Crowning hop plants

[scrap iron]

The third week of March I crowned my 4-5 year old plants. This is the first time I tried this and was a little worried because I didn't see any growth for awhile. I was relieved to see shoots popping up around mid- April and now after pruning bull shoots in late April they are really taking off. I have one plant with 12''-18'' bines and the others on the way.
I am happy now after some anxiety about doing this. Does anyone have any experiences similar to this?

 

[B-Hoppy]

Yes, every year. Clear all the soil away from the top of the crown with some sort of rake and then use an old pruning saw to 'scalp' the crown an inch or two down. Get rid of all those buds and then cover back over with some compost and soil. Good until next spring when it starts all over. This is a good way to minimize disease issues as most spores will overwinter in those buds closest to the surface. By removing them you remove the diseased portion which lessens your iinoculum. Some times with downy, the infection may move deeper into the crown in which case you may have to dig the whole thing up.