Sorry, but another "what's wrong with my hops?" thread, 60 rhizomes crashing

[kilohertz]

Hi Guys,

Planted 60 rhizomes this spring, near the end of April, all sprouted fine and have been doing well. We have had unusually hot WX for the last few weeks, hitting 30 some days and dry. I have been watering daily with a 2 gal watering can, just wetting them down in the morning and then again in the afternoon not huge amounts, maybe 1/8 gal per plant. This past week, all new growth on about 75% of the plants, the tops, have all gone yellow. Some look like they are about to give up and the lead shoot has drooped. All species are affected, not just one. I used mushroom compost, 1-1-1 mixed with the soil when I planted. Also, in the last 4 days, it has cooled and we have had 2 big rainfalls, 1" each time. Now it's back to mid 20's and variable skies.

Help please! Big investment at stake here. Any more details required, just ask.

Cheers

 

[photobru]

I'm certainly no expert, but it sounds like you're over watering them.

This thread might help:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=241722

 

[ffaoe]

Probably overwatering and a late start on the season.

 

[Vandulus]

I always check the soil before watering my hops, usually in the evening. If the soil's still moist, I don't water. Another thing to check if you're using mushroom compost is are you getting enough drainage? Compost can get water logged rather quickly if there isn't an easy way for the water to drain.

 

[brew_ny]

yellow leaves and green veins look to me as they need some Nitrogen

maybe try a good water soluble fertilizer

10-10-10 at half strength to begin with

all the best

S_M

 

[j1n]

Nitrogen deficiency.

i would get some earth worm castings and put a layer on top of the soil around the plants.

 

[TeeJo]

<cough> Soil analysis <cough>

Spent a bunch on getting set up, did you spend anything at all learning what your soil actually has in it?

Why guess?

Spend a buck or two on a soil moisture meter too. Check out Lee Valley tools or your local garden center.

Guessing and hoping is OK for a hobby interest, where you really don't have much on the line but your time. Chucking your money away, on the other hand, seems a fools errand.

Check out http://www.certifiedorganic.bc.ca/rcbtoa/services/soil-testing-services.html for one of several lists of labs doing soil checks.

TeeJo

 

[brew_ny]

<cough> Soil analysis <cough>

Spent a bunch on getting set up, did you spend anything at all learning what your soil actually has in it?

Why guess?

Spend a buck or two on a soil moisture meter too. Check out Lee Valley tools or your local garden center.

Guessing and hoping is OK for a hobby interest, where you really don't have much on the line but your time. Chucking your money away, on the other hand, seems a fools errand.

Check out http://www.certifiedorganic.bc.ca/rcbtoa/services/soil-testing-services.html for one of several lists of labs doing soil checks.

TeeJo

I could not agree more with this for all we know the soil is full of nitrogen but it is locked out because the PH range is wrong

all the best

S_M

 

[B-Hoppy]

Has it been pretty cool at night? Let us know what's what once it warms up again.

 

[brew_ny]

could also be Iron Chlorosis that why testing your soil is good idea

 

[kilohertz]

Hi all,

Thank you for all of the replies and suggestions. No, I haven't done a soil analysis, yet, but last year I had 30 plants do just fine in the same area. I just added another 60 this year. This area had horses in it about 10 years ago, sat for 5 years and was my vegetable garden area for 2 years after that, then it sat dormant for 2 years when I decided to put in the first 30 hop plants last spring. I tilled in a bit of sandy soil as the native soil was a bit heavy and became quite hard and compacted after a while. I tested my water PH yesterday as we are out in the country on a 240' deep well, it came back pretty much neutral, maybe a touch above 7. Daytime temps back to 25-28 and nights still about 10-14C.

I'll try the soluble fertilizer first, something like Miracle Grow? or is there another recommended product? I have read about the benefits of fish fertilizer or liquid kelp, may try that as well. I have a bag of worm castings here as well.

The area immediately around the plants drains very well and when I poke my finger down beside the hops, it usually is pretty dry which is when I water, the soil never seems saturated or soggy.

Anyway, thank you again. I'll keep at it.

Cheers

 

[FourSeasonAngler]

water pH will not tell you what your soil pH is.

Get a soil analysis and treat as recommended after analysis.

 

[TeeJo]

Are you doing this as a business?

If so, you would do well to make a few business decisions, rather than guessing. You want as accurate a picture of what you have in your yard as you can get. That means having some actual numbers in hand. Dumping too much or too little water on your plant will cost you money, as will dumping fertilizer at random, either in direct inputs, or reduced production.


The Kumbaya-hippie school of garden management does not often work out well if you are actually trying to achieve results.



TeeJo

 

[brew_ny]

I'll try the soluble fertilizer first, something like Miracle Grow? or is there another recommended product? I have read about the benefits of fish fertilizer or liquid kelp, may try that as well. I have a bag of worm castings here as well.


Cheers

I like peters but I buy in it 25 pound bags from my greenhouse supplier

kelp is good for somethings, fish is good but cats and raccoons like it also

but I would have the soil checked just so you know what in needs because as I posted before you could have Iron deficiency

a good all purpose fertilizer with trace elements and chelated iron might be just what is needed

but without testing the soil it is just hit or miss

here in the states we have the cooperative extension and they will do it for you

not sure what you have an ag college would more then likely be glad to help you

all the best

S_M

 

[kilohertz]

I gathered a few samples from around the yard and did the basic PH test, and I have alkaline soil. Fizzed pretty good with the vinegar slurry. Proper test of course will reveal any problems.

From what I read, lowering PH requires compost or pine needles or ???? will do some more research.

Cheers

 

[B-Hoppy]

You're on the right track. Check with some local garden centers to see if they recommend someone for soil tests which usually run around $10 (more or less depending on what all you want tested). Generally, to lower the pH, a sulfur containing compound is applied but without a soil test you're shooting in the dark. Soil chemistry is very complicated by the number of variables involved and you can muck things up really quick if you try it yourself without a little guidance. Again, if the plants you grew last year did well I don't think things would get that far out of balance in the course of a year. Good luck.

 

[shaneritz]

This is definitely over watering and no fertilizer. The leaves on top will always go yellow because the nutrients will only stay in the lower pot of the plant. Feed every few days with 150-200ppm nitrogen. When it's too hot plants will shut down and won't use half of the water you give them. Good luck!!

 

[kilohertz]

A quick update. 3 days ago applied general purpose Miracle Grow in prescribed amount. Next day applied Alaska fish fertilizer per directions and then left them alone yesterday and today, but we had a good rain today, and when I got home tonight, they are showing signs of improvement, yellow seems to be fading being replaced by green. There are still about 20 plants with a bit of yellow on the new growth but they have stopped wilting and seem to be on the road to recovery.

I'll update again in a few days.

Thanks all for the help.

Cheers