Low Lupulin Content?

[Tradical]

Hey all. Hoping someone can shed some light on an issue I had last year when I first started growing my own hops.

I planted 5 rhizomes of 3 different varieties in my back yard, after a hellish process of mining a nice trench out of the packed clay soil and filling it in with drainage and better, looser soil mix. The plants took off pretty well, I did lose one but the others grew well and actually produced a fair number of cones, even though they were only 1st year plants (especially the cascades). But I was concerned because the cones that were produced seemed to have very low lupulin content. Only the centennials had a noticeable aroma without rubbing between fingers and smelling them up close, and even those were not especially strong. Before drying there was zero to little hardly any discernible aroma, and after they really just smelled like hay. I haven't been able to find anything in my researches that suggest a reason for this. All information on diseases and nutrient deficiencies talks about plant health and never suggests an effect on compound content in the cones. I know that first year plants are supposed to have lower yield and less above-ground growth, but I've never seen anything to suggest this would affect the lupulin content of the cones that did grow.

Does anyone know a possible reason for this? I would at least like to have an idea what I should check. Could it just have been due to their being first-year plants? Or do I need to adjust/improve their care and conditions this year?

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[DarkCoder]

Yes, there is a reason... they were 1st year plants.

In commercial yards, growers don't even bother harvesting a field with first year plants because of low lupulin / oils.

 

[Tradical]

Yes, there is a reason... they were 1st year plants.

In commercial yards, growers don't even bother harvesting a field with first year plants because of low lupulin / oils.

Thank you! I had suspected that was the case but didn't see anything that hinted at it. Looking forward to the next couple years, then.

 

[SoCal-Doug]

A few years ago I planted 3 different types (different areas of course). First year they grew like crap. Sterling only went a couple feet and fizzled out, Willamette went maybe 6 feet and fizzled, Goldings grew like crazy but only produced small wimpy cones.

The second year all three went totally berserk with big cones, and I thought they were going to take over my house. The sterling is already budding up.

I think once they get a good root structure and go through a dormancy period, they get their act together.

 

[Apimyces]

Age of the plants is one potential factor.

Ripeness at harvest is another. As is fertilization.