2016 Hop Growing Thread

[jabba11]

Picked some of my centennial today and I think I may have jumped the gun. Got about 20 wet oz. Not getting much aroma from these things. Going to let them sit for a couple of days and see how the smell after they've dried out a bit.

There are still plenty of small flowers on these plants so I should get another decent harvest in a month or so.

From your picture these are definitely ready if not past harvest. if these are first or second year hops you wont have a ton of aroma. Most "folks in the know" say they don't really mature until at least the third year.

 

[RockyMountainCraftBrewing]

I have lots of burrs and some cones forming.Just got a massive poplar tree that was over hanging my back yard trimmed back so my plants will be getting a lot more sunshine.Started giving them some more micacle grow the last couple of days and I am definately seeing results.Wettest summer I have seen in Calgary ever so no lack of moisture.Just need some sun for the next month to form up and fatten them burrs/cones.

RMCB

 

[BlackIce]

Centennial was the 1st to start cones and the 1st to be picked. I got 13.75 oz(wet) out of this 1st year centennial. They are drying now.

 

[lzrdkng14]

Centennial was the 1st to start cones and the 1st to be picked. I got 13.75 oz(wet) out of this 1st year centennial. They are drying now.

Curious how long you are drying these?

 

[BaylessBrewer]

Curious how long you are drying these?

Not sure how long he dried his but I just harvested some last week and after 2.5 days on a screen in the garage with a fan on them mine came in at 4:1. Harvested 418g cascade and packaged 104g Harvested 112g centennial and packaged 28g
I didn't dry then to the point of being super crumbly either. They were very crunchy but held together when handled and would only break in two if you tried to break them. They still bend when you try to break them.
I vacuum pack and store in the freezer so if they're not 8-10% I really don't care. Close enough is fine in my book. They have tons of yellow Lupulin and they smell wonderful.

 

[BlackIce]

Curious how long you are drying these?

I think tomorrow 8/17 will be the last day of drying. That will be 2.5-3 days of drying. This is my 1st year drying hops so Im not 100% sure what I look for when drying.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

First year rihzomes, didn't think they'd do anything because I planted late and just focused on roots... Next year I'll actually feed them!

 

[Ben58]

Cascades are looking to be harvested this weekend.

 

[Shawn0522]

This is my second year growing cascade and have pretty good volumes this year. I have one plant that has done better than the others and the cones are getting huge. With the rest of the plants cones being more "normal" size. Could this be because the plant did so well early on and plant devoted more attention to the cones? Do i possibly have a mutation or a different variety?

View attachment 1471391119502.jpg

 

[Texconsinite]

Getting close. Lots of small ones but they look nice! View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1471407985.855372.jpg

 

[Evreikipresvia]

Hey guys. I have 7 plants in 10 gallon Home Depot buckets. After I harvest and cut down the bines, what is the best way to store the plants. I am not sure if I will plant these permenantly next year or the year after. Can I just move the buckets inside our shed, or do they still need to be outside and watered? Also, what is this business about trimming the root ball in the spring?

 

[thaymond]

Hey guys. I have 7 plants in 10 gallon Home Depot buckets. After I harvest and cut down the bines, what is the best way to store the plants. I am not sure if I will plant these permenantly next year or the year after. Can I just move the buckets inside our shed, or do they still need to be outside and watered? Also, what is this business about trimming the root ball in the spring?

Once you hack the bines completely, move them to the shed fornwinter. They have to get cold and have their dormancy period. However, you could leave them outside. I've done it both ways, and my plants have survived.

If this is a first year plant, leave the rootball. If you're planting it in the ground in the spring, leave all your roots as in tact as possible. This will help them get established for great growth. The following years, you'll want to harvest any rhizomes and cut those back to your crown.

 

[corkybstewart]

I am not sure if I will plant these permenantly next year or the year after.

The sooner you plant them in the ground the better your chances are for them to survive and thrive.

 

[Evreikipresvia]

Great, thanks.

The plan is to plant them in the ground year two or three. But I'll leave them in the pots until next spring at least.

 

[rupert130]

Great, thanks.

The plan is to plant them in the ground year two or three. But I'll leave them in the pots until next spring at least.

I transplanted my 1st year plants in the fall last year and they have come back very well for year two. If you have a place for them it probably wouldn't hurt to get them in the ground.

 

[jabba11]

I also didn't have good luck in pots here in KS but put them in the ground and they took off like crazy..

 

[corkybstewart]

Great, thanks.

The plan is to plant them in the ground year two or three. But I'll leave them in the pots until next spring at least.

Here's most of a Cascade rootball after about 5 years. You might want to get yours in the ground and out of pots as soon as possible.

 

[RockyMountainCraftBrewing]

This my Cascade that is 2nd year.6 bines creeped to the top of the trellis and then started to grow down the other line.The Centennial on that line was doing just as good back in June but then one night all of the bines withered and died.It came back and it now about 6 feet and has some hop cones formed.

Burrs sprouted on the Cascade a while back and I started seeing cones last week.We have had the wettest summer in Calgary in years.In the last week we have finally been getting some sunshine and after work each day I have been giving the Cascade a drink with some miracle grow.

I think I will do a nice wet hopped SMASH IPA using Maris Otter malt

RMCB

 

[BrandonMH]

I checked one of my centennials earlier...a big one, it smelled glorooms and made me want a good ipa.

 

[B-Hoppy]

"glorooms"? Better hope the moderators don't check in, yuk yuk!!

 

[B-Hoppy]

Just picked and dried another one of the seedling selections from last year. This one won't knock your sox off but has a very pleasant "general hoppy' aroma to it. Not good at descriptors but using it in a beer will help tell it's fate. 13+ ounces

 

[KennyRedman]

My Chinooks are looking great.

 

[BrandonMH]

Wow, b-hoppy, that was supposed to be glorious, not glorooms.

 

[copper2hopper]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1471900300.397684.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1471900325.176521.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1471900353.457079.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1471900370.807022.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1471900384.523171.jpg
These are my Cascades and Centennials first year harvest!
Cascades did awesome with 9.1oz total after drying in their oasts. Centennials only got 2.4 oz
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1471900403.032637.jpg
My Chinooks didn't come through as early than the other two but they're almost there. Here's one split open. They're still soft to the touch and don't have that papery bounce back feel/sound/look.

 

[EcuPirate07]

I think I got downy mildew on my first year cascade hops.

2 part question

Is it ok to use the hops that were affected?

What's the protocol for year 2, can I keep them or do I need to start over? (They are in 5g lowes buckets right now the plan was to plant them in the ground next year)

 

[BlackIce]

1st year Chinook picked and dried. Wet weight was 4.5oz. Dried was 1.25.

 

[eelgerg]

My hop garden is nearing harvest time. Looking forward to drying and using these babies! All are second year plants. One problem - my labels completely eroded and now I have no idea which is which. My bad!!!

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1472012531.129308.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1472012542.513613.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1472012560.664865.jpg

 

[HotRodTractor]

My hop garden is nearing harvest time. Looking forward to drying and using these babies! All are second year plants. One problem - my labels completely eroded and now I have no idea which is which. My bad!!!

I was worried about remembering what plant is where - so I planted mine in alphabetical order. lol

 

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

These are my first year Cascades. While I'm getting some citrus aroma, I detect some onion and grassiness as well. So I'm thinking it's going to be at least another week before they're ready.

 

[cas3439]

I was worried about remembering what plant is where - so I planted mine in alphabetical order. lol

Ditto on this ^^^^. The only thing you have to remember is what types you planted!