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It had been a very wet spring and beginning of summer here. However, I proceeded as normal. In early spring, I cut the growing bines down as needed until after the last frost date. On the last cutting, I opted to take a practice from the commercial yards and used my weed burner to cauterize the cut ends, spread out some compost and a heavy layer of mulch. And began to wait until they reemerged.
That may have been the means to the ends.
Most summers here are dry as a bone being cooked in an oven. Not so this summer, so far.
After weeks went by I noticed only about half of the plots were showing any sign of activity so, i figured they weren't warming quickly enough. Highly unlikely but, whatever. So, I pulled the mulch back to expose the soils underneath. And waited.
More time passed and, nothing.
I recalled seing a heavy layer of white mold between teh soil and mulch and had a thought that maybe THAT had taken hold of my hops. Then, the USDA Hop Manual therad is posted and, it too mentions white mold and shows a pic of the tell tale teeny mushroomette.
I figure "Crap! My crowns are molded"
So, I root around to see whats up.
Nothing but bronze collered sponges. 7 crowns! I tore several of them apart to what the inside was like and see if there was any sign of life.
The veins were full of soil and sand.
I think two things occured here. Red Cron root rot and Grubs.
I had one crown that was infested with grublettes. They were deep into the crown too. The real pissoff is I had innoculated all the plots with nematodes specific to june bug grubs.
Oh well.
That may have been the means to the ends.
Most summers here are dry as a bone being cooked in an oven. Not so this summer, so far.
After weeks went by I noticed only about half of the plots were showing any sign of activity so, i figured they weren't warming quickly enough. Highly unlikely but, whatever. So, I pulled the mulch back to expose the soils underneath. And waited.
More time passed and, nothing.
I recalled seing a heavy layer of white mold between teh soil and mulch and had a thought that maybe THAT had taken hold of my hops. Then, the USDA Hop Manual therad is posted and, it too mentions white mold and shows a pic of the tell tale teeny mushroomette.
I figure "Crap! My crowns are molded"
So, I root around to see whats up.
Nothing but bronze collered sponges. 7 crowns! I tore several of them apart to what the inside was like and see if there was any sign of life.
The veins were full of soil and sand.
I think two things occured here. Red Cron root rot and Grubs.
I had one crown that was infested with grublettes. They were deep into the crown too. The real pissoff is I had innoculated all the plots with nematodes specific to june bug grubs.
Oh well.
