when to prune

I have two plants about 4 feet from each other one is growing really well and the other has not moved at all and is still really close to the ground. IT doesn't look like it is dying or sick but it also is not growing. Should I try to prune it a little or add anything to it. The other one has bines about a foot a half long now, about when should I prune the smaller bines back.

If they are 1st year plants dont prune anything just let them be. I would get a good all around organic fertilizer and apply to the directions. Also mulch around the plants so they are not competing against weeds/grass. Good luck!

What BradleyBrew said.

What bradleybrew and hydrogeologist said.

However.. I would recommend tomato cages around them to keep the bines off the ground. Next year I'm planting more first years and that's exactly what I'm gonna do.

BradleyBrew said:

If they are 1st year plants dont prune anything just let them be. I would get a good all around organic fertilizer and apply to the directions. Also mulch around the plants so they are not competing against weeds/grass. Good luck!

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I thought you were supposed to prune all plants maybe a month or so before harvest when the flowers are coming and the plant is > 10 feet...

When i say prune i mean cutting back the lower 1 foot of foliage etc to allow better air circulation to prevent things like downy mildew from taking hold in the damp mess of leaves, and to prevent as many bug infestations.

I thought this was something that even first year hops need?

Helping keep first year hops off the ground is a good idea for bugs/disease - I like the tomato cage idea (since they don't actually for for tomatoes). But, I agree, that you should not prune first year plants at all.

I disagree that you should feed your plants this year though. Generally speaking, fertilizer can be too harsh for first year plants and do more harm than good. If you must fertilize this year then I think simply top-dressing them with some compost should be sufficient being sure not to allow the compost to touch the bines, or something as mild as fish emulsion could be used sparingly.

Before I planted my hops this year, I tilled some fresh rabbit manure into the soil. My plants are growing well with dark green foliage. No other fertilizer. I figure that midway through the season I will put a bit more on the surface and just let it leach in over time. I also mulched with rotting straw although not sure how much help it provided. I have rabbits so there is always plenty of manure. I use it on almost everything when I remember. I can definitely tell which plants are in soil amended with the rabbit manure and which ones are not. It makes for a truly organic system with no outside inputs (as long as you have rabbits). Unlike most other manure, it does not have to be rotted/composted. If you can get it, try some.

+50 on rabbit poo.

stpug said:

Helping keep first year hops off the ground is a good idea for bugs/disease - I like the tomato cage idea (since they don't actually for for tomatoes). But, I agree, that you should not prune first year plants at all.

I disagree that you should feed your plants this year though. Generally speaking, fertilizer can be too harsh for first year plants and do more harm than good. If you must fertilize this year then I think simply top-dressing them with some compost should be sufficient being sure not to allow the compost to touch the bines, or something as mild as fish emulsion could be used sparingly.

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I agree and somewhat disagree... my first year crowns did amazing last year and I used a simple organic fertilizer and some liquid nitrogen. Of course crowns are basically second year plants but I did the same with a few rhizomes and this past year they are almost competing in growth vs my 2 year old crowns. Again, fertilize to the manufacturer directions.