Greetings, I'm new to this idea of Forums, so please bear with me. I'm a nun living in Northwestern New Mexico and our monastery was advised to try growing hops as an income producing work. Our Monastery is at 6,800 feet, i.e. high desert. Can someone tell me if we could grow hops at this altitude in New Mexico. Thanks Peace. Sr. Mary
The latitude of growing hops dictates its success. 35-55 degree latitude is best, or else assistance to nature in needed. Is the area for hops already set up? Do you have the rhizomes for planting? How much area exist?
Thanks for the info. We are hoping to get started this summer, but don't have anything set up yet. Our location is the northwest corner of New Mexico about 15 to 20 miles south of the Colorado border. The elvation is 6,800 to 7,000 feet. Winter temps get down to about 10 degrees at times, but like everywhere else weather is unpredictable and we bounce back between cold winter and 65 degree summer. We hope to be able to grow about an acre of the hops, but don't know if that would be feasible at this altitude. Also how long of a summer do they really need and how much direct sunlight and how sensitive are they to moderately strong winds? All comments and suggestions are appreciated. Peace s.Mary
You need to set up the area before you start worrying about growing the hops. Likely, you will be too late this year for growing since you will need to have it in now. Go on the web and type growing hops in New Mexico. You should see good instructions. Get a reliable source for purchasing the rhizomes. Be prepared for next spring to have rhizomes for planting. From what I see, they grow up to 20-25 feet in one year, spring through fall. They die back to the ground, then repeat itself the next spring, meaning they are likely perennials to high, cold climates.
Greetings, Thanks so much. I'll pass this on to the rest of the crew. One other question. What about growing them in a green house?Peace, sMary
A minimum of 120 frost free days is needed to ripen a hop crop. The plant itself should tolerate wind, but it is the support system, which you must provide, that would be strained by wind. It seems like a major project to grow hops for profit. Do you have a buyer lined up, and what varieties of hops does he require? I know there are several microbreweries in your part of the country, but buying hops through wholesale markets is a cheap and consistent thing for them. I did hear a report that the price of hops has gone up this year, and maybe that is a reason it was suggested to you. Another idea is raspberries: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/h-318.html And another website about high-tunnel fruit production: http://agresearch.umd.edu/RECs/WREC/files/HighTunnel.pdf One advantage I see for hops is that you won't need to irrigate after the first year. If you can't get your hops or other venture off the ground this year, maybe you should grow an acre of buckwheat. It is a good soil conditioner (can choke out many weeds and make phosphorus more available to subsequent crops.) Maybe there's another idea -- make up your own buckwheat pancake mix.
Thanks for the info. Hops might not be quite so successful here because we can get frosts as late as the end of April and as early as October so that would be a fine line to tread. I have heard that there are experiments being down on cold tolerant varieties, but I don't know where yet. Does anyone know about this? We hadn't contacted breweries yet, but it was a local winery that suggested the hops. I look into the demand aspect for this section of the world. I never thought of rasberries, where I grew up they were wild everywhere. A good rasberry/rhubarb pie is unbeatable. I'l check out that website. Many thanks. peace s Mary
