Hops Growing Upsidedown!!??!?!

[bosox]

My hops are starting to get around 7+ inches tall, and have started leaning over, so I tied up some twine near them to start training them up to my structure that's still another 6+ inches above them.
Just this morning I checked on them to find that one of my hops apparently didn't like the twine SO MUCH that it decided to grow upsidedown to avoid it....

Is this normal? Will it fix itself or is this thing actually growing updside down? It's completely heading back to the ground 180 degrees. Any suggestions?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Just let it grow along the ground until it's tall enough to train to your structure.

 

[cercueil]

Sounds like a new invention...Topsy Turvy Hops!

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Sounds like a new invention...Topsy Turvy Hops!

Apical dominance is strong in hops. Not sure a topsy turvey like deal would amount to anything more than a bush.

 

[bosox]

Well good news, the hop straightened itself out and is training up one of the metal poles that I didn't think it would reach!

 

[jiggs_casey]

Interestingly enough, one of my hops has three stems, one of which has clung to my nylon twine wonderfully. The other two however, I have tried to train to the same piece of twine and they don't seem to want to take.

If they haven't taken to it by tomorrow, I'm going to put up a couple more and see if they'll take to it instead...

I was wondering if apical dominance had something to do with it...

 

[GVH_Dan]

If you're having problems getting them to train, a hops cultivation book I have from 1886 recommends securing them to a pole using a red woolen thread unraveled from an old sock or mitten. I think the key is using red wool, as he mentioned it several times.

Seriously, use a little twine to secure it to the string. It won't hurt it. In fact, I have my kids tie on a string once a week to chart how fast they are growing.

 

[brewmonk]

yeah, i've had to rewrap some bines. they eventually 'get it'.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

...
I have my kids tie on a string once a week to chart how fast they are growing.

Wow, you have some fast growing kids.:rockin:

 

[B-Hoppy]

Nice!!!!!!!!