harvest done, now what?

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BlackJaqueJanaviac

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Now that my hops have been harvested what do I do with the bines to get them ready for winter?

I recently got a trailer load of manure from a farmer friend. Should I cuts the vines back and cover with manure for the winter?

Wait until the plants go dormant on their own?

Wait 'til spring to apply the manure?
 
From what I have read, you should let the bines die on their own so that their nutrients return to the crown. Then cut them back and cover the crowns with compost before winter. As you said, put the manure on in early spring. I'd love someone else to verify or dispel : )
 
Manure in the fall or the spring won't hurt unless it's still "hot" - the term "well-rotted" probably applies to hop plants just like garden plants.

But much of what I read on the subject suggests soil amendment in the fall is even better to help get a good start in the Spring, so along with the whole "die back/cut down/heavy mulch for Winter" thing I'll be digging in some horse poop come early October...

Cheers!
 
I would suggest holding off on the manure until your within two to three weeks of your first killing frost. You can force the crowns out of their dormancy if fert is applied too soon. Crowns that are pushing new growth at frost do not over-winter well. All the buds that are forming for spring will be blown and the plants energy reserves with be diminished.
 
Good info.

I've got the manure stacked behind the BB-gun berm. Neighbor's have yet to complain so I'll let it set until first frost.

The manure is dried, but not really composted. It came from the cement pad of a dairy barnyard. It was really dry, dusty, and light when I collected it.
 
Another fall option is to add mulched up leaves. This is what I will be doing. 3-4" now will be nice and decomposed by next summer supplying nutrients as well as moisture conserving organic matter.
 
I would consider a good deep mulch a necessity, to protect the crown from freeze/thaw cycles. I lost a half dozen chestnut tree "yearlings" last winter because I rather stupidly didn't heavily mulch them and their vestigial roots got trashed by the rather severe winter we had...

Cheers!
 

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