Why are my hops like this?

[Shropshire Lad]

This is only my second season of growing hops. Last year the cones were large, plentiful and healthy but this year they look dreadful and sparse. I’ve watered and fed them regularly. Is it down to the heatwave we’ve experienced in London that they’re withering like this or could I have overwatered them?

 

[Northern_Brewer]

It's pretty hard to overwater hops - in the field they need up to 60 litres per week at the height of the growing season.

And they're temperate plants, they don't like temperatures much over 30°C, certainly temperatures up to 40°C will make them unhappy - it was really noticeable here how all the grass died in the hot spell, or at least the grass that wasn't in shade - it was a combination of the extreme heat making the grass less able to cope with direct sun.

And in pots the roots are that much more exposed to high air temperatures, so they will be a lot more stressed than if they were in the ground.

If it's any consolation, commercial farmers will also be suffering reduced yields, at least the ones without irrigation.

Just as a general suggestion though, you're probably better off on a UK forum for this kind of "gardening" stuff, as it tends to be rather more local than the brewing side of things, eg :

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/hop-plants-rhizomes-growing-report.69518/page-46

 

[Shropshire Lad]

It's pretty hard to overwater hops - in the field they need up to 60 litres per week at the height of the growing season.

And they're temperate plants, they don't like temperatures much over 30°C, certainly temperatures up to 40°C will make them unhappy - it was really noticeable here how all the grass died in the hot spell, or at least the grass that wasn't in shade - it was a combination of the extreme heat making the grass less able to cope with direct sun.

And in pots the roots are that much more exposed to high air temperatures, so they will be a lot more stressed than if they were in the ground.

If it's any consolation, commercial farmers will also be suffering reduced yields, at least the ones without irrigation.

Just as a general suggestion though, you're probably better off on a UK forum for this kind of "gardening" stuff, as it tends to be rather more local than the brewing side of things, eg :

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/hop-plants-rhizomes-growing-report.69518/page-46

Many thanks for that feedback, buddy. Someone told me last night that her hops are very small this year although she hasn’t experienced the blight which I have. I’m guessing there’s a lot of truth in what you say given how hot it’s been in London and how the more exposed roots in a pot are more vulnerable than they otherwise would be being planted in the ground. However, their roots will be burrowing down further by next year and I’m hoping that won’t affect the foundations of our house!

One final point, on a personal level - we go to Wye from time to time for a circular walk and to pick blackberries so we might well be over there in the near future.

 

[TwogunRocky]

I'm also in London, and this is what my cascades look like..... So you're not alone mate.

Just the top ⅓ producing cones, very disappointing indeed. May get one or two brews at a push.

 

[Shropshire Lad]

Thanks buddy. What a terrible summer we’ve had!
Yep, exactly the same for me - the top third. Incidentally, which borough are you in? I’m in Lewisham.

 

[TwogunRocky]

I must add that they have been neglected for a couple of years due to health reasons, but I managed to carefully extricate them from the dustbin I originally potted them in 6 year ago, and return them to it with fresh compost this year..... Watered well and fed with a glass of stout mixed in every week, plus whatever yeast & trub remains from any brews also went in for nutrition.
But I fear the couple of years with no TLC has stunted them somewhat, and the extreme heat this summer has compounded that too.

For comparison my second year crop was the best I had by far.

 

[Shropshire Lad]

I must add that they have been neglected for a couple of years due to health reasons, but I managed to carefully extricate them from the dustbin I originally potted them in 6 year ago, and return them to it with fresh compost this year..... Watered well and fed with a glass of stout mixed in every week, plus whatever yeast & trub remains from any brews also went in for nutrition.
But I fear the couple of years with no TLC has stunted them somewhat, and the extreme heat this summer has compounded that too.

For comparison my second year crop was the best I had by far.
View attachment 778536
View attachment 778537
View attachment 778538
View attachment 778540

I was told last year, being my first season, not to expect many hops and not enough to brew with but they were magnificent. They were much better than the wild hops I’d seen in Kent from where I got the rhizomes…and the beer made from them is very good.

Which London borough do you live in btw?

 

[Shropshire Lad]

I must add that they have been neglected for a couple of years due to health reasons, but I managed to carefully extricate them from the dustbin I originally potted them in 6 year ago, and return them to it with fresh compost this year..... Watered well and fed with a glass of stout mixed in every week, plus whatever yeast & trub remains from any brews also went in for nutrition.
But I fear the couple of years with no TLC has stunted them somewhat, and the extreme heat this summer has compounded that too.

For comparison my second year crop was the best I had by far.
View attachment 778536
View attachment 778537
View attachment 778538
View attachment 778540

I’ve taken another look at your photos and notice how big your hops are compared with mine which are miniscule. Last year I had enormous ones. I’m concerned that mine are in the twilight of their existence!

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I’ve taken another look at your photos and notice how big your hops are compared with mine which are miniscule. Last year I had enormous ones. I’m concerned that mine are in the twilight of their existence!

Cone size and shape is very variety-dependent.

Hops are weeds, they can be susceptible to disease but there's not much in the UK climate that can destroy them. It's just had a stressful year, it'll be fine.