Trimming all of the first shoots- informal poll

[jessox80]

I have heard the advantages of it for commercial growing (essentially a more controlled and consistent flavor) and wonder how many garden-growers do it. I sort of loved the "gamey" wild hop flavor of my first year batch.
Please weigh in either way.

 

[boo boo]

I never do it, but sometimes limit my bines to 3 to 4 shoots per plant.

 

[Hopfarmer]

In second and subsequent years you should trim the first growth. They call the first growth bull shoots they race up the rope and produce less.They come from near the surface.The second growth is from deeper in the crown and draws strength from the whole root system. After you train 3 to 5 bines all the others should be cut or pulled

 

[jamboparty]

So just to clarify, I should trim all these off, and let a second set shoot up?

(second year Cascades)

 

[tchuklobrau]

In second and subsequent years you should trim the first growth. They call the first growth bull shoots they race up the rope and produce less.They come from near the surface.The second growth is from deeper in the crown and draws strength from the whole root system. After you train 3 to 5 bines all the others should be cut or pulled

How long do you personally let the bull shoots get before you trim them?

 

[B-Hoppy]

Jambo, I included a couple pictures that may explain. When your hops die back in the Fall, right at the base of where the vine comes out of the ground, there will be a big cluster of buds that will be the first to emerge the following Spring. These 'jump' out of the ground really fast and can produce erratic growth. So essentially, you could take some pruners and just lop that big cluster off and wait for the more tempered buds (located deeper on the crown) to start growing a week or two later, using them as the ones you let climb and produce your crop.

In pic 1, you can see where the vines from last season came out of the ground and notice the bud cluster at the base of each one.

In pic 2, if you were to take that rhizome and turn it vertically, the very end near the shovel would be analogous to the tip of the crown that's shown in your picture. If you were to cut off that tip you can see that there are plenty more buds below it waiting to take their turn in the sun. So yeah, you can just lop the whole top portion of what's growing now off and new shoots will begin to sprout in a week or two. Hope this helps.

 

[jessox80]

Thanks for the info, I'm glad I asked.

 

[jamboparty]

OK thanks for the info, B-Hoppy! I'll snip 'em off and cook it up like asparagus!