Rhizome size and 1st year yield

I just received my rhizome order in the mail. Four varieties. They're all cut to the same length, but range widely in diameter - from about 3/8" for the Cascade to +1.5" on the Willamette. It's like comparing a pencil to a section of fat broom handle.

Does the size of the rhizome have anything to do with what I can expect for a first year yield? All will be planted in the same place and let's assume they're all equally happy in this environment. Will the Willamette take off like a rocket with the smaller specimens taking longer to establish?

It doesn't matter much since it's out of my control, but I'm curious what to expect. I would think the larger rhizomes would have more stored energy ready to unleash. Either way, I'll try to remember to come back to this post in the fall and prove/disprove everyone's theories.

Yes, the bigger rhizome has a better chance of producing this year, for exactly the reason you suspect. On the other hand, Cascade is a weed that will produce under almost any conditions.

Agree with above. One thing to consider is some hops produce more than others. Cascade is a go to hop for home growers because it's so friendly on so many levels. Fuggle and willamette are fickle and less likely to produce. Perhaps you get a thicker rhizome to compensate for that fact?

As the season contiunes rember all things being equal some hops will produce earlier than others and produce more than others.

I know it seems strange, but all the rhizomes off my Willamette are thick son of a guns, the cascades always have very thin rhizomes. They all grow great now, but the first year the Willamette really took off (bigger rhizome to start with).

My biggest rhizome was a centennial, then after that all the others were quite small.
Regardless of the size they all took off pretty fast. Retrofit, you are correct about Willamette being picky. At least in my climate they don’t seem to like it one bit. It was the smallest plant and produced no cones.