3rd year plant help

[brewshki]

I have a 3 year old cascade plant that has gone through a few environmental changes in the past few years. I took it from a cooler climate to a much hotter one and removed it from its pot a few weeks ago. When I planted it in the ground, I cut down all of its bines to make it easier. Thankfully, it is sprouting again and has a good number of potential bines. I believe I remember reading that you want to cut back most of them and let the plant focus on a small number. I would really like to get a yield this year as I have never gotten any hops from the plants. I got some their first year, but was unable to pick them. Should I just let the plant do its thing and not cut any back? Should I keep only a certain number of them? Am I out of luck for the year because it has already put out a lot of bines and I have cut them down? Any tips would be great!

 

[day_trippr]

Interesting question - normally a 3 year old crown grown in favorable conditions is hitting its prime.
Just spit-balling, but if the plant appears to be taking well to its new situation I'd be inclined to treat it as a second year crown and only let four bines carry on.

btw, where is this hot place?

Cheers!

 

[TeeJo]

Me, I'd leave it alone to grow.

You have a plant that was both bucked off to move it, as well as busy trying to establish itself in a new location where it will no longer be rootbound. Let it run and watch without getting involved.

But I don't get all hand-wringy over my gardening.

Do try to keep in mind that hops are essentially an invasive weed. You can love them to death, without too much trouble, but if you limit the inputs to water and a place to grow to, they will usually do just fine.

TeeJo

 

[mirthfuldragon]

Me, I'd leave it alone to grow.
TeeJo

+1. You have stressed the plant enough up to this point. My cascade are in their third year in the same location; I have been trimming extra vines up to this point, but from here on out I will let them do their thing.

So long as the water and sun are adequate, you should get something from it. I pulled about a (dried) pound off of five plants in year 2. I expect you will get a couple of ounces this year.

Half of gardening is benign neglect. The other half is hard work that has to be done right this instance

Good luck and hoppy growing!

 

[brewshki]

I am in Southern California. Right now I am hand watering it but I will be setting up an irrigation system to water it everyday. It gets plenty of sun and already has 8 or so new bines sprouting. This makes me think that it isn't too unhappy in its new home. The previous owner also had a trellis built for sweet peas, so it has a nice (although not high) to start climbing on.

 

[deepbluegroove]

I would say leave it alone. It was stressed from moving and putting it in the ground. It needs this year to just get the rhizome larger and store up for next season where it will really take off.

 

[brewshki]

Seems like the consensus it to leave her alone. I did cut off a few unhealthy bines of my 3rd Willamette. After the move, I was able to tend to it more often and it has shot up a few new bines. I only cut down the ones that looked very unhealthy or that had those ends where it looks like nothing is growing.

In terms of new plants, I planted a centnennial, chinook and Columbus this year. I believe it was the chinook that never sprouted. I know the centennial did, but I can't quite remember which of the other two did not. Those are in pots for this year. I am not sure if those will ever make it into the ground. I am a little wary of putting them anywhere they cannot be contained.

 

[brewshki]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1501381608.884818.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1501381622.200314.jpg

She's recovered well. I'm not sure how big it will be, but I will definitely get a harvest!