Considering Intentional Hop Abuse

During the last windstorm the top 2 ft. of one of my 8 ft. Fuggle bines did the 180 flop. I left it alone and it appears to be fine. Since then it's added about a foot.

It makes we wonder if production will be hurt? And if not, next year I might bend them intentionally since I have more horizontal space than vertical space. Now if only we could get out of the 40's.

???

Some people train hops along fences. You just have to check them and re-direct the bines occasionally.

Mine didn't do much this year (even less than yours) until the night temperatures stayed about 45F consistently.

Mine are currently growing at an angle (10˚ to 45&#730. The first 6 feet or so seem happiest going vertical, but once they hit the branching, side-arm part of growth they do fine. My Cascades seem to do the best with horizontal/ angled growth, the Sterling keep trying to grow up.

david_42 said:

Mine didn't do much this year (even less than yours) until the night temperatures stayed about 45F consistently.

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It's been Spring Stupid up here. Average low temp has been 40, with spotty frost for the last two weeks.

After reading a similar post about cutting the tops off (posted at the same time). It might restrict my already small hop yield.

Next year I'll try and train them horizontally after they get 5 or 6 ft tall. Because of our climate I doubt I'll get 20 ft. bines or huge yields. But I find them fun to grow and if I get enough for a few batches I'll be happy.

I grow my hops in pots and train them around tomato cages, you can get them to go horizontal it just takes time. I let them grow like 1' up then unwrap it and rewrap it horizontally then let it grow up again. I have like 12+ foot of vine in about 8' of vertical height this way.

clemson55 said:

I grow my hops in pots and train them around tomato cages, you can get them to go horizontal it just takes time.

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Lateral is the way to go for me. It all depends on the space you have and how it works best for your own particular situation.

The more I read and see the more encouraged I become on the horizontal method. I think I'll have to rework my trellis this fall.