Side arm management - an Idea + looking for suggestions

[SkipperHops]

Hey,

I have some Centennial, Cascade, and Willamette hops growing right now and I am starting to see some side arms... I know not to prune them as they are cone producing, but there are some reaching 4ish feet and others have even started producing their own side arms. I am worried that at this rate of side arm growth, and the amount of time left in the season that they will have trouble supporting themselves at the node from which they came.

SO, I have an idea. I was thinking of using some sort of netting like a scaled down cargo net which I think could help those side arms out nicely. I see a couple issues with this - first being cost (I work for a small brewery and manage a fittingly small hop yard so my budget is close to zero), the second being ease of harvest, and the third being how I'd even get the netting up there (would have to secure it to a beam about 25' in the air).

Obviously my plan won't work but I am still concerned. Does anyone have suggestions to tweak my idea, new ideas, or is this just a completely unfounded concern altogether? Let me know if pics would be useful!

 

[Homebrew Harry]

Hey,

I have some Centennial, Cascade, and Willamette hops growing right now and I am starting to see some side arms... I know not to prune them as they are cone producing, but there are some reaching 4ish feet and others have even started producing their own side arms. I am worried that at this rate of side arm growth, and the amount of time left in the season that they will have trouble supporting themselves at the node from which they came.

SO, I have an idea. I was thinking of using some sort of netting like a scaled down cargo net which I think could help those side arms out nicely. I see a couple issues with this - first being cost (I work for a small brewery and manage a fittingly small hop yard so my budget is close to zero), the second being ease of harvest, and the third being how I'd even get the netting up there (would have to secure it to a beam about 25' in the air).

Obviously my plan won't work but I am still concerned. Does anyone have suggestions to tweak my idea, new ideas, or is this just a completely unfounded concern altogether? Let me know if pics would be useful!

Pics never hurt. Sounds lile they are growing like crazy.

 

[catalanotte]

Following with same concern. So far I have read other sources that say to just let them go. My plants have each have been pruned to 3 main bines about 18” apart. I am hoping the inner side shoots will grab on the the adjacent supports but the outer side shoots look like might break under their own weight.

 

[SkipperHops]

@ catalanotte,
Great pics, mine look super similar. I already have some smaller side arms reaching out to other bits of twine and climbing there. Just worried about the headaches that that might bring about come harvest time...

Also it looks like we have the same issue where supporting the side arms of concern is going to be difficult just because they're coming off of the primary bine so high up.

 

[superiorsat]

First thought was ankle holster or hip holster. Then opened the thread. I use these foam twisty ties to train the hops sideways once they get to the top of my rope, but they work great for side arms heading in the wrong direction. The ones in the middle usually only take a little help before they start to make out and get all intertwined with the same family hop plant next to it.

 

[Sylvain]

you can also redirect them on the wire

 

[dmtaylor]

Just gently move the side arms back toward the main strings. It is OKAY to have more than one bine per string! However you don't really want much more than about 3 bines, at least not at the bottom, or the leaves will begin to block each other's light, and trap more moisture between the leaves. One bine per string is a good idea at bottom, but a few feet up it's okay to have more side shoots on there.

 

[SkipperHops]

@superiorsat - neat, I think i'll give those ties a go. Thanks!

 

[Sylvain]

you can also take two sides and tangle them together, they will support better like this

 

[corkybstewart]

A few years ago my magnums refused to go up the wires and headed straight for the chainlink fence. They produced as much as any other bines, and shielded me from the shenanigans of the neighbor. And they did let me go into their yard to harvest the cones. So I suggest some fencing, especially if you want to create summer shade on a porch for the taproom.

 

[Saunassa]

I have never worried about the side arms and I grow my hops at an angle. The only thing I do is when they start to get by the ground I will lift them and back to the twine. Don't want disease or my boy hitting them with the mower. Then maybe I am lazy.

 

[ehall]

and here I thought side arm mgmt was wearing a correct holster and belt....