Criminal investigation - who's eating my hop leaves?

[ABushman]

Hey everybody.

I’ve got a question about who’s eating my hop leaves! (I don’t suspect anybody on the forum – but you never know!). Anyway, my plants have been in the ground for almost two weeks now, and are one to two inches tall. Yesterday, they had leaves – today they are bare stalks! Do rabbits and/or ground squirrels like hops? That’s the only likely suspects in this neck of the woods. If so, I guess I need to put up some wire mesh. Any ideas or thoughts?
Thanks!

Allen

 

[mstev50]

Wire mesh! Those varmints don't want you to brew! I lost about 4 feet of a cascade last year to some sneaky rodent.

 

[blackwaterbrewer]

+1 on the cage. like its less legally tolerated relative, critters love it!!

 

[david_42]

Most likely slugs. I've never seen any fur critter eat hop plants and I live in a very rural area.

 

[ABushman]

Well, further investigation exonerated both the rabbits and the squirrels (and the slugs). It turns out that yesterday, when I checked the plants, it was cold, windy, and overcast. Today, it was warm(er), calm, and sunny. And guess what - the stalks once again have leaves! I guess I wouldn't make it as a botanist. I didn't know hops reacted to the weather conditions like that, but the more I think about it, the more I appreciate these little plants.

Thanks though for all of your comments!

Allen

 

[jgardner6]

I have a problem with deer. They eat everything they can find.

 

[killian]

leave out a glass of beer (any B.M.C) for the slugs, I have heard they are attracted to beer.

 

[ABushman]

Thanks for all of your suggestions and comments. In retrospect, I don't believe it was a rodent problem at all, just inexperience on my part.

However, that brings me to another question. Of the four plants that I have in the ground, three have sprouted nice healthy leafy stalks. The fourth though, has two stalks coming up. Should I cull one, or allow them both to grow? Will a second vine take extra water, nutrition, etc? Any comments?

 

[killian]

train both bines!

 

[JarrodH]

The little rolly polly's have been going after my zuchinni like crazy and they cruise around my hops, but I havent seen them on the leaves yet trying to eat them. Last year at my old house I did have some small bugs eating the leaves when they were close to the ground, but once the hops grew up a foot or so they stopped eating the leaves.

 

[IrregularPulse]

I had caterpillars on mine last year around July/August. I only got 8 cones of the plant (first year) so i didn't do anything. But this year I have both rhizomes poking through (cascades never sprouted last year) and i want to take care of them. i see these beautiful green full leaves . I WANT THAT. But know nothing about plant growing.

 

[eschatz]

Ok, you got me. I've been spending some time in Southern California... I just like to eat hop crops. It's more of a impulse than anything.


If you leave a glass of BMC outside I will not go away. I might be bought off with an IPA though.

 

[JarrodH]

Ok, you got me. I've been spending some time in Southern California... I just like to eat hop crops. It's more of a impulse than anything.


If you leave a glass of BMC outside I will not go away. I might be bought off with an IPA though.

Hmmm... I knew there was a reason the dogs were barking! Will have to set out some homebrew at nights to keep those "pests" away!

 

[giligson]

Yes, slugs love beer. But you have to put it in a dish where the soil comes up to the rim -this gives them access to the beer. They wade in a little ways and then it seems to kill them.

 

[conpewter]

I hope to deter the japanese beetle this year with planting Fernleaf Yarrow, Zonal geraniums and Tansy near the hops. I also have garlic planted near the hops (planted yesterday... I know supposed to be fall, works anyway). The garlic didn't help last year, but the hops are so darn tall you can't expect a 1 ft plant to help. The geraniums are actually poisonus to the beetles, the yarrow and tansy will repel them somewhat and attract lady bugs (I had issues with aphids after I killed the japanese beetles with insecticides). I hope to get a good harvest this year.

 

[ABushman]

I also have garlic planted near the hops (planted yesterday... I know supposed to be fall, works anyway).

I suppose that keeps the vampires away from the hops too!