What types of fertilizer work???

[bastump218]

Looking for suggestions on good fertilizers to use for hops?!?!

 

[Canadabrew]

Standard miracle grow works well. If you can put it on your tomatoes it's good.

 

[Boris_the_Russian]

I've been using a product called "Earth Juice" and it's been doing a fantastic job. Found it at my local hydroponics store. It says it is all organic and that really means alot to me. It smells terrible, looks gross but, my cascade seem to love it. I plan on using the this line of product through the entire grow cycle for the year. "Two thumbs up"

 

[SkyHighBrew88]

I'm using fish emulsion. Also smells horrid. I suppose that's to be expected ground up fish guts.

A website I had visited said use fish emulsion until you get a lot of burrs, then switch to MorBloom through harvest.

 

[Boris_the_Russian]

During the vegetive stage, I'm using the grow formula with a catalyst and the microblast nutrient in a gallon mix. Like sky high said, once the plants begins to concentrate on cones, I'm gonna switch to the Bloom formula and keep with the nutes at every feeding.
Just heard about the fish emulsion recently, I think I'm gomna look into that. Would be a good alternate.

 

[progmac]

shallowly bury your spent grains and leftover yeast cakes into the ground around your hops. they'll love it!

miracle gro products are great but they create some dependency and don't provide much long-term benefit to the soil

 

[Rbeckett]

My understanding is they love Nitrogen, so a daily light feeding with a very dilute nitrogen solution would seem to be a good approach. Just thinkin out loud.
WCB

 

[kellanv]

Nitrogen is for foliage growth which is important while they are getting taller and putting out new leaves.

I use mainly fish and algae emulsion. You have to do it once every week or two but it works well. You might go to a higher Phosphorus and Potassium solution as the bracts start to form

 

[cram]

Another +1 on fish emulsion. I can find the Alaska brand at the H.Depot for $8 for a large bottle. It's 5-1-1 and the hops, tomatoes, and squash are loving it right now as they veg. I use half of the rec. dosage...

 

[Randar]

This is one of those topics that seems to be rehashed about once a week. I have no idea why, because there are plenty of resources and opinions to find via the search function.

That said, Nitrogen until cone formation. Add Potassium if your soil is relatively deficient as this is critical to cone formation and health. After you see spurs, you can eliminate the nitrogen fert additions (whatever form you are using)

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/fg/fg79-e.pdf

 

[Boris_the_Russian]

I'm using fish emulsion. Also smells horrid. I suppose that's to be expected ground up fish guts.

A website I had visited said use fish emulsion until you get a lot of burrs, then switch to MorBloom through harvest.

So I purchased the fish emulsion that I you spoke of and used it on both plants last sat. I must say I'm highly impressed and feel foolish that it's taken so long for me to get on board but, wow! I'm a fan!
I knew these plants were nitro hungry but, this seems to be the missing link for my feeding regiment. I've allready seen great results and I attribute it directly to the knowledge that's been given from you great folks.
:cheers:

 

[SkyHighBrew88]

Awesome! Just passing along some stuff I've read elsewhere. Second pic looks a nice healthy green...

 

[badbrew]

I just fertilized for the second time with gro power 5-3-1. The plants were sluggish and having problems and all of a sudden took off. This week it was nearly 100 a couple of days and then down to about 95 for a few more including a wind storm and these plants are bullet proof in the heat. It's like they are thriving. Would never have thought this would happen and it's all about the fertility right now. Without the fertilizer, there is no doubt that some of them would be dead.

 

[jfrank85]

Lately I've been doing a concoction of half rate montys growth formula 8-16-8 and a half rate of kelp/fish emulsion 4-3-3 w/ micronutrient mixed in a gallon jug . Hop cones have doubled in the last few days and leafs have greened up ten fold. This seems to work well on a weekly feeding schedule and wont burn as easily since they both dont contain salts. Just my .2¢