Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Potted Hops and Freezing Temperatures...  (Read 4281 times)

Offline Phil_M

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1760
  • Southern Maryland
Potted Hops and Freezing Temperatures...
« on: February 23, 2015, 02:55:17 pm »
For those who grow hops in planters of some sort, what do you usually do with them over the winter?

I just let mine sit out, we've had a fairly average winter here in Southern Maryland, but the last week has been frigid.

Did I mess up and kill off my plants? Or should they be fine?
Corn is a fine adjunct in beer.

And don't buy stale beer.

Offline goobersan

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 42
Re: Potted Hops and Freezing Temperatures...
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2015, 03:46:26 pm »
I'm willing to bet they will be just fine. 2 years ago I stored my 4 plants in the garage, nearly frozen solid. They came back with a vengeance
Thank your mentor
Be a mentor
Brew Better Beer

Offline cascadesrunner

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 134
  • San Diego, CA
Re: Potted Hops and Freezing Temperatures...
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2015, 09:17:12 pm »
They will probably be fine so long at nothing started prior to the freeze.  It would be pretty early is the season for any action.  It has been beautiful here and I saw mine starting last weekend.
Run then beer.

Offline HobsonDrake

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 105
  • Beaverton, OR
    • Brew Batch List
Re: Potted Hops and Freezing Temperatures...
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2015, 10:38:25 pm »
I wish I could remember the source on this but I remember reading that some need to have freezing temperatures over winter. Others just have to be cold.
I have mine in half wine barrels in my back yard. All I do is  add a nice layer of compost over top in the fall after I cut them back. I am sure they froze solid a couple of years back. No problem.
Check out my brew history and recipes at http://www.hobsondrake.com/BrewList.html

John D.

Offline Phil_M

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1760
  • Southern Maryland
Re: Potted Hops and Freezing Temperatures...
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2015, 04:42:57 am »
I wish I could remember the source on this but I remember reading that some need to have freezing temperatures over winter. Others just have to be cold.
I have mine in half wine barrels in my back yard. All I do is  add a nice layer of compost over top in the fall after I cut them back. I am sure they froze solid a couple of years back. No problem.

I remember reading something similar, though I don't remember where either. That's the reason why I didn't try and put them in the garage. The plants are sitting in 25-gallon pots on the front patio of our condo.

No growth yet, but I don't expect any. Temps in my area will stay cold for a few weeks yet, I expect mid March I may see something start.

To winter over the hops I just covered the pots with leaves. Since my wife and I live in a condo, that was pretty much all we had available. When it snows I leave the snow on them, as that should make a nice blanket for them.



Corn is a fine adjunct in beer.

And don't buy stale beer.

Offline micsager

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1179
Re: Potted Hops and Freezing Temperatures...
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2015, 10:25:18 am »
I've been growing hops in half wine barrels for about 5 years.  After harvest, I cut the vines to an inch or so, and cover with some leaves from the yard as a mulch. 

It's worked great, and this year I had to pull root-balls and trim lots of rhizomes.  Probably should have done it last year, as they were all quite root bound.  But they grew grew great last year.  It will be interesting to see how they do the first year after chopping up the root-balls. 

It should be noted that I live in the maritime northwest, and get probably 10-15 days of sub-freezing weather at the most. 

Offline Phil_M

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1760
  • Southern Maryland
Re: Potted Hops and Freezing Temperatures...
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2015, 11:54:28 am »
Here we typically get freezing temps overnight, and on rare occasions we'll end up with a week or two where it never gets above freezing.

I've got four plants, two cascade and two willamette. Chose those since they are pretty tolerant of warm temperatures and humidity.

One of each grew very poorly last year, kinda don't expect those two to survive the winter, but we'll see.
Corn is a fine adjunct in beer.

And don't buy stale beer.