Fertilizer

BaylessBrewer · Apr 28, 2016

Currently I'm using Alaska Fish Emulsion 5-1-1 fertilizer for my hops. I used a mix of topsoil and compost for my beds and turned some bone meal prior to planting. I'm only using 1/3 of the recommended amount of fert per gal but plan to step it up once the plants get to growing more. They're only 12-18 in tall.
My question is what should I switch to once they start to set burrs? I would like to stick to liquid if possible. What N/P/K ratio to look for?
Post up what you are using and what your experience with said product is.

brewcat · Apr 28, 2016

When they get to burr stage start cutting nitrogen back. Completely eliminating it when flowering is about half done. Too much nitrogen during flowering leads to grassy flavored hops.

I'm not sure on the other. I believe they don't necessarily need to change. You certainly want the potassium.

thaymond · Apr 29, 2016

brewcat said:
When they get to burr stage start cutting nitrogen back. Completely eliminating it when flowering is about half done. Too much nitrogen during flowering leads to grassy flavored hops.

I'm not sure on the other. I believe they don't necessarily need to change. You certainly want the potassium.

B-HOPPY and I had a brief back and forth about N during flowering. Nitrogen promotes green vegetative growth. What I have seen when I have added N after burrs start to form are deformed cones, angel wings, and possibly some hermaphrodite qualities my Zeus and Chinook plants, though that could be from too much heat, too much or not enough water, etc. There are a few sources of information that definitely say to cut back Nitrogen, but mostly because of vegetative flavors or unwanted extra growth. If I can locate them again, I'll post them here.

What I will do this year, for what it's worth, is cut my Nitrogen fertilizer back to 0 at the Summer Solstice, which is about the time I begin to see burrs forming. I'll begin adding a higher K (potassium) fertilizer at that time to encourage flowering. I'm not sure what fertilizer I will use, as there aren't many no nitrogen and high potassium fertilizers that I see available at local stores. It may be an online purchase. Any thoughts or suggestions this would be appreciated.

A soil test helps in individual soil samples, as things differ even from yard to yard. I just received a kits for soil testing, so I'll be testing each of my boxes to see what their needs will be this year, and adjust accordingly.

thaymond · Apr 29, 2016

Here are the links to those articles.

http://www.uvm.edu/extension/cropsoil/wp-content/uploads/N-management-in-hops-20131.pdf

http://piedmonthops.com/how-to/fertilizer-application

http://www.uvm.edu/extension/cropsoil/wp-content/uploads/jason-perrault-transcript.pdf

thaymond · Apr 29, 2016

Page 10 is most helpful in this url.

https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/pnw513/

And this one supports it.

http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/20648/fg79-e.pdf

Basically, all your nitrogen is absorbed into plants by July 1, according to the graphs. If you cut back your N at that time, you're not going to hurt the plant, as all the N needed is used by this time.

BaylessBrewer · Apr 29, 2016

@thaymond
Thank you for your help! Let me know what you find for a low to no nitrogen fertilizer to use and where to get it. I'll do some digging around and see what I can find if anything and I'll be sure to share that info. I may go to some of the bigger nurseries here in the city and see what they have to offer.