history of Hop Farming etc and drying in Oast Houses (I obviously didn't take it all in too well, judging by my post above :lol: ).

And if you're into the Gee Gee's, then the Whitbread Shires are kept there too, with traditional Horse Drawn Drays on show.

Although, the last time I went about 3 years ago, it had all changed & is now just called http://www.thehopfarm.co.uk/.

It seems more geared up for a family attraction now, but the Oast House museum was still interesting.
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noby

Post by noby » Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:30 am

Mr. Hop Man (aka Gareth) sent me a mail this morning. He's just double checking to make sure there's no problem sending 'live' plants to another country. Does anyone know if this ill be an issue?

I'm guessing not, seen as a lot of other nursery sites will send europe-wide.
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Reaper

Post by Reaper » Wed Apr 12, 2006 2:53 pm

Hi All
I got my plants delivered this morning from the Hop man. Unfortunately just as I order the plants we decided we were going to put the house on the market, I’m going to try and grow the hops in large 18inch plant pots with 7Ft canes so I can take them with me when we move. Ill let you know how thing go with them. :blink:

Regards Paul
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