Trim back second year hops?

[mgr_stl]

I'm in the St Louis area and have second year hops plants. Would you guys recommend trimming them back now that they are starting to really take off? I'd say the vines are about six to eight inches long and there are about 10 shoots (for lack of a better term).

 

[dirtyd90]

I am also in St. Louis with second year hops. Mine are doing the same thing. We are past the last (hopefully) below freezing temps so I plan on training two bines per rope with three ropes per plant. I am going to trim off the biggest bines to eliminate the chance of training a bull shoot. I figure doing that will give me a couple more weeks of growth to pick through. Where are you at in St. Louis? I am in Sunset Hills.

 

[kryptonite1055]

As you guys are, I am in St. Louis area as well (near Page and I-170). I have first year hops, but the rhizomes that I received were quite large. Williamette was much larger than my hand. Zeus and Centennial were smaller. Should I worry about trying to cut down any bull shoots being a first year? So far Williamette has 6 shoots (one is already a foot tall, but leaf spacing is quite far apart) while the others have 2-4 shoots. I am growing them in 20 gallon Sub Irrigation Planters.

 

[Wingnutt73]

Nashville hear and I would say yes trim them. I actually did this last night on my Second year plants. They are taking off like crazy and I want them to be able to get the most out of each healthy Bine. Cutting the smaller ones focuses more growing to the stronger Bines. I also did this last year when I first planted them, It helped a lot.

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

I usually trim back to 3-4 bines on the older plants. All of mine are 2 and older

 

[Jayhem]

My 2nd year plants (in Virginia) have 10-20 bines each! I'm waiting till this last frost passes tonight and then trimming back each to 4 healthy bines.

 

[Wingnutt73]

My 2nd year plants (in Virginia) have 10-20 bines each! I'm waiting till this last frost passes tonight and then trimming back each to 4 healthy bines.

I just had that frost

I covered my babies though and they all looked good this morning.

 

[dirtyd90]

Kryptonite1055 I would not clip any first year shoots. Let the plant develop a nice root system in the first year. I grow in 20 gallon containers. My cascade, centennial, and columbus all produced cones in the first year. My nugget did not but had the strongest root system developed. Let them go and next year select the bines you want and clip the rest.

 

[Wingnutt73]

Kryptonite1055 I would not clip any first year shoots. Let the plant develop a nice root system in the first year. I grow in 20 gallon containers. My cascade, centennial, and columbus all produced cones in the first year. My nugget did not but had the strongest root system developed. Let them go and next year select the bines you want and clip the rest.

The Title of the Thread is "SECOND YEAR HOPS" just saying.

 

[Jayhem]

I just had that frost

I covered my babies though and they all looked good this morning.

We had a freeze Thursday morning! 28F when I got up. I covered the bines, hoping for the best.

 

[Wingnutt73]

We had a freeze Thursday morning! 28F when I got up. I covered the bines, hoping for the best.

Doh.....

 

[kryptonite1055]

The Title of the Thread is "SECOND YEAR HOPS" just saying.

When a single Rhizome comes in a gallon size bag and it barely fits in it (in the shape of a horse shoe with roots attached), the line starts to blur a little. Especially when you have 8 shoot to choose from right now. A couple more popped up just yesterday.

dirtyd90, Thanks. I only have two spots for each plant to grow. Having 4 bines on each piece of twine seems like it will get a little crowded. I feel like I will probably have to cut a couple of bines so I only have 2-4 bines growing for each plant. Until that time comes to choose, I will let them all grow.

Sorry for interrupting. If I have any more questions, I will make sure to put it on a thread, or start a new thread, that is only for first year hop growers.

 

[savidgebrothers]

PA here. We have 1st 2nd and third years. Seems a little frost won't stop these guys. Hops love to grow and are pretty strong buggers. Last year our 2nd Galenas we let the first 3 shoots grow and kept cutting the rest. Mid July three plants just snapped at the bottom. We had bad storms like any year but all 75 other plants were fine but 5 of 10 Galenas snapped. Just started realizing this may be a "bull shoot" problem. Were are cutting back all 2nd and 3rd year plants' shoots this weekend after what should be the last frost to hopefully stop that problem.

 

[dirtyd90]

Wingnutt73 I was just trying to help a fellow St. Louisan out. Don't be a forum cop. Seriously.

 

[jheld00]

another st. louisian here ive got second year centennials they went nuts a few weeks ago. i trimmed them all back a few days after that last freeze we had. i plan on training 3 bines per plant if and when they come back(they are acting pretty sluggish). hopefully the rain thats coming the next few days will help out.