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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

And no, I'm not brewing beer... :)
I've been reading about growing hops...Someone in California will be
sending me some rhizomes from a commercial hops yard, and I need to
figure out what to do.
According to these two sites:
http://www.freshops.com/garden.html
http://www.brewingtechniques.com/library/backissues/issue2.3/montell.html
The idea is to get the vine UP..way UP off the ground..I'm trying to
figure out the best way to do that here.  I'm considering the tipi
type arrangement, and it should be fine for my purposes, but I am
worried about wind.  I intend to use a 2" bamboo pole for the center
support, but after that, I'm kinda lost on what to do.  The sites talk
about using string, but in our climate, wouldn't wire be better?  How do
I anchor the pole so storms don't topple it?  How do you harvest the
hops when they are so tall?
My chosen location is in the middle of the garden.  What about an arbor
type arrangement, not square, but rectangular, about 8 feet tall and 8
feet long?  I could run wires or strings up one long side, and once the
vines are established, perhaps I could put a bench or something
underneath the arbor, so that I could sit on the bench, smell the hops,
and overlook the garden?  But then again, I hear hops have an
objectionable smell, so perhaps what might look good won't be practical?
I need some ideas people..
It's a wide open area, full sun, good drainage..I have plenty of bamboo,
some heavy gauge twisted wire(about 1/2" thick", hi tensile wire,
string, and assorted lumber, but nothing more than 8 feet long.  In the
back of my mind, I'm also thinking that if I am successful, I could
possibly sell some hops to a homebrewing friend, and if this first
couple of years goes well, I will need to expand.

Bev


--
Bevanron of EarthNSky Farm   Sleep well tonight, for somewhere in the
ocean's depths, MY son is protecting YOUR freedom.