Ok, here it is. Growing hops.

I have to first admit that I have no idea what I'm doing here. I recently ordered some hops online, and thought "what the heck?" and clicked to buy a couple Rhizomes also. They just came today (along with my whole Rainier hops), so now I have two Rhizomes of Willamette hops that I need to plant somewhere. I don't have a huge backyard, and the length of my yard runs East-West. I've got some different soil types in parts of my yard that I'm considering, and I've also got an interesting drainage profile as I have a drainage "stream" or cement gutter running though it. I know I should have some sort of trellis or guide for the vines to grow up, so I'm considering on one side seeing if they will just grow up a tree that I have. On another side of my yard, maybe I can put up a horizontal wire along my fence? I'll have to scout it out with more purpose.

Any way, does anyone else here grow hops? Any tips?

I have 7 going right now. If you want to have a successful first year spend as much on the hole as you did on the rhizomes. I would plant two rhizomes per hole, and make a raised bed 18in high. Dig down 18-22in line the hole with wood chips or untreated scrap lumber chunks. then use 4 inches of manure. Then a inch of straw and 5 inches of soil all the way to the top.

Plant the rhizome 2in in the ground sideways or buds up and water lightly every 3 days of so. I'm in a weird climate so do some reading on watering your situation will be different.

I wold grow on a fence and train them or by the house and string them strait up.

I did a Chinook this way and it went 25 ft and produced 1/2 ld of cones the first year. Soil prep is key to anything you plant.

I planted one directally in the ground, and another in a large pot. The one I planted in the pot is starting to come up and sprout! Very exciting! The one I planted in the ground has not started to sprout yet that I can see, but I think that may simply be because it may have been a bit deeper.

If I let the vines grow up a simple trelise for the first season, should I be able to move them and replant somewhere else?

Yep You can dig up the crown and transplant it in the spring.

Both Rhizomes are doing great! The one in the pot is just taking off so far! It is about a foot tall and has many leaves; interestingly, only one stalk has come up, and it's flourishing. The one I planted in the ground took about a week longer to finally come up and sprout, but now it's doing good too. There are actually about four sprouts comeing out of the ground. The advantage of the potted one is that it gets more sun because I can move it where there is optimal sun, but it is not yet where I intend to finally plant it.

I thought about growing some hops here in northern Michigan but didn't think that they would produce anything the first year. So I kind of just let the idea go. I like the instant satisfaction not years later oh finally got something here. You guys make it seem really easy and you are getting buds the first year, that's awesome!