Hop Yard Build 2012 - Part 2

Update time for the hop yard build! As of this past Saturday, the trellis system is built, rows are dug and formed into mounds, the irrigation system from Mister Landscaper is hooked up and running and the hops themselves are all planted.

Picture Time!

Finished trellis structures.

1" stainless steel flange

Pipe was a foot too long so we improvised with some old bolts.

Ready for some hops.

Sketch up of the proposed watering system design.

Do it right or do it twice. Full auto watering system by Mister Landscaper.

Test fit of controller, anti back-flow valve, psi regulator, & filter.

Fully customizable.

1/2" poly drip lines.

Initial test fit complete!

Planting the hops, Finally!

Turning over soil after sitting bare for a month

Compost/manure mix from Lowe's. We bought 11 40lb bags which worked out  perfect.

Luke doing WORK.

Old reliable.

Cut and bent some small gauge wire from a tomato plant cage.

Test fitting the V-shaped design for the twine the hops will use to grow up.

Mock up complete. Still need to retie knots more securely.

Homebrew break.

Luke and Philip training up the plants.

Close up shot.

Homebrew break.

Hops are in the ground!

With it being relative warm since planting, the watering system is set to turn on twice a day (7am, 7pm) and run for two hours each time. Our drip system has adjustable nozzles that allow for 1 GPH to 10 GPH (gallons per hour). For now about 1-2 GPH seems to be enough but that may be adjusted as needed. With it being hot out and having some intense sunlight for about a week straight, some of the leaves on each plant have burned a bit and wilted. In the long run I think they will be fine, so for now we are just hoping they can adapt quickly to life outside.

Look for Part 3 sometime soon once the hops really start growing and updates on how they progress throughout the early summer months.

Cheers!

-Adam