To trim or not....

[trevorc13]

I have a question about this article. I know that it is preached to not trim any bines for first year hops to establish a good root system, but this article (very informative by the way) makes it seem that it is necessary to trim all but two or three. The article may be talking about older hops but it seems to me to be talking about first year hops. Has anyone tried trimming their first year hops just down to 2 or 3 bines, and if so were there any negatives/positives to this? I have container hops if that makes a difference.

http://www.brewingtechniques.com/library/backissues/issue2.3/montell.html

 

[B-Hoppy]

Sure, the plants will develop if you remove some shoots. No biggie. Just wondering why you wouldn't want to help them get big and strong during their establishment year?

 

[trevorc13]

I'd like to see as big of a yield as possible this first year and it seems if the bines are trimmed that will help. What kind of negatives would there be for trimming?

 

[B-Hoppy]

In all honesty it's a crap-shoot the first year. I've had plants that have put out 5-6 cones and others that have had 50-60. Even if you get 100 cones, after you dry them that's only 1/2 oz or something not really usable. Patience is a virtue. Let them build a good supply of energy this year and next season you can dance naked in the warm August rain looking at all the cones you'll be picking. Actually I still had my undies on but the mud squishing between my toes felt really cool! Give them time.

 

[RustyMusket]

I planted 2 cascades I trimmed one back to 1 bine and it stopped growing at about 3 1/2 feet. The plant is still very dark green which to me means it is very healthy, I dug the rhizome up being careful not to disturb the roots to much and found the roots to be growing very long over 20 inches and they are very white which also means to me they are very healthy. This plant is planted directly into the ground. My other cascade is in a 2 gallon pot and it has three bines i pinched about 4 shoots off of this plant and is now growing 3 more new shoots so i pinched two of them off now it has 3 bines, 2 bines are about 5 feet and the newer shoot is about 3 feet, it is green but could use some more N.
the Mt Hood is potted and is on par with the cascade in every attribute. the Nugget is also potted, it has one bine I pinched 3 shoots it is about 4 feet and pretty green the plants were planted on 16th of March. I fertilize with manure cow, bat and fish emulsion.
I keeps it organic.

Soooo I think if you trim it to 1 bine you will be freeing up alot of energy for the plant to concentrate on growing its rootmass. My neighbor who is a horticulturist and his wife is currently in school for horticulture say the same thing. He planted a Zeus on the 19th of April that is now almost 7 feet tall (1 bine) so i think he knows what he is doing and ill take his advise anyday.

 

[El_Exorcisto]

Silly question... Do commercial hop farmers really spend the time walking the fields trimming back bines? I greatly doubt it...

 

[RustyMusket]

They prolly hire undocumented illegal aliens to do that

 

[trevorc13]

Soooo I think if you trim it to 1 bine you will be freeing up alot of energy for the plant to concentrate on growing its rootmass. My neighbor who is a horticulturist and his wife is currently in school for horticulture say the same thing. He planted a Zeus on the 19th of April that is now almost 7 feet tall (1 bine) so i think he knows what he is doing and ill take his advise anyday.

So this sounds like a positive to trim them to 2-3 shoots, right?

 

[B-Hoppy]

Silly question... Do commercial hop farmers really spend the time walking the fields trimming back bines? I greatly doubt it...

No, they use tractors with very sharp implements and herbicides.

During the establishment year, the plant is trying to do two things. First it is trying to establish a permanent root system. Once the roots develop they can help supply the crown with water and nutrients to grow. It is also trying to put out top growth because the foliage will act as a 'solar panel' to capture sunlight to be turned into a form of energy (carbohydrates) that the plant can use to grow both roots and shoots. The more shoots the plant has during the first year the more foliage it can produce. Hops are very very efficient in their ability to produce more carbohydrates than are needed to support top growth with the excess being sent down to fatten up the crown. In the long run, the plant will end up being more vigorous the second year if more shoots are allowed to climb and make food during the establishment year based on watching them do this since about '85.

Limiting the amount of shoots growing the first year will do two things. It will reduce the amount of energy sent down to the crown for future use and it will probably concentrate more energy going into the shoots that are left to climb. How much, I really can't say. Also, I don't think anyone can say if this procedure will improve the 'quality' of yield unless replications of this experiment are done with the other rhizomes allowed to grow all of the shoots they produce. Experiment, experiment, experiment!

 

[trevorc13]

If I let the best 2-3 bines climb and let the rest just grow where they want, would this hurt the plant in any way, or should they all grow up string?

 

[B-Hoppy]

Don't just let them crawl around on the ground as this approach will help encourage any disease problem that may be lurking. I don't know your set up but you can string the best ones up and the others can just climb up a temporary support like a stick, shovel handle etc.. You just want to keep them off of the ground because if they get wet and there are any mildew spores around they act as an incubator for the disease. Worst case, lop them off if you have no way of training them. The high humidities we have to deal with in our region coupled with them laying on the ground can set you up for some problems. Believe me, I've seen it happen before I knew better. If you do have any disease show up, check this out: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f92/mildew-alert-242912/ . This is from a greenhouse grower who has to battle these types of problems on a daily basis. You'll do fine.

 

[trevorc13]

Great thanks for the input(s). Will the weaker bines not grow as tall then? Right now I have one 17-19ft string per pot. I have 5 bines in one pot (2 are growing strong) and three bines in my other pot (1 is doing really well).

 

[brewmcq]

....dance naked in the warm August rain looking at all the cones you'll be picking. Actually I still had my undies on but the mud squishing between my toes felt really cool!

Pictures, or it didn't happen.

:fro:

 

[trevorc13]

dance naked in the warm August rain looking at all the cones you'll be picking. Actually I still had my undies on but the mud squishing between my toes felt really cool!

...um, no pictures required. I believe you.

 

[Randar]

If I let the best 2-3 bines climb and let the rest just grow where they want, would this hurt the plant in any way, or should they all grow up string?

In addition to the attraction of moisture-friendly fungi and issues as B-Hoppy responded, you also have to be aware that the more vegetation you have near the ground, the more attraction there is for pests to get on there and start chomping/climbing... slugs, caterpillars, aphids, you name it.

Trim em back if you aren't going to train them up. As the summer wears on there will be fewer and fewer shoots to trim.

 

[B-Hoppy]

Great thanks for the input(s). Will the weaker bines not grow as tall then?

It's all really variable especially with the youg'ns. They may surprise you and take off after some slow growth at first. Remember, when you get the urge to think/be concerned about your hops, remain calm and have a beer. They're just 'fancy' weeds - and good for us, weeds grow whether we like it or not.