How high is too high?

[WBB]

What do you do when the hops get too high or what if you run out of vertical space? Do you just start pruning the highest bines at the height limitation?

I built a crude trellis system and the twine only goes up to about 8 feet. I have a feeling they will spiral up the twine and go well over 8 feet, which when it happens, then what? They are not going to have anything to climb or wrap around on.

 

[brewcat]

I just let them blow in the wind.

 

[shoengine]

The ones closest to my house got on the roof. They backed off though when they found out how hot it was up there...

 

[Pappers_]

You can train them to come back down the trellis. Or put up a horizontal piece and train them along that.

 

[NGD]

Question somewhat related to the OPs. Once they run out of space, do that start to intertwine on themselves and hang?

 

[Pappers_]

Question somewhat related to the OPs. Once they run out of space, do that start to intertwine on themselves and hang?

Yes, they won't stop growing because your trellis ends. Hops will grow all over the ground if you just leave them be. Start training them to go back down the twine or trellis or whatever and I promise they will continue to grown and intertwine just fine.

 

[cswis86]

I would cut the growing ends off once they reach the top so they don't tangle. I've never trained hops back down a trellis (didn't know you could) but I imagine it's way too much work. Think of some ideas for how you can increase the height of your trellis for next season so you won't have this issue again!

 

[Pappers_]

Training them to go back down is no more work than cutting them off - you just bend them down and twist them around the twine/pole/trellis.

 

[JohnSand]

I have trained them, pruned them, let them run wild. I don't notice a difference.

 

[Leezer]

I grew mine on an approx 7 ft obelisk, they just wind around whatever they can find.

 

[Saunassa]

I grew mine on an approx 7 ft obelisk, they just wind around whatever they can find.
View attachment 572872

cute obelisk

 

[Senormac]

I would just let them find there own way at the top. they will grow fall, loop and intertwine while they have the energy to do so, but they will still produce cones. I have never heard of training them to go DOWN. It's contrary to every plant life cycle that I can think of. Plants (like humans) use gravity and sunlight to make there way and that way is UP !! When they fall over from the weight, they will turn and grow up again.

 

[Senormac]

I grew mine on an approx 7 ft obelisk, they just wind around whatever they can find.

Great picture Leezer !!

 

[bobeer]

I've done what others have stated in running some jute horizontally. They will grow across as easily as they grow up!

 

[Saunassa]

I've done what others have stated in running some jute horizontally. They will grow across as easily as they grow up!

Due to my swmbo i ended up planting mine to run nearly horizontal. Maybe 20 degree incline and they seem to be doing fine wrapping around the jute rope.

 

[BrianK3721]

I grew mine on an approx 7 ft obelisk, they just wind around whatever they can find.
View attachment 572872

What are they?

 

[Leezer]

Cascade. It grows like crazy and has covered the obelisk again this year. Tried growing goldings on one but it never gets very tall so I am using tomato cages this year, results are so so.

 

[kh54s10]

I have trained them, pruned them, let them run wild. I don't notice a difference.

One difference that I can see (never grew hops) is that if you prune them you limit the length of the bine where cones can be produced - less hops.....

 

[BrianK3721]

One difference that I can see (never grew hops) is that if you prune them you limit the length of the bine where cones can be produced - less hops.....

That energy goes is used to bush out

 

[kh54s10]

That energy goes is used to bush out

I guess it would depend on how short in comparison to how long the bine would have grown to how bushy it would get by pruning.

If you trimmed to 50% of the length the bine would have grown to, but only achieve 30% in bushy, you lost hops.

 

[Wesmando]

I have a nugget the has reached a 18 ft trellis and is draped over hanging at least another 6ft, still growing. The only problem i can see with low lying bushy bines is disease. Airflow is important, that is why you strip off the bottom four foot of sidearms and leaves. I spent part of yesterday afternoon undoing some low sidearms that i had trained. The sidearms had sprouted sidearms and it was a tangled mess 2 foot off the ground. It is hot and humid here so i didnt want to give the mildews a foot hold.

 

[Pathogen07]

The biggest issue I had on a 12' trellace was the interwinding of neighboring hop plants. It's not a big deal for the plants, just a pain when you harvest.

 

[Saunassa]

I have a nugget the has reached a 18 ft trellis and is draped over hanging at least another 6ft, still growing. The only problem i can see with low lying bushy bines is disease. Airflow is important, that is why you strip off the bottom four foot of sidearms and leaves. I spent part of yesterday afternoon undoing some low sidearms that i had trained. The sidearms had sprouted sidearms and it was a tangled mess 2 foot off the ground. It is hot and humid here so i didnt want to give the mildews a foot hold.

How are you stripping the leaves off? Are you pinching them off halfway between the bin e and the leaf, cutting with a scissors near the bine...?

 

[Wesmando]

I do both, pinch and snip. Sometimes at the early stages you can hold the top portion of the bine and strip the leaves downward like your ringing a chickens neck. The safest way to prevent damage is pruning shears however. I have broke parts i didnt want broke by getting in a hurry.

 

[OreCreekBrewery]

What do you do when the hops get too high or what if you run out of vertical space? Do you just start pruning the highest bines at the height limitation?

I built a crude trellis system and the twine only goes up to about 8 feet. I have a feeling they will spiral up the twine and go well over 8 feet, which when it happens, then what? They are not going to have anything to climb or wrap around on.

 

[OreCreekBrewery]

I have a 2"x 2" square Aluminum tube 18' tall with a rope and pulley system on my Hops and they only get about 14 feet tall. It won't hurt them to grow horizontal if you have room to stretch a rope so the bines can grow along the ropes length.

 

[Wesmando]

Just try to keep the air circulation as open as you can to dispel the mildews the best you can. I have been spreading my low sidearms and stripping low leaves to try to get them less wadded up.