Hops dried on the bine?

SkiGladys · 09-10-2009, 03:58 AM

This is my first year growing hops. I had a very healthy first year nugget plant. I have grown it all year in a large plastic pot with a free standing trellis. I harvested about an ounce of hops last week.

Two days ago, I moved the planter to another part of the yard because swmbo wants to re-organize the garden for next year and I have to get a head start on hauling around the railroad ties. Regardless, when I moved my healthy hops plant with lots of buds, it severed some roots that had made their way out of the bottom of the pot.

Today, swmbo pointed out that the plant looked dead. All of the leaves had withered and dried out. I hurredly harvested all of the hops that looked like they had grown large enough. They all felt like they had almost dried out as much as I dried the last harvest before vacuum sealing and storing them.

Do you all have any idea what happened?
Do you think the hops I harvested are OK? They seemed to smell ok.

Jonnio · 09-10-2009, 04:32 AM

I was wondering the same -- I am pretty sure mine are ruined. I left town for two weeks and when I came back the cones were all brown. There is still plenty of lupin in them, but they sure don't look like leaf hops that you would buy.

Vic_Sinclair · 09-10-2009, 05:58 AM

They start to turn brown if you leave them on the bine too long. First they feel papery (ready to pick), then they start to turn brown.

SkiGladys · 09-11-2009, 12:44 AM

Mine was a very healthy, green plant with almost ready to pick hops.
The next day, the entire plant looked dead. I'm sure it had to do with moving the pot and plant, I just can't believe it died off that quick.
I just sealed up the hops that I removed as an emergency harvest. I'll try them in a beer where the hops quality is not as important.

Jonnio · 09-11-2009, 01:15 AM

yeah, I am thinking about using mine just for bittering since they are obviously out of flavor oils.