If I cut them now?

[HoppyDaze]

So I'm in Willamette Valley and all my hops are up at least two feet. They have been getting blown around like crazy in recent storms and some of them are pretty banged up. I was wondering if everything would grow back if I cut them now. I have read that people cut them back the way through may and let them go once June comes...I just can get myself to cut a bine that is already four feet and climbing

 

[Hopfarmer]

You have to cut them if they are 2nd year or older.Cut them back to the ground and burn w weedburner.Train next growth around May 7-10. This produces a plant w lots of sidearm growth and lots of cones.

 

[doobliebop]

Hopfarmer: Ok, so for my case, I have several plants that are shooting up now. I was going to keep them in the garage until the last frost date had passed. Is it still better to cut them down even if the shoots that are up now will be in good condition? These are in their second year...

 

[Hopfarmer]

how big are the pots they are in ? You get a plant that does not xmass tree out and produces lots more and also ripens at the proper time when u cut back.These plants are hardy and very frost tolerant

 

[doobliebop]

they were in 5gal pots the first year. I am transplanting them to a much larger container soon. I was going to just leave the shoots in tact, but if it would increase production I would cut them down. So just for clarification, you just cut down the first set of shoots?
Thanks!

 

[HoppyDaze]

Hijack!

wait....not only should I cut them back but I should hit them with weed killer too? Now thats just crazy talk

 

[Hopfarmer]

Well the big Non Organic farms burn them back w paraquat. I will be using a weed burner.Just sounds harsh doesn't it. I am not talking about cooking them just killing the 1st growth

 

[HoppyDaze]

It does seem to make a ton of sense...but I love them. Sometimes you have to hurt the ones you love so they can grow to be better

 

[McKBrew]

Never heard of this technique, but what do I know.

What I've done in the past is just take and train 2-3 bines on about three strings. I keep the ones that are growing the best and cut back the rest.

Honestly though, I think hops are basically 1 step removed from a weed and they'd probably grow through a nuclear holocaust.

 

[Hopfarmer]

They are just a weed that we love and are obsessed about.Last year I did not cut burn back the 4000 + I had in the ground.We had early warm weather in Feb and shoots came up. I started all of them in 08 in 5000 6" pots mostly from single rhizomes so I was worried about the early growth and not having more shoots.Well the end result was it screwed up the plants cycle threw off the ripening,and cost me about 4000 lbs and a lot of $ .

 

[Hopfarmer]

Not weed killer a weed burner blow torch

 

[doobliebop]

For the small-time grower I would imagine that simply cutting the shoots would be fine. The blow torch is because you have such a large crop. Do you attribute any positive effects to the cauterizing resulting from the blow torch?

 

[Hopfarmer]

I just think you get a better kill.I also go over the hills w a weed wacker .

 

[jonp9576]

so i cut mine back last week. and they are up again. should i keep cutting them back through april, and let them go once may comes around.

 

[troutab81]

so i cut mine back last week. and they are up again. should i keep cutting them back through april, and let them go once may comes around.

I am also interested in this. Second year growth, and all 4 are coming back right now. The cascade has 20 bines about 2 ft tall... are you saying I should cut them all back to the ground until the frost has passed??? I thought I read to let 2-3 Bines go, but if I should be pruning them until May, that would be good to know.

 

[Hopfarmer]

I would cut them now or in 4-5 days .Then train the next growth around May 7-10 .It really has nothing to do w the frost,more the photo period of the plant.The 1st shoots are racers and produce far less and have much less sidearm growth.Proper cutback and training also affects ripening of the cones. Here is some info I found

C. Growth Characteristics
Although the early season growth rate and length of time for hop vines to reach the top wire of a trellis vary widely due to factors such as climatic conditions and growth and harvest management, the early season growth of Columbus is generally faster than the most aroma hops (such as Tettnang, Perle, Centennial, Saaz, Spalt, Mt. Hood, Liberty, Hallertau, Hersbruck, and Fuggle), and also faster than the quicker-growing aroma hops such as Cascade and Willamette. Such aroma hops are generally first trained between May 7 and May 10, and reach the top wire between June 20 and June 30. The aroma hop Cluster and the bitter hops Galena and Chinook are typically trained about May 15 and reach the top wire from about June 20 to about June 30. The bitter hops Nugget, Olympic, Eroica, and Columbus are typically trained about May 25 and reach the top wire about June 27 to about July 7. Among this latter group, Columbus typically grows slower than the other hop varieties at first, but then accelerates its growth and can grow to the top faster than Nugget on occasion. In other words, Columbus is a late maturing hop, and has an early growth rate that is typical for bitter hops and for Cluster, but it is a slow starter.

 

[Stevesmirk]

I planted 4 varieties about 3 weeks ago, and all are sending shoots. I have learned from this discussion that if they are 2nd year or beyond, I should cut back. Should I leave mine alone since they are first year? I assume that I should. In case it matters, they are Cascade, Hallertau, Magnum and Perle.
Thanks!

 

[doobliebop]

Stevesmirk, I'd say let them grow for the first year. This seems to be more of a way to increase yeild, and your goal for the first year is to get them growing at all. (Good job!) If you get any yeild the first year count it as good fortune. In their first year plants can be fickle, and I wouldn't want to shock them by cutting them back.

Hopfarmer- Where'd you find that info you just posted?

 

[Hopfarmer]

Do not cut back 1st year growth,it is all they have Glen

 

[Hopfarmer]

Have not chased the info down,one of the growers in our Coop found it here is what he said Glen,

I copied this from the Columbus hop patent. I thought it was interesting and possibly informative for our training dates.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Hmm. I would think the weed burner would sterilize the surface but then I suppose it's not held there long enough to really heat the soil so much.