I got my hop plants in the ground today! It was a total rush job so I hope its ok. The barerooted plants arrived while we were down at the Outlaws at the weekend, so I didn’t think I should wait til next weekend to plant them. But by the time I get home from work, its nearly dark. So there I was this evening, on the allotment in the dwindling light trying to prepare the planting holes. By the time I was finishing, it was pitch black and goodness knows what kind of a job I did. I certainly think I planted then too near the surface, so I will have to go back and cover them a bit more. For those who are interested, here’s some instructions of the correct way to plant your hops (preferably in daylight):
Planting Hops
1. Check the barerooted plant is moist. If not, place in a bucket of water for an hour before planting
2. Dig a hole 9-12 inches deep
3. Plant in the hole with the crown of the plant 2-3 inches below surface level
4. Cover the roots and crown with well-mulched soil or John Innes No. 3 compost
5. Firm in gently
6. Water in if soil is dry
7. Space plants at least 3ft apart for same varieties or 5ft apart for differing varieties.
8. Wait…