Pictures of your Hop Babies/Hop Photo Thread

[IrregularPulse]

This a first year plant FishinDave?

 

[FishinDave07]

This a first year plant FishinDave?

Yes sir! (ten characters)

 

[ChrisS68]

Not very. The Cascade is about 7 1/2 - 8 ft. The growth tip also has turned into a bud itself, so I'm convinced its done :rockin:

This makes me wonder if the timing of hop production really is dependent on the length of the day, etc. Obviously the days aren't getting shorter yet, or do things work differently in such a warm climate?

 

[98EXL]

My fuggle has side arms

See gobs more pics here
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=60548&page=5

 

[FishinDave07]

This makes me wonder if the timing of hop production really is dependent on the length of the day, etc. Obviously the days aren't getting shorter yet, or do things work differently in such a warm climate?

I have no clue

My fuggle has side arms

Very good. Now ask it for some cones! :rockin:

 

[mr x]

This makes me wonder if the timing of hop production really is dependent on the length of the day, etc. Obviously the days aren't getting shorter yet, or do things work differently in such a warm climate?

It seems very odd to me that those plants are flowering now. I have had plants go to flower when they shouldn't by screwing up the dirt pH.

 

[FishinDave07]

It seems very odd to me that those plants are flowering now. I have had plants go to flower when they shouldn't by screwing up the dirt pH.

How exactly did you "screw" the dirt's pH? Really.

I have a mix between organic soil/peat moss/cow manure, that is all.

 

[mr x]

I was using RO water for them. Bad idea.

 

[Battery_BreweryNJ]

Nuggets doing good...

 

[OMBrewer]

Wish my dog hadn't decided it was a good idea to eat my digital camera. I have a few plants growing that broke ground last week, kind-of excited. I started with just two, one Saaz and the the other Cascade. A friend of mine has 10 acres she wants me to plant a hops farm on. I decided I should try to grow a couple first...

I planted late, mid May. But now the cascade is about 2 inches above the ground and the Saaz about 1 inch.

The Rhizomes I got didn't look like many shown on the pages before. Where do you get such hearty rhizomes?

 

[Damonic]

I had a little mixup with my Cascade and Nugget (see here) but overall 5 of my 6 rhizomes are doing very well. No love from the Chinook yet but I'm hoping.

I honestly can't remember how long ago I planted them, probably about 3 weeks or so. I need to replant in their permanent location soon but had to get them in some soil before the rhizomes died. I REALLY need to give that Mt Hood something to climb! Just getting into this so reading up on the board and learning as I go.

Any tips on cutting back or just let 'em go for the first year?

 

[Damonic]

 

[Smogre]

I'm not 100% sure what you mean when you say cut them back or let them go.

Once you get them permanently planted, pick 1 or 2 bines per plant to grow up your twine or whatever they're going to climb on.

Cut the remaining bines at the ground.

In fall when the growing season is over, cut all bines back to the ground and cover with mulch for winter.

 

[Damonic]

I've been told to let any and all shoots grow without pruning the first year. then I've read to cut back all but the 3 strongest shoots.

 

[Smogre]

When it's all said and done, they're tough ass plants.
IME I cut mine.

 

[7Enigma]

I've been told to let any and all shoots grow without pruning the first year. then I've read to cut back all but the 3 strongest shoots.

I subscribe to the let anything and everything grow the first year, as long as they aren't damaged. You are limited in root development by the amount of photosynthesis that can occur from the leaves/bine itself. I do not understand the reason why you would limit the amount of sugar conversion from sunlight. Having more bines *may* limit the hop harvest the first year since you are artificially removing growing points, but there is no way it is better for the overall health of the plant. It's also possible you are limiting your total hop production since they can only produce a finite amount of hops per bine.

Damonic,

just get some small twigs a foot long or so and push them into the pots (being careful not to harm the rhizome underneath the surface) and train the bines around them. I'll have to finally get around to taking some new shots but basically my first year's were not growing much without support (they would get to 4-5" and maybe one would continue to grow which I could train once it got close enough to my twine). Once I started putting small twigs to train them starting at 3-4" they suddenly exploded.

I have a sneaky suspicion they have some "sensory-like" receptors on the bines that tell the plant to shunt growth to those bines that have a support. Those that don't pretty much stop growing.

 

[Brewsmith]

I'm starting to get flowers! The Willammette and Cascade are going great and have grown past the height of the garage. I had to string them across the backyard to the house. Here's some pics.

The 2 Willamette (left) and 2 Cascade (right)


The Cascade


Close-up of Cascade bine and side arms


A slightly blurry picture showing all the small hop flowers

 

[FishinDave07]

I'm starting to get flowers!

Nice! Trust me, get ready to be checking on your hops hourly

 

[7Enigma]

So we had a huge rain the last 2 days and when I went to my car this morning I noticed one of my cascade bines is now at the top of my 8' support. Because so many other's have not reached this height I'll be not adding any height to the support.

Do I train back down another support? Let it go on its own? Clip it at the top?

 

[Mustangj]

So we had a huge rain the last 2 days and when I went to my car this morning I noticed one of my cascade bines is now at the top of my 8' support. Because so many other's have not reached this height I'll be not adding any height to the support.

Do I train back down another support? Let it go on its own? Clip it at the top?

You need a bigger support.

 

[drayman86]

Here's mine. I put 'em in last year and of course they didn't do too well. This year they're going great. Hope to get them growing up the dead tree on the front lawn.

 

[cuinrearview]

Hope those are all the same variety dray, cuz it looks like it'll be hard to sort 'em out come August.

If you need help, let me know

 

[kettlecookedman]

I have a bunch of little black dots on one leaf of my sterling plant. The plant is a first year about four feet up the twine. It is only on one leaf. Can I stop this? Also, can I send two bines up the same string or will they grow slower?

 

[dp69_2001]

Is it possible to grow them in or on the balcony of an apartment without too many people noticing? I'd really love to get in on this!

 

[drayman86]

Hope those are all the same variety dray, cuz it looks like it'll be hard to sort 'em out come August.

If you need help, let me know

Yes, I could use some help please.

These are either Cascades or Centennials. Help with identification would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[7Enigma]

Here's mine. I put 'em in last year and of course they didn't do too well. This year they're going great. Hope to get them growing up the dead tree on the front lawn.

I would highly recommend that you make a mulch bed around the hops. That grass (while beautiful) will suck a lot of the nutrients and water from the small area you have for the hops. If you made a 3-4' circle or box around the hops they would probably grow much faster/larger due to having less competition for nutrients and water. Looks great btw.

 

[7Enigma]

Is it possible to grow them in or on the balcony of an apartment without too many people noticing? I'd really love to get in on this!

Since it looks like ivy right up until the point it produces buds I would say most definitely. Have it snake up a wall or column on your balcony, or through the bars (if you have them) of the fence and nobody will know what is up. I would not recommend this IF you happen to partake in the close family member as that would gain you unwanted attention. :fro:

 

[dp69_2001]

Close family member? I was wondering because homebrewing is still illegal in utah. I guess I could maybe grow them at my moms. Do they require alot of tending?

 

[7Enigma]

I meant if you happen to use things not considered legal IN the home, it's probably not the best idea to grow something OUTSIDE that looks just like it to the untrained eye.

 

[fratermus]

I wasn't expecting to see any hop cones during the first year, but there are a few little fellas like this on my Cascade this morning.