2016 Hop Growing Thread

[signpost]

Yay! One of my plants is finally taller than me. Five out of six first year plants are surviving and finally starting to really grow. With more rain coming tonight, I'm getting more optimistic about them at least looking more substantial. Even if they still don't produce a large harvest.

The tallest plant is about 7 feet up the twine at this point. The others are pretty bushy, but still growing length as well.

 

[KennyRedman]

One of the Chinooks passed 15' today. It totally grew 2' over the weekend.

 

[lzrdkng14]

Close-up of the cascade cones

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1468889772.788849.jpg

Here is the centennial. I totally underestimated the side arm tangle on these two root crowns. Going to have to separate them next season

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1468889860.565003.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1468889874.288578.jpg

These two plants are both zeus.

And they are starting to form burrs.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1468889913.243544.jpg

These comet Bines in my other garden were attached to these little sunflower plants I have growing

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1468890050.041157.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1468890060.041526.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1468890071.476253.jpg

I'll take more pics when my hands aren't filthy.
But it's interesting to see different plants at different stages.

 

[DurtyChemist]

I had a similar problem occur. Frost came in and killed the growing bine after I trimmed everything back. I have major side arm growth and no hop cones developing on second year plants. Upside is one rhizome I thought died came back. My first year I got a half ounce dried but didn't do anything with them.

We've had really dry conditions this summer and I wasn't able to get to the plants to water them consistently. So the tallest vibes I have are only about 6 feet, but I think the root system is developing well since at least one plant had a bine break through the soil about 2 feet or so away from the base of the plant.

I'm a little disappointed, but they are first year plants. So, I wasn't really sure what I might get from them anyway.

Here are a couple pics.

 

[Rypcord]

How many side-arms should you have? Should you trim sidearms? I have 3 Chinook and 1 Cascade (all first year), and the Cascade has a TON of sidearms, the one Chinook has several, the other two barely any.

Should I be trimming side arms or no?

 

[KennyRedman]

How many side-arms should you have? Should you trim sidearms? I have 3 Chinook and 1 Cascade (all first year), and the Cascade has a TON of sidearms, the one Chinook has several, the other two barely any.

Should I be trimming side arms or no?

Only if you don't want any hop cones That's where they grow from.

 

[The_Greenist]

I got some good growth on my first year cascade up here in MN. Does anyone have an opinion regarding the fertilizer requirements that are posted by piedmont hops? This year I'm using a simple 5-5-5 happy frog but next year I will be using ground poultry feathers for high N and langbeinite for high K with little or no P added. What are your thoughts? Thanks

 

[brewcat]

One of the Chinooks passed 15' today. It totally grew 2' over the weekend.

Just to let you know, it isn't a great idea to use that black stuff over hops. Nutrients & water are taken up by a shallow root system that grows out from the crown. That root system dies back yearly and regrows the next.

 

[Irish]

Been a long time since I've posted on this site, but wanted to upload some pics of my new hop garden. Installed a 4 legged arbor style trellis that's about 11' high in late April and got the rhizomes planted around Mother's Day (late but we had a cool spring with some late frosts). planted Cascade, Centennial, Fuggle & Nugget:






Mid-June, about 4 weeks after planting:





And this afternoon:









The cascade seems to be doing the best after a slow start, it reached the top of the trellis a couple of weeks ago, looks like I'm starting to get some small cones. The others look to have stalled out anywhere from 5'-7'; those got a lot bushier towards the base of the plant instead. Some look like they may also have a few small cones. Been fun watching them grow, hoping they all come back next year to actually get some hops to harvest.

 

[phug]

My hops up at the 45th parallel have just started showing burrs

 

[KennyRedman]

Just to let you know, it isn't a great idea to use that black stuff over hops. Nutrients & water are taken up by a shallow root system that grows out from the crown. That root system dies back yearly and regrows the next.

Oh I know. Just using it for the first year, and I have a drip line underneath it. I'm planning on replacing it with a ground cover of clover next year for a little added nitrogen and bees for our flowers.

Most of them have reached 15' and higher. Lots of sidearm and burr growth too!

 

[DurtyChemist]

I saw my first spidermite yesterday. &^%* &^%$@*(**#$^&((&^$#@!$!@$@#!#$#%^%*((*&^ Disappearaed before I could get a photo

 

[Rypcord]

Once the burrs start to form, is there anything to do to better enhance them? Should I continue fertalizing? Do anything different watering/etc?

 

[brewcat]

Once the burrs start to form, is there anything to do to better enhance them? Should I continue fertalizing? Do anything different watering/etc?

Watering needs to be adequate to not stress the plant. They use a bit more water forming cones. Probably keep it moist. Don't let it be too dry.

As far as fertilizer, more phosphorus with little to no nitrogen as burrs begin to grow. Cutting nitrogen is to avoid grassy tasting hops. Then it depends on your soil for other nutrients.

 

[BaylessBrewer]

Hops are coming along pretty good for first year plants. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1469454264.051205.jpg

 

[thaymond]

Watering needs to be adequate to not stress the plant. They use a bit more water forming cones. Probably keep it moist. Don't let it be too dry.

As far as fertilizer, more phosphorus with little to no nitrogen as burrs begin to grow. Cutting nitrogen is to avoid grassy tasting hops. Then it depends on your soil for other nutrients.

Adding Potassium and Phosphorus will aid flower production. Nitrogen promotes growth, but inhibits the flowering process by making the plant think that it is "grow time." At this point, most of your nitrogen has been absorbed by the plant, and it's energy is now focused on flowering. Last year, I had multiple "Angel wing" hops I think from a late Nitrogen application. They look cool, you can use to brew, but I think it's triggered by the late N addition and making the cone develop abnormally. This year I see very few abnormally developing cones and very few hermaphrodite flowers from Zeus. Zeus is been NOTORIOUS for wasting all kinds of energy on guy parts. This year, I've only picked off 1 or 2 male flowers from it. Indicative of a healthy, unstressed plant.

There are some commercial fertilizers you can use that are no nitrogen, but you have to look around. Online ordering is probably best. I used coffee grounds and wood ash as a supplement this year, and I can definitely see the cone development going crazy. BaylessBrewer also recommended a molasses as a slurry somewhere on the forum. These are low/no N ferts that can be used in a pinch.

I thoroughly soak my plants after a few days of no rain, but otherwise let nature do her thing. Lately we've been on a 2-3 day rain cycle here in my location in IL. Sidearm and cone production look great on my plants.
View attachment 1469457064355.jpg

 

[phug]

Watering needs to be adequate to not stress the plant. They use a bit more water forming cones. Probably keep it moist. Don't let it be too dry.

As far as fertilizer, more phosphorus with little to no nitrogen as burrs begin to grow. Cutting nitrogen is to avoid grassy tasting hops. Then it depends on your soil for other nutrients.

my hops haven't been getting any watering other than what nature provides, which has been a problem where they are lately. Does anyone know offhand how deep the taproots go on these? Mine is about 20 ft or less away from the lake's edge, and maybe 1 foot above the waterline. I'm hoping it's getting enough moisture from that.

 

[corkybstewart]

I'm just trying to keep my hops alive until our record heat breaks. We've had over 23 days of 100F+ temps this month and less than 1/2 inch of rain this year, so my hops are ragged at best, even with almost daily supplemental watering. Usually they produce early, die back and then come roaring back for a late producing season starting in late August.
On a different subject, have any of you growers used spent Starsan as a phosphorous rich fertilizer?

 

[BaylessBrewer]

I'm just trying to keep my hops alive until our record heat breaks. We've had over 23 days of 100F+ temps this month and less than 1/2 inch of rain this year, so my hops are ragged at best, even with almost daily supplemental watering. Usually they produce early, die back and then come roaring back for a late producing season starting in late August.
On a different subject, have any of you growers used spent Starsan as a phosphorous rich fertilizer?

Interesting subject! I'd love to hear some firsthand experience stories and even see some scientific data on this!

 

[thaymond]

Interesting subject! I'd love to hear some firsthand experience stories and even see some scientific data on this!

I wonder if it would be an interesting way to acidify soil that is too basic while adding P to it. I haven't used it, but I have a ton of the stuff in buckets.

 

[BaylessBrewer]

I wonder if it would be an interesting way to acidify soil that is too basic while adding P to it. I haven't used it, but I have a ton of the stuff in buckets.

It might work for a temporary quick fix but I don't believe it would last long due to water solubility of phosphoric acid. I'm still interested though

 

[WilliamSlayer]

2nd year Chinook

Poor thing got pool water dumped on it when my kids were trying to 'help daddy water the plants' .

It is definitely lagging behind my Cascade.

View attachment 1469466968216.jpg

 

[WilliamSlayer]

My Casacade plant (2nd year)

Very healthy and has gone completely Bananas off of the trained strings that I had it planned for. It has gone so far as to climb away from the cage and up the side of the house as well. The cones look fantastic, and I have been very reluctant to cut back any of this great growth!

View attachment 1469467093822.jpg

View attachment 1469467102881.jpg

 

[WilliamSlayer]

Sorry, here is the picture of the main body of the Cascade plant

View attachment 1469467284357.jpg

 

[brewcat]

my hops haven't been getting any watering other than what nature provides, which has been a problem where they are lately. Does anyone know offhand how deep the taproots go on these? Mine is about 20 ft or less away from the lake's edge, and maybe 1 foot above the waterline. I'm hoping it's getting enough moisture from that.

Moisture & nutrients are basically taken up by a shallow root system. It forms in the top 6 inches of soil.

How do the hops look? How moist does the soil feel?

 

[sfish]

William,

Looking good

how are your cones setting? I was wondering becauce we are in the same area. My cones are beginning to dry lots of lupin when you break one open. I think it will be harvest time soon.

do yu know what date you cUt the bull shoots off? I was April 15, cut them down to the ground.

Pictures of 5 plants second year. My plan is to make a field to glass beer. I have harvested about 50 pounds of barley 2 weeks back.

 

[phug]

Moisture & nutrients are basically taken up by a shallow root system. It forms in the top 6 inches of soil.

How do the hops look? How moist does the soil feel?

last I saw the leaves were green and healthy looking, not dry, limp or brittle.

the soil is probably pretty moist, it's verging on marsh where they were planted. but I'd have to go up there and look for myself, won't be back to see my hops until next weekend

 

[RockyMountainCraftBrewing]

My Cascade has hit the top of the trellis for the lead shoot and I fed it onto another line going down.I have 5-6 other shoots chasing it and it is getting seriously leafy and I have lots of hop cones sprouting.Got a lot of sunshine these last 5 days and lots of water as well.Just had a good thunderstorm finish as I am writing this post.My harvest will most likely be in September which is no surprise for Canada.

Looking forward to making a wet hop IPA.

RMCB

 

[Rypcord]

So the wife setup vacation to be 8.15 until 8.27, now I need to try and find someone to harvest cones for me I'm betting since that's most likely going to be harvest time.

What happens to hops on the vine if their not harvested (or not harvested in time)?

 

[corkybstewart]

So the wife setup vacation to be 8.15 until 8.27, now I need to try and find someone to harvest cones for me I'm betting since that's most likely going to be harvest time.

What happens to hops on the vine if their not harvested (or not harvested in time)?

They turn brown, dry up and fall off.