How many shoots to a string?

I know that 3-5 shoots per plant is recommended. But if I have 2 strings coming down per plant can I train 2-3 a string?

I did about 3 to a string. I don't know if its good or bad but it worked fine for me

From what I read last season, a reason not to have too many bines on a string is to allow enough air and sunlight in to keep the leaves from trapping too much moisture, which promotes disease. The recommendations I've always seen were no more than three bines on a string, and to spread the strings out by at least a few feet.

For my first years, I only ran the one strongest bine up each string, and the strings were on ~3 foot centers, and then once the side-arms appeared I trained them up the strings with the main bines. From all appearances none of my plants developed any issues, and the production was pretty amazing for first years and a single bine per rhizome.

This being the second season for these plants I'm planning on training the two strongest bines per crown up a single string...

Cheers!

So being the first year for my hops I should just focus on 1 string per rhizome? With 2 shoots (maybe 3).

I think generally they say first year do not prune at all and just let all the bines grow. Its supposed to generate more root growth. Last year I did just that and let all the bines (I prolly had 3 or 4 serious bines per rhizome) grow up two strings per rhizome. Worked well for me. Good luck.

If you are keeping 3-5 bines per plant it really does not matter how many strings you use. 1-5 strings is perfectly acceptable.

This is this response it got from GLH in regard to this question with their crowns.
<[email protected]> wrote:

Steve,
Treat them as 2nd year plants- but wait to do any trimming until you
get all the primaries running up the twine a good 6 to 8 feet. Leaving
the smaller bines a little longer can help "push" the primaries up by
supplying more energy to the forming root system. (You just want to
keep the base of the plants cleaned up so you don't create spidermite
havens.) The hybrids will probably push more than 3 or 4 primaries -
limit them to about 6-8 bines this season. If you train more than 3-4
on a string they tend to get so thick that bugs and mildews can become
an issue. I run two strings per hop plant the first year.
Cheers!

Awesome thanks!

Awesome thanks!