Dry hopping for the first time

I have never dry hopped before and had a couple questions. I am brewing a Belgian IPA and do not plan on using a secondary. Should I add the hop pellets directly to the primary after about a week? How long do I keep it in the primary after I add them before racking? and will the yeast be ok after a couple weeks in the primary for natural carbonation when I rack or will it be no good?

I usually wait a couple weeks in primary and dry hop when the beer is almost ready to bottle. Basically, I count back 5-7 days from when I plan to bottle. You don't want the dry hops in there too long as they can develop a grassy flavor. When the beer is ready, just toss the pellets right in. They'll sink and you can rack from above them when you're ready to bottle. Cheers!

I usually wait about 10 days and then just chuck some pellets in the primary. Good to go. Also, there will be plenty of yeast still in suspension to carbonate your beer after a few weeks.

Mighty fine.

I find whole leaf hops are better. Get a small grain sack, and clean everything. I tie the sack to a mug with a handle, and then dump it into the fermenter.

Whole leaf hops have the glands more in tact than the pellets. I also find them easier to keep in the sack, and easier to keep out of the beer.

I don't dry hop longer than 10 days. I usually plan for 7, just in case stuff happens on day 7.

In my experience, 7 days is more than enough time, and some research suggests that leaving them for too long has negative effects: http://inhoppursuit.blogspot.com/2012/02/more-aroma-oil-faster-dry-hopsters-holy.html

This study didn't replicate your average homebrewing situation, so I wouldn't start dry hopping for only one day, but it does suggest that you shouldn't dry hop for too long, however long that is.

But I recommend dry hopping in the keg, if you have a keg setup. If not, that's one more reason to upgrade! I tie the hop bag to one of my keg posts with thread so I can pull it out after about 5 days, or I just count on the shrinking volume of beer to leave the hops hanging and separated from the rapidly disappearing beer!

Cool. Thanks, that's very helpful

Make sure the beer is settled out clear or slightly misty before dry hopping. Otherwise,the hop oils coat the yeast cells & go to the bottom.

Oh, and don't worry if the hops don't sink right away. Just give the jug a gentle tap or gentle rocking and they'll sink. eventually.

Wait 2 weeks until the aggressive fermentation is done. Dry hop for a week and bottle. It is amazing what it can do; I did two SNPA batches, one without dry hop (regular) and one batch I dry hopped with an ounce of Simcoe. The latter is so aromatic and flavorful. Glorious!