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It won’t do any harm and the minuscule amount of residue left after rinsing won’t affect the taste. Sodium meta-bisulphate which is commonly used(for example by me) is fine if one isn’t allergic to sulphites. These can cause rashes and breathing difficulties. You will find these links helpful...

I had the caterpillar problem last year which was my second season’s growth. The first year and this year have been fine. I read that a mixture of liquid hand soap (not washing up liquid), baking powder and water to spray on a white powdery fungus was useful to remedy the problem (which I also...

I had a lot of damage like that last year in London, UK.

Many thanks for that. I’ve already cut most of the bull shoots, perhaps a little early, but I’ll cut some more in a couple of weeks if I’m aware that they are of the prickly variety.

OK, thanks very much for that so I cut back the bull shoots but if I remember correctly someone once said that only 3 bines/crown is sufficient. Is that correct?

Hi guys, below is a photo of one of my tubs (I have two of them in total) which shows hops in their third year of growth in London, UK. Is it correct that I select about four bines and then cut back all the rest? Many thanks, Tony G

Does growing hops up the side of the house affect the foundations? Hop roots are very woody and my fear is that they’ll dislodge the brickwork. Can I have advice on this, please?

I’ve taken another look at your photos and notice how big your hops are compared with mine which are miniscule. Last year I had enormous ones. I’m concerned that mine are in the twilight of their existence!

I made an ale two years ago (my first with fresh hops) which were green as in the photo above and it was very agreeable. It was a fresh-tasting light ale which was excellent on a hot day.

I was told last year, being my first season, not to expect many hops and not enough to brew with but they were magnificent. They were much better than the wild hops I’d seen in Kent from where I got the rhizomes…and the beer made from them is very good. Which London borough do you live in btw?

Thanks buddy. What a terrible summer we’ve had! :D Yep, exactly the same for me - the top third. Incidentally, which borough are you in? I’m in Lewisham.

Many thanks for that feedback, buddy. Someone told me last night that her hops are very small this year although she hasn’t experienced the blight which I have. I’m guessing there’s a lot of truth in what you say given how hot it’s been in London and how the more exposed roots in a pot are more...

This is only my second season of growing hops. Last year the cones were large, plentiful and healthy as in the photos above but this year they look dreadful and sparse. I’ve watered and fed them regularly, is it down to the heatwave we’ve experienced in London that they’re withering like this or...

This is only my second season of growing hops. Last year the cones were large, plentiful and healthy but this year they look dreadful and sparse. I’ve watered and fed them regularly. Is it down to the heatwave we’ve experienced in London that they’re withering like this or could I have...

I’ve just had a close look at the leaves and there’s been massive infestation but no sign of any caterpillar.

I’ll ask next time I’m at the garden Centre, buddy. Thanks for the reply.

I live in London, buddy, so I’m afraid not.

Yep, but is it a common issue and will it impair the hops?

I haven’t seen them, buddy. I wondered at first if it was snails but I’m sure that it isn’t.

As you can see from the attached photo, I have a lot of my leaves nibbled at by an insect - I live in the UK. Will this cause a problem for the hops and if so what can I do to eradicate them?