Hop Stories from South Central
Please read on to learn what our customers have shared with us about their hops growing experiences in New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.
Texas
Lubbock, TX
Hello,
I bought my first hops from another source in 2010. I tried the following hops (planted North to South): Cascade, Crystal (replaced Centennial), Magnum, Mt. Hood, Nugget, Sterling, Willamette.
Spouse failed to water; Centennial died; others grew up to ~ 4'.
Bought Crystal from you to replace Centennial; other site not selling. Your rhizome looked good; shoots were just forming when planted. Looked great when opened; day later mild mold showed; not worried as had same last year.
Photos today show Cascade going nuts, others (Magnum & Willamette) doing well. Wondering if Cascade is that much more hardy or if soil stayed warmer near north fence.
FYI: This area produces most of the US's cotton. Semi-arid. Much grows well here with irrigation if acidic soil not preferred. Winters much milder here than even TX Panhandle, which itself is milder than Great Plains.
Last year's plantings broke ground same time oak trees budded a couple weeks ago.
Fully confident hops will do well here. Planning a 12' tall horizontal cable from which to hang twine, 2 bracts per plant, plants 5' apart. Expect to have nice shade from afternoon heat.
I appreciate your good service and interest.
Coincidentally, tonight I went to local homebrew club meeting to show photos. Met a fellow who has had superb results for about 6 years with Cascade & Chinook; he said his Kent Goldings did poorly. He said the stalks grew up to about two inches in diameter at the base.
Houston, TX
Hey Guys,
I noticed in my last order of hops that you are compiling information about how well hops grow in different climates. I live in Houston Texas and I have ordered Zeus, Brewers Gold, and Cascade hops. I just received the Cascaded rhizomes so I don’t have any info, however the Zeus died as soon as temperatures reached the mid-90s. My Brewers Gold have thrived in the Houston climate. This will be the third season for them. I’ll let you know how the Cascades do this year.
Thanks,
Chad
San Antonio, TX
Hi Rolfe,
Just got the Chinook rhizomes you sent, thanks. My hop experience in San Antonio is that Chinooks do better than centennial and magnum (my magnum's actually bit the dust last year in a record hot and dry summer). Centennials get a faster start and vine well but produce poor yield. The Chinook are slower to take off, and must be picked continuously for a couple months in mid summer. Ideal planting time is in early to mid February, as the plant will have a hard time keeping up with the heat if planted later. Yields are better in cooler, wetter years, but you'll need a lot of vines in order to support your home brew operation, regardless. My best yield so far was: about 3-4 oz per Chinook vine (dried). - Walter
Waco, TX
Howdy, I am in Waco, TX. Ordered some Cascade rhizomes last year and they took off, one rhizome even produced flowers! I ended up getting about a pint baggie full. Before anyone gets too excited, however, I must state that I had to reorder this year. I am not sure if it was the heat, the drought, or my brother-in-law continually mistaking them for Virginia creeper and weed-eating them (no doubt a combination of all of the above), but both vines were dead by the end of August. I'll try a few things differently this year (including tagging and labeling the vines!) and see how it goes. I do think you have a good product, just not sure yet if hops will really adapt to this area. We shall see! Thanks!
***Update from Dana: The vines are still alive, amazingly...of course it's almost November but it still gets in the 80's during the day. They did not really produce this year, just a sparse dusting of stunted flowers. I will be interested to see if/how well they bounce back in the Spring.
