New to this

[mjohnsonmonroe]

Hi everyone. relatively new to home brewing, have 4 batches under my belt but this spring was able to get my hands on several Cascade rhizomes and now have some nice vines with some yummy hops. My question is when it comes time to harvest these, do I cut the vine back to the ground and then pick the cones or just drop the line that it's growing on or just pick the cones and leave everything as is? Some of my vines are climbing up poles, too. Thanks!

 

[marc_]

If possible, it's better to pick the cones and leave the bines. The bines should naturally die back in the winter after giving all their nutrients to the rhizomes.

 

[Leezer]

I pick the cones and leave the bines. After we’ve had a killing frost, I cut the bines down to the ground, clearing the area for spring.

 

[mjohnsonmonroe]

If possible, it's better to pick the cones and leave the bines. The bines should naturally die back in the winter after giving all their nutrients to the rhizomes.

Thanks so much! I'll do this as well. Greatly appreciate it!

 

[mjohnsonmonroe]

I pick the cones and leave the bines. After we’ve had a killing frost, I cut the bines down to the ground, clearing the area for spring.

Thanks so much! I'll do this as well. Greatly appreciate it!

 

[Apimyces]

Cutting and removing the bines reduces disease pressure in the following year. Doing this after they've died down allows for the plant to syphon as much of the carbs as possible back into the roots for use the following Spring.

 

[mjohnsonmonroe]

Cutting and removing the bines reduces disease pressure in the following year. Doing this after they've died down allows for the plant to syphon as much of the carbs as possible back into the roots for use the following Spring.

Thanks! This is great info. have heard it both ways, but this makes more sense. I'll do it this way!

 

[Apimyces]

Thanks! This is great info. have heard it both ways, but this makes more sense. I'll do it this way!

This isn't the traditional recommendation for commercial growers, because it's typically not feasible on the commercial scale (too little time, fields too wet for the tractors, etc.). In a commercial setting you can't really have both, so the reduction in pathogen load is of greater benefit than the extra carbs in the roots (which are surplus, really).