Despite cutting them back very VERY hard to get loads of rhizomes to sell the beasts (3 of them) are still taking over the garden and the fence i put up around them to stop the chooks getting to it is now being used as a bine support!
I've said it before and I'll say it a million times over, these things are weeds. I have had more luck controlling the blackberry than these!
Cascade is at the top of the fence and the chinook has already caught it. Victoria is slow but early days and given its my favourite hop i can be patient.
No. I'm hoping it's gone dormant while growning roots and then will explode. The good Dr. says Chinook are slow to start then overtake every thing and are the weediest of the lot so I hold out some hope. The shoots have turned into sugar cane mulch though...
Worst comes to worst I know someone who can get me a kilo.
My chinook are in their 5th season Jello. The rhizomes are spread over metres, not the small piece i sent you.
In years to come you will be cursing me for creating a monster in the backyard that takes over the place.
Be happy that it's still in its infancy, growing its root system.
I didn't get a usable crop off my chinook until the 2nd year and even then that was only 80 or so grams dried. These days it's over 1kg from the 3 plants and that's without pruning to x number of bines, fertilising, or spraying. I leave them be and they produce.
This what they looked like in their 4th year and this photo was only taken late November. Still early in the growing season!
Chinoook is the one on the right hand side (2 more chinook plants on the other side of the fence), goldings to the left. Cascade is on the far right climbing up the fence with no trellis for further height. POR and Victoria are around the corner, to the left of the Goldings.
These things are weeds - you can see from the goldings how far from the fence they are growing!
Don't worry and stop checking every half hour, I guess. I was sure my Chinook had carked it but after a bit of reading had some hope. Then what do you know? It's back.
I also have dogs and keep mine covered with an upside down "beer" crate to keep the mutts at bay.
jello wrote: Rotted.
Yep. They don't come much deader. S'pose you could sub some POR for it. Not like we have a shortage.
I can beat that record though. I've been measuring my Columbus. I reckon it's growing at about 10cm a day across 4 bines. Bearing in mind the Chinook is reportedly a bit slow to get started "then will overtake everything" I am predicting exciting times ahead.
Hmm, I've either entirely botched my first attempt at taking rhizome cuttings or it wasn't a good idea to try taking cuttings from a 1 year old plant. I'll make it up to you both next year.
bullfrog wrote:Hmm, I've either entirely botched my first attempt at taking rhizome cuttings or it wasn't a good idea to try taking cuttings from a 1 year old plant. I'll make it up to you both next year.
Don't worry about it Jez. It's not like it cost me anything
