Trimming Hops?

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jmd1971

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Hi, my hops have already gotten to the top of the twine structure I've created (prob. 8 ft.) & was wondering if I should trim the tops. The are currently growing upwards off the twine & really have nothing to latch onto.

Ideas?
 
I just let mine coil and clump up. i don't trim them, and have had good yields. plus its tough to get up that high. personally, i wouldn't worry about it
 
you can start to train em down then they will climb up again. Did you not plan for their extreme growth? 8' is not much for em to grow, and not have a backup plan.
 
Has nothing to do with a 'backup plan'. Not all people can have, or want, 20ft posts in their yard yet would like to grow hops. It possible with much less than 8 ft as I used to grow them on fencing 5 ft high & had fantastic yields. I was just curious if trimming the tips adversely affected their later growth...
 
Ditto. I own 1/10 of an acre. Mine are growing up a 5 foot fence. They are starting to jump over the top and I wasn't sure what to do. I guess just keep them from attacking the neighbor and let them coil and clump.
 
a lot of people grow them along fencing. its not optimum, but there is nothing wrong with it. i grow my goldings on a 5 foot fence, while my cascades and chinooks grow up 12 foot trelis'.

i don't trim the tips. i would be too nervous too do so. i haven't noticed any ill effect of letting them clump. but then again, this is only my second year growing
 
Thanks, guys. I'm just gonna let 'em go. I think some people forget about living on plots that directly abut neighbors. Mine are on my 6 ft. wooden fence which I screwed additional 2 ft' posts onto to create an 8 ft. trellis. Although friendly with the neighbors, I also don't want them choking out their plants! ;) We all don't have 10 acres to work with....
 
I know they can and do grow fine along fences. That would be your "backup plan" then. They reached the top now train em horizontal what I meant by backup plan..
 
Trimming/snipping the tips, probably wont get the affect you are looking for. They would send laterals from the leaf joints nearest the cut, these laterals(1-2) would replace the bine you snipped and continue trying to go up. Since they are all the same kind(and if you dont mind a snarl) let em get 3' above your cable/rope holder, then start training em down, then across, and all over the place.
 
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