Now that I've harvested for this year can I cut the bines back? Should I wait for them to start to dry out on their own or can I get to it as soon as I've picked them clean?
If you leave the vines up they'll continue to produce food to be sent back down to the crown for use next year. Hop farmers cut them down so they can harvest at the picker, we don't have to. Your call.
Mine were over 20 feet tall, then they ran along the suspension line another ~20 on average. It was truly insane. And very cool.
After I strip all the cones I leave the bines 'til the frost gets 'em, then I cut them a few inches above grade and mulch them heavily with mowed up leaves.
[Hmmm...didn't we just do this thread last week? Deja vu?]
(Apologies if this thread duplicated a previous conversation. I looked but didn't see what I was searching for...doesn't mean it wasn't there: I just didn't see it.)