drayman86

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Looks like we may be in for some frost warnings here in mid-Michigan this week. Last year's hop plants have already sprouted and are about 6" long.

Q: How frost resistant are hops? Should I cover them in the case of a frost/freeze warning?

MrFebtober

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I'm not an authority (this is my first year, too) but i think I read that the bines are suceptible to frost damage. However, as with most garden plants, putting a bucket or blanket over them the night before is adequate protection from the frost.

Can anyone back me up on this? This is all I did a couple weeks ago when we had frost warnings in Cincinnati when my hops were just breaking ground. They survived just fine and are just about to start climbing the twine!

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GilaMinumBeer

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Hops are pretty resilient but, it is ALWAYS best to cover plants in the event of a frost. At the very least it will protect the new shoots so the plant won't have to focus on re-creating them plus, by saving the shoots it'll get you that much closer to plant maturity for the season.

DeadDoc

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cant relate to hops... i know whenever you have a frost or chance of you want to cover plants up. Most of the damage will be stopped by what you covered it up with. BTW if u get a real heavy front make sure the blanket isn't sitting on the plant itself, you can crush the plant with the extra weight of a heavy frost.

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david_42

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We've had 5-6 days of frost and 4 days of snow since the hops sprouted. Of the eight plants, only the Mt. Hood is showing any damage. Just covering them with a bucket would help.

I have some tomato tents around here somewhere that I was going to use on the hops, but haven't been able to find them. They're two sheets of plastic welded into a set of tubes. You put them around the plant and fill the tubes with water. Holds the heat in overnight without interfering with the sunlight and you can leave them in place.

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karbinator

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Man.... We're about to get hit with a possible hail
storm here in Va. today. I think frost would be the least
of my worries. My bines are a good 2' up the rope, and
still very delicate.

Homercidal

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I had some cascade the might have been damaged by frost, but more likely lack of water. In any case, I would cover at night. Better safe than sorry.

Dextersmom

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whew my cascade survied hopefully the last frost.....it was barely frost, but enough to damage my green beans and cucumbers...but my raddish, peas, squash, lettuce and hops have seemed to survive....

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Homercidal

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I think (hope) that's the end of the frost in Mid-Michigan.

cuinrearview

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Here in south-central MI I've never done anything to protect my ladies from frost. I've had the cascade in the ground for four seasons and have had a harvest every year. If some shoots die the roots will just send up more. As a bonus those will be hardier/stronger!!

That said first year growers probably should be more cautious. I'm remembering what it's like worrying about that gentle little shoot as it emerges as I anxiously await my first from each of the three rhizomes that I planted this year(I've already lifted them to check for growth). The good news is the fear of frost should be over here!