Will Hops grow sideways across a chain link fence?

[Beer-Baron]

I currently planted some first year Cascade hops and they just hit the top of my fence today. There is nowhere else for them to grow vertically.

Will they spread sideways?
Will they stop growing? (Die?)

Whats going to happen?

 

[MichaelsBrewing]

Naturally they will want to go vertical but if you train them they will go sidways along the fence. You have no worries except for some training work to do. =)

Good Luck, any pics?

Cheers!

 

[bosox]

They will always grow verticle on their own, but if there is no other option, and you continue to train them, they will grow sideways.

I actually have Cascade hops too. In their first year they reached the top of my trellis and I trained them to go sideways across the rope without problem. I plan on doing the same this year!

 

[tchuklobrau]

almost half of my 1st years are on a chail link fence. takes some training(i check em daily and train acordingly) but they do nicely on a chain link fence

 

[Brent_in_Aurora]

Chain link will get very matted with the hops and will be difficult to cut the bines off in the winter. It may be better to train them to grow on a string that is attached to the fence instead. They will grow horizontally or simply down the other side of the fence.

 

[hoppymonkey]

I trained mine to rope growing along the top of my fence so its not so hard to remove them come harvest.

 

[Gridlocked]

I've had to train mine every or every-other day to get them to grow laterally. These are both 2nd year plants

Harvest time 2010