Wind and Hops growing

**HBHoss** · 10-09-2008, 10:20 PM

I'm thinking about growing my own hops and have done some reading on it. I have read to plant in full sunlight and little wind. How much wind is too much? I get a good breeze everyday around 3:00pm. Couldn't tell you how strong a breeze it is but it's pretty strong.

McKBrew · 10-09-2008, 10:48 PM

As long as the support system is rigid they will be fine. I had my hops in big planters with a metal pole coming out of the center. Windy days knocked the whole thing over. Next year my poles will be hard-mounted to something besides the pot.

**HBHoss** · 10-09-2008, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McKBrew

As long as the support system is rigid they will be fine. I had my hops in big planters with a metal pole coming out of the center. Windy days knocked the whole thing over. Next year my poles will be hard-mounted to something besides the pot.

Okay, thanks.

McKBrew · 10-09-2008, 11:01 PM

Yeah, I'm a bit buzzed so I dont know if I helped. Seriously though, I watched the hops blow all over the place and even when they fell they were not damaged at all. They are a tough plant.

**cuinrearview** · 10-10-2008, 01:42 AM

I've not had problems with my plant until this year. We had a wind storm in June that ripped shingles from the house and blew all kinds of things around, including my daughter's heavy plastic playhouse into the lake. The growth tips from the mature plant along with the first year plants were all ripped off. They all survived, and the mature plant still produced three oz. of dried cones. A "good breeze" wont' hurt hops, it'll probably help prevent mold.

TimMcTigue · 10-12-2008, 02:11 AM

I think it depends on when in the maturity cycle you get the wind. I've read that when the hops are almost ready to pick, a strong wind can make them useless in a matter of hours. That was from a commercial grower's manual, so maybe it also depends on whether you plan to sell them...