when to harvest?

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krenshaw

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i've seen many places online about when is the ideal time to harvest, but i wanted to get all of your opinions.. my 3 plants are doing well and i am looking forward to harvest/drying/freezing..

i was curious how you all decide when it is time to harvest.. i believe i have another couple weeks to a month left to go, though i want to know what to look/feel for when the time comes..

Here is a pic taken just the other day:

Hop-Garden8.jpg
 
They should feel dry and papery (think crumpled tissue paper), not at all wet or sticky. They will spring back once dry enough to consider ripe (as opposed to early ones that dry up and die will remain squished or break.

From what I've read, most new growers tend to pick them too early, so maybe when you think they're good, give them a few more days. I've normally decided they were ready and picked up to a week later and they haven't started to turn brown or fall off so there is a sizable window of opportunity.
 
I'm in the same boat although mine don't look quite as perky as yours (haha). Here's a thread with good suggestions:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f92/post-your-method-choosing-when-harvest-not-how-harvest-251441/

You basically have to use your senses - hear if it sounds papery and feel if it "springs back" when squished, smell if it has hop aroma and see if the lupulin glands are of a nice golden color (you will have to open the cone for these). Enjoy!

It would also help to have a size comparison to see how big the cones are.
 
Nice sizable production. Looks like per the leaves you have a stable nitrogen fix. Are these Brewers Gold or other variety? What does the ground path look like? Did you do a mounding of soil?
 
Those look really great, and it's a good question, I will watch this thread too. I have 2 vines of Cascade in their first year and they are doing really good despite the fact that they are first year. I never expect any cones in first year as they are setting roots that year. However, I will have about 30 or 40 cones I think.:)
 
Mine looked like yours a couple days ago. Your cones' leaves are tightly wrapped in that second pic. In a couple days they'll start to open up a bit and feel more papery and dry. Thats how mine are starting to feel. I'm a first timer too, but i'm guessing it should be soon that i'm harvesting. Heres a little video that should help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlsT-x19III&feature=youtube_gdata_player
 
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