Hops Issue

[noodles44x2]

Can someone please help identify what is wrong with my hops? From what I looked up, it seems like potassium deficiency or over-watering. We did have a good amount of rain last week in STL. I had the same issue last year, but I also neglected them because of my work schedule. Thanks for your help.

 

[WayFrae]

It looks to me like it could be a nutrient deficiency, most likely nitrogen. If you haven't fertilized at all, try using a balanced fertilizer. I have been using a 10-10-10. If you have fertilized, it could be nutrient burn from over fertilizing. I'm definitely not an expert but that is what it looks like to me.

 

[day_trippr]

I dunno, those leaves look exactly what mine looked like when the spider mites got them last year. You can rule them out or in pretty quickly by looking closely at the underside of the leaves, especially near their stems, to see if you can see any very fine webbing...

Cheers!

 

[B-Hoppy]

Some of the leaves do look like they've been pounded by mites, but something else has me wondering. Up in the top left there are a few leaves that are 'cupping'. Many times, an application of broadleaf herbicide nearby will cause the leaves to cup and look somewhat like that. In this case though, the leaves that look affected are intermixed with others that show no signs of cupping which would almost rule out herbicide damage. I had this happen to a plant a few years back when we had about 7 inches of rain in May. Never did find out what it was?

 

[noodles44x2]

And the verdict is...spider mites!!! I did spread some Scotts yellow fertilizer so that might have had some effect and the abundance of rain last week. Any suggestions on treatment?

 

[WayFrae]

You can mix a teaspoon or so of dish soap and a half teaspoon of cayenne pepper with a quart of water and spray them on the leaves and leave it for about a half hour then rinse it off/ Do this about twice a day for a week and they should be gone. Some people have said the cayenne pepper isn't necessary but I have always used it with no ill effects. I have never tried it on hops before but I have on other plants with good success.