Already topped out!

[Uberhack]

The lead vine for my Cascade plant has already reached the top of the 18' line (early spring here in CO). Should I snip the top to encourage filling out or let that sucker keep growing and try training it sideways? I can train it to run along the horizontal support wire for the twines, but it seems like it would be a hassle to get it down later.

 

[Bensiff]

Yeah, I trained my cascade and centennials on the twine up about 2 feet just before leaving for FL for a few weeks and when I got back yesterday they had topped out...rain/sun alternating days can really get em to grow. As for your question, I'd let them be 18 is plenty and they will start bushing out without further help. I only run mine up 12-15' depending on what part of the house the line is running and even the 12' I don't have to bother with, they hit the top and seem to know how to handle it on their own.

 

[cram]

I would just let it go without snipping the tip. It will probably keep growing up and then gravity will pull it down and it will likely snag on another rope. So I wouldn't even bother training it sideways--plus getting up to 18' to train it every other day or so seems like a chore. Soon enough, the lateral growth will get going. There tends to be a lot of hops toward the top of the bines so IMHO letting it go is the best practice...

 

[cram]

Also, check out the 2012 garden thread--there's a recent pic from 1st timer that shows bines reaching past the trellis. You can also see the bracts starting to form on the ends of these bines. This, to me, is good reason not to trim the tops, if what you're after is more hops.

 

[jessox80]

+1. The rats nest at the top of my trellis is where the money was for me last year.

 

[Paulasaurus]

+2 Agree with the above. Let it stop on its own. After many attempts reaching for the sky it'll give up and fill out on its own.