Prunning Question

[BigHops]

Willamette 1st yr from Freshops..If someone knowledgeable can educate a fine brother..what to do w/ the side shoots?? Train them up or trim em? They are getting 2' long now..

Thanks,
BigHops

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Neither.

Leave them be. That is where the cones will form. The looser the laterals are, the easier they will be to get to for harvest.

 

[The Soft Underbelly]

I took the ones closest to the ground and buried them. I'm given to understand (perhaps incorrectly??) that these will form into roots and enhance the crown the following year. It seems to have worked with respect to the fact that side arms further up the bine are doing better, the bines themselves are growing stronger and with one of my cascades, a new bine has emerged from the mound I buried it under.

 

[david_42]

About 90% of the hops grow on the sidearms. I generally trim the ones close to the ground. The higher ones, just let them hang. They get more sunlight that way.

 

[BigHops]

Crap...I been training these back to the twine, because they were getting like 2' long, and really hanging out the sides. So should I carefully pull them off, or let them hang at this point? Thanks for the advice...my first year so my yield will not to be expected, but if I go about this right this williamette my produce..

Bighops