The Backyard Hops

We'll close out the posts for this month with a look at how the hops bines I planted in Alexandria are doing.  I have two varieties going, Goldings and Willamette, and that is the order they are shown in the two photos here.

The Goldings grew nicely, and then went into a place where there didn't seem to be anything going on.  Then last week they did another growth spurt - they've reached the top of the pole I use as a trellis, and there is one runner that seems to want to leap off and find something new to keep climbing.

This plant is out amongst the others in Mary's truck patch, so it rises up out of its little pot making it's way through the squash plant before it finally sees the light of day.

The Willamette is in another section of the yard, over by the apricot tree.  I have it trellised against some low branches of that tree, using twine that runs down to the pot.  Just as with the Cascade, these bines have started a late season spurt and now they have reached the tree limb.

So both plants are now over seven feet.  I'm calling that a win for now - the first year I've had them.  I didn't expect flowers, but with the plants this big it means they're healthy, and a good start for their second growing season.  It's the third year when I really expect to have enough flowers to do serious brewing with them.