first year hops(nugget and cascade)

This is my first year growing and my nugget and cascade plants have cones that look like they are ready to harvest. could someone with some experience please take a look at the pics and tell me what you think?

CASCADE
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NUGGET
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Nice, beautiful flowers. Several threads on here and Youtube about when they are ready, but they look too green in my inexperienced opinion. Look for some browning at the ends of the flowers, and some yellow lupulin inside, and of course smell. Also, they should be papery, not wet and springy when you squeeze them.

How about some full-size shots of the plants?

Mapleroots said:

This is my first year growing and my nugget and cascade plants have cones that look like they are ready to harvest. could someone with some experience please take a look at the pics and tell me what you think?

CASCADE

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NUGGET

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Click to expand...

sorry but if you click the image it will show a bigger pic. I'm kinda knew at posting pictures so please give me a break. but let me throw a few more up for averyone. some good practice. [/IMG] [/IMG]
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Great looking garden! But its too soon to harvest. Give another week or two. I have harvested too early before and regretted it big time (all that work for a bunch of poor quality hops)

I have only done this a few times, but I know a number of other growers and have heard and seen this many times:
You want :
1)papery, dry to touch(as opposed to somewhat damp feeling),
2)springy(as opposed to squishy),
3)stem at top of each cone should snap off easily,
4)some browning on tips.
5)Lupalin should stick to your fingers as you handle hops.
6) Many of the "prime" hops will be a lighter shade of green.

Happy Hopping, Tim

Good advice, I'll take that into consideration and hold out on the harvest for some time. Another good way to know if your hops are ready is by the aroma,. Should I be smelling a strong odor like when they are dried out, or are they more mellow when they are still fresh?
Yeah and for everyone who doesn't know Nuggets rock, my first year got every bit of 15 feet, and has cones everywhere. MT. Hoods did good and got around ten feet. cascades around 10, and coming in behind all are my magnums, where one got around seven feet and the other is only around 4 feet, still not sure what happened. I cant wait for next season though, them baby's are going to be sweet.
And has anyone had some problems with Japanese Beatles. If so What is a good organic way with dealing with them?

The smell should be just awesome fresh hops aroma. Here in Oregon during harvest near the big fields, it smells like they might be growing another related crop . Second your take on Nugget, mine are looking awesome. Still about 2-3 weeks from harvest in for me.

Good luck,Tim

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!! Great first year.