[glitterbug]

I would liike to set up a moveable line with a pulley. Then you could let it down to harvest and pull right back up.

I have tried that with my pole setup.  The hops always grow up into/over/through the pulley system making it unusable.

 

what about something like this:
http://kettleandcask.blogspot.com/2009/05/my-hop-trellis-pole-plans.html

[MrNate]

I would liike to set up a moveable line with a pulley. Then you could let it down to harvest and pull right back up.

I have tried that with my pole setup.  The hops always grow up into/over/through the pulley system making it unusable.

 

Same here. I think the only way to make something like that workable would be either to make it insanely tall, or make it so the entire trellis folds down somehow. I'm convinced it's much easier to make the trellis low enough that you can simply pick off of it without taking anything down.

[tom]

Thanks for the feedback!

We are adding a 2nd floor addition (that's the plan anyway) so the line would be about 20 ft tall. Still not tall enough?

Another option would be a trellis over the first floor windows on the south side. I could harvest with just a ladder.

[enso]

Thanks for the feedback!

We are adding a 2nd floor addition (that's the plan anyway) so the line would be about 20 ft tall. Still not tall enough?

Another option would be a trellis over the first floor windows on the south side. I could harvest with just a ladder.

It depends on how happy and healthy your hops I are I guess.  Mine are wicked happy and healthy and I truly believe they could easily climb 30' (if not more) if given the opportunity.  They also grow laterally VERY thick.

I am starting to lean towards a pergola/arbor type design now.  In a space about 20' x 10' I am thinking I will set up (12) 12' poles (8' above ground, buried 3') 6 on either side of the 20' length with 10' 2"x6" spanning between.  Each "arch" will have one variety of hops (I have 6 I am currently growing).  They will be spaced by about 4' apart.  Still may have some issue with the lateral growth intertwing at that spacing but at least I can reach it to correct the issues.

[enso]

what about something like this:
http://kettleandcask.blogspot.com/2009/05/my-hop-trellis-pole-plans.html

I have seen that design before.  I believe I watched the video on basic brewing radio.  It seems like an interesting idea, but knowing how my hops grow it does not seem practical.  I see it becoming a big bushy mess in the end where you may as well have just grown them straight on a plain post.

[dean]

I'm still messing with how I'll grow mine too.  I've got 20 plants if they all come up this year, none are in mounds.  I transplanted 17 in September of last year, then this spring dug up one of those and split it into another batch of 3 more plants hopefully.  To date I have 10 plants having sprouts ranging from 1 to 6 inches tall.  I'm fairly confident that all of them will come up.  All the plants are 6 to 7 feet apart, I have two different runs, one is 95 feet long and the other I haven't  measured but should be roughly 50 feet long.  I set 4 poles on the run that is 95 feet long, its on a bit of a hill having a rise of about 4 feet from end to end so one end the pole is roughly 14 feet in the air while at the other end I put a larger diameter pole (double useage on it) which is only 10 feet in the air.  (That pole is also going to be used to help support our grapes if the grape plants survived the transplant.)

I'm tossed on going to the top for my main top wire?  I'm going to use high tensil wire.  Harvesting at that height will be a bugger I'm sure and I know they'll extend beyond that and hang down or tangle as well.  I guess one nice thing is we have the opportunity to modify our trellis every year from our experiences. 

I too am using them as a screen from the road.  I'm even wondering how much insect problems I'll have because they'll catch a lot of dust coming off the road during the summer....

[enso]

Damn!

New problem now.  Wife is itching to move again.  Just went through that last summer, now we have our house on the market again.  Guess it is back to worrying how to transplant my hops should we end up moving in the middle of summer...

 

[capozzoli]

I like the tower idea.

 Not sure it is the best way but I sure like it. Make it high enough to get some observation qualities. A ladder up the middle for harvesting and perhaps a little crows nest big enough for a small table and a couple of chairs.

 Build it like a trussed radio tower. I built one once for a guy that kept a helicopter in his back yard. It extended just above the tree line for one of those wind sock things. 

[beerocd]

not the best, but pretty easy...
clockwise - willamette, sterling, fuggle, cascade, centennial, chinook

You know, I think the green backdrop makes it hard to see it well...