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  • Rhizomes or Root ball

    I have an opportunity to purchase a hop root ball and I was wondering if there was any information out there as to the benefits of buying a root ball over a rhizome. I do understand that from the rhizome the plant will not produce fully for a few years, but would it take long for the hop ball to produce fully?

    Also what would be a reasonable price for the root ball? Is the price dependent on the size or the variety of the hop ball?

    Any info would be helpful.

    Cheers,
    Mark
    Mark Duchow
    Brew Master
    Short Fuse Brewing Co.
    Chicagoland
    "The best beer is FREE beer"

  • #2
    rhizome vs rootball

    Mark-

    from my experience, digging up a complete hop root ball vs. just taking cutting from a hop plant gives pretty clear results. Digging up the complete root ball shocks the plant from what I have seen in my own hopyard.
    Simple Earth Hops - slower. smaller. local.

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    • #3
      Root balls are the best. I've seen so many people baby to death rhizomes that it astounds me. Timing is everything,,,and practice makes perfect. Gotta be willing to kill a few things first,,but eventually,,you'll get it. Location, location,,location matters alot. Learn about the plant you want to grow.

      Rootballs rock! That's the best there is. Instant yields on year one that only get better. Perhaps if I'm wrong about this,,,it must be a phenomena of Euro hops that rootballs are the worst. Another thing why rhizomes might be better is that if the main roots are infected with something,,perhaps the rhizomes aren't. Perhaps that would be why a rhizome might be better than replanting an entire infected root ball.

      Healthy root balls harvested at the right time and planted asap are the way to go with Humulus lupulus var. neomexicana hops. Rhizomes are slower. Softwood cuttings are last on the list for planting the year they are taken,,,but the following year should be excellent.

      Every 2 year old root ball that I sent to folks in many places of the USA this year are growing bigger and faster than the Euro hops that the folks have,,,,hint hint,,,and those plants weren't top pick plants,,,just experiments to see how the NM hops do in other places of the world. So far,,,they want to get out more! They are seeming to be happy from the southern to the northern border of the USA,,,,alot of lattitudinal happiness! It's a big world out there.

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      • #4
        timing to dig up a root ball vs when to dig up rhizomes

        Originally posted by wildcrafter
        ...Timing is everything,,,and practice makes perfect. ...root balls harvested at the right time and planted asap are the way to go...
        So what is the right time to dig up root balls for hops? I know it is as early as the soil can be worked for harvesting rhizomes. Is it different for root balls?
        Simple Earth Hops - slower. smaller. local.

        Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/simpleearthhops
        Twitter @ http://twitter.com/anotherdesign
        Events @ http://www.simpleearthhops.com
        Sales @ http://hops.goodsie.com/

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        • #5
          I harvest root balls and rhizomes at the same time. As early as possible for me is after the ground thaws.

          Since I grow in 5 gal buckets or bigger for root balls, it's easy. Root balls actually can be harvested later than rhizomes, but not too much later.

          Just my 2 cents experience.

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          • #6
            When you guys are talking about root balls, how big are you talking?
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            • #7
              size-o-balls

              Originally posted by jason.koehler
              When you guys are talking about root balls, how big are you talking?
              The size of the root balls is not standard, it will depend on how often you harvest/trim rhizomes, how old the plant is, how much space you provide (in a raised bed or open ground) and other factors.
              Simple Earth Hops - slower. smaller. local.

              Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/simpleearthhops
              Twitter @ http://twitter.com/anotherdesign
              Events @ http://www.simpleearthhops.com
              Sales @ http://hops.goodsie.com/

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              • #8
                I know they aren't standard, I was just curious as to the size that is being considered for propagation by everyone.

                My plants are in their 3rd year now, fairly good size crowns, quite a lot of roots, and I'm starting to consider options for expanding next year. Here's a picture of a crown I dug up and moved last fall.

                I guess what I'd like to know, is out of something this size, (my shoe size is a 10 for reference!) how many new hills could you make out of it?
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                • #9
                  Originally posted by jason.koehler
                  I guess what I'd like to know, is out of something this size, (my shoe size is a 10 for reference!) how many new hills could you make out of it?
                  It looks like you should be able to cut at lease 30-50 good rhizomes off that mother.
                  Simple Earth Hops - slower. smaller. local.

                  Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/simpleearthhops
                  Twitter @ http://twitter.com/anotherdesign
                  Events @ http://www.simpleearthhops.com
                  Sales @ http://hops.goodsie.com/

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by fmbrewing
                    It looks like you should be able to cut at lease 30-50 good rhizomes off that mother.
                    Not bad for 2 years...but I tell ya, I don't want to dig up 30 of these things! This one was bad enough, and they'll be a year older when I do!
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