SWMBO found something interesting info about tricking first year hops

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I'm not sure if this would work with Avocados, but it might be a neat experiment to try. My friend grows hops for home brewing beer and these have the same "problem" of not yielding anything for a few years. He was able to trick the plants into flowering by putting them in the refridgerator two different times for about two weeks long each time while they were still infants. This fooled the plant into thinking it had experienced two winters and he got a decent yield in his first year.

Here is the link to the site where it was posted

Watering & Enjoying

I find this really hard to believe, but if it works...awesome!

No need , if your plant gets enough root down it will flower, I harvested 3 lbs year 1 and over 12 lbs year 2

According to the folks over at the OSU High-Alpha breeding program, hops are not in any way sensitive to freezing or cold weather while dormant.

Another factoid that won't die.

david_42 said:

According to the folks over at the OSU High-Alpha breeding program, hops are not in any way sensitive to freezing or cold weather while dormant.

Another factoid that won't die.

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So, vernalization is not a factor for hops?

Zulu said:

No need , if your plant gets enough root down it will flower, I harvested 3 lbs year 1 and over 12 lbs year 2

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This is true. My first year Cascades are going to town right now. We'll see what comes off of them, but right now it looks like the deep digging I did for the beds is going to pay off big time.

My first plant Nugget has a lot of flowers on it. It's also in a pot.

My first year cascades and centenials both have lots of cones. I wasn't expecting any cones for the first year but it looks like I'm going to get a decent harvest.:rockin:

I'm getting quite a lot of cones on my three first-year Cascades and one first-year Chinook (all in containers).

So, vernalization is not a factor for hops?

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Not at all.

After tracking homegrowers for the last couple years, the people who get the best first-year yields are in the south-east. Early Springs and not too hot seem to be the most important factors.

I have always gotten a harvest from first-year plants - if the rhizome survives and sends up bines, I always get some cones. Soil prep is critical, in my opinion.

I got some my first year. This year they are bursting! I'm adding two more trellises for next year, wife willing.

My experience has been that its the size and viability of the rhizome that influences first year yield the most. The "jumbo"(more like a crown with lots of roots hanging off) rhizomes produce a great yield year one, the little "stick" rhizomes take 2 years to yield much. Its just a rooting issue. That and weather, light, soil....