What string?

The thread on metal wire got me thinking...

So my 2nd year hops are growing and i tied them up with some polypropylene string. They are climbing nicely, but I'm wondering how 'heavy' a twine I really should be using. Does anyone use this? Will it hold up to the elements ok?

If I need to change this, I suppose I should do it sooner than later.

I am of the opinion that, unless you have a big operation, people should just spend the extra $5 or so and use nylon rope. You know it will be strong enough, the hops can grab on very good and you can use it again in future seasons.

Polypropolene baling twine works good and it is dirt cheap. I've also used mason's twine. No big deal if I have to replace it every two or three years.

I double up Sisal baling twine and have not had a problem. The baling twine is basically free for me as my dad buys nearly a pallet of the twine every year. My 8 strings barely makes a dent in a single ball of twine.

I prefer to use disposable twine so i can just cut it down and harvest it on the ground. Then I can compost the entire bine and twine. Trying to remove the bines from the rope is a pain.

Craig

CBBaron said:

I double up Sisal baling twine and have not had a problem. The baling twine is basically free for me as my dad buys nearly a pallet of the twine every year. My 8 strings barely makes a dent in a single ball of twine.

I prefer to use disposable twine so i can just cut it down and harvest it on the ground. Then I can compost the entire bine and twine. Trying to remove the bines from the rope is a pain.

Craig

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From what I read you should not cut it down at harvest. Leave the bines up so that the root system can still grow even after harvest. It will make for a healthier hop bine overall.

StillBrew said:

From what I read you should not cut it down at harvest. Leave the bines up so that the root system can still grow even after harvest. It will make for a healthier hop bine overall.

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So, every commercialized operation in the world has unhealthy hop bines?

Gotcha!

It is better for the root system to let it soak up as much sun as possible post harvest but, cutting the bines will not make your plant any less healthy in the following years.

As to the hop twine. I like cheap and easy. The first year I used Sisal. It was cheap, available locally, and disposable (compostable). This year, for some reason, I opted to use teh coir rope that I have and let me tell ya, never again, it has waaaay too much "wet stretch" to it. When the sun is out the lines look perfect but, after a few minutes of rain or a day of high humididty, these lines stretch an easy 6 inches causing everything to sag.

GilaMinumBeer said:

So, every commercialized operation in the world has unhealthy hop bines?

Gotcha!

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wow...nice positive spin on that d-bag

what's the tensile strength necessary?

StillBrew said:

wow...nice positive spin on that d-bag

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So, I am the "d-bag" but you are just wrong? Is this how you always handle being called out?

name one thing wrong with what I said...

Sorry about the "d-bag". that was uncalled for

StillBrew said:

name one thing wrong with what I said...

Sorry about the "d-bag". that was uncalled for

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I am no plant biologist but, from what I have read and the multitudes of conversations I have had with growers, gardeners, and biologist who study this plant......

Active growth of the root system occurs while the plant is actively reaching for the skies. Once the plant turns it focus on blooms, the plant slows active root growth almost completely and focuses it's energies on nutrient uptake and bloom formations. Once the blooms are complete, the plant then turns it energy and focuses on rhisome production intent on propogation.

So, by this it is "thought" that the act of cutting the plant down at harvest actually deters the propogation stage through the loss of photosynthesis and forces the plant to go into somewhat of a pre-dormancy "putting on the fat" stage. Of course, most of this is postulation but comes from people who have spent more time studying these plants than you or I combined.

So, by this I am suggesting that your statement of "Leave the bines up so that the root system can still grow even after harvest." is wrong because at that point the plant is not actively growing the root system. Rather, it is attempting to propogate itself with rhisome production.

Now, I guess the question that remains is what benifit do the rhisomes have to the main crown, if any?

Right on. Now, that is much better than "Gotcha"! Sometimes info is better than a "call-out" or whatever the whipper snappers call it these days.

I was repeating something I read here; hence the disclaimer. I must have misinterpreted the benefit of not chopping vines at harvest. Although, when practical, it seems to makes sense to let them run their course each season.

By the way...sorry for the horrid hijack. my bad

I did actually provide "some" information directly after the call out.

Getting much rest these days are we? You come off as a little, umm, stressed.

nah...my stressful season just got over. You must have caught me in a bad mood. Actually now that I read it again; I am not surprised by my reaction. Anyway...I am not going to sweat the small ****

Cheers!

So I have 1/4" sisal and 1/8" jute.

Besides the differance in thickness. Which is better? Sisal tightens when wet, correct? What about Jute? What thickness does one need? I'm not very up on twine strengths/properties.

These are running from 20" rebar punded into the ground to a 60 foot 5/32" aircraft cable main line. Strung across the hill over three tall 4" square polls.

Denny's Evil Concoctions said:

So I have 1/4" sisal and 1/8" jute.

Besides the differance in thickness. Which is better? Sisal tightens when wet, correct? What about Jute? What thickness does one need? I'm not very up on twine strengths/properties.

These are running from 20" rebar punded into the ground to a 60 foot 5/32" aircraft cable main line. Strung across the hill over three tall 4" square polls.

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I'd use the 1/4" merely for the bigger surface area so the plants have more to "hook" onto.