2007 Hop Plantations

[randyrob]

you've talked me into it rupert!

i might still keep it next season, just far away from my usual crop.

thanks for taking the time and effort to respond!

how is your crop going this year? surely u've got some pics we can all drool over?

Rob.

 

[Cannabaceae]

you've talked me into it rupert!

i might still keep it next season, just far away from my usual crop.

thanks for taking the time and effort to respond!

how is your crop going this year? surely u've got some pics we can all drool over?

Rob.

It is going well, though had a spider mite problem, I used emulsiied neem oil at 10ml/litre.
I keep a close eye out for them with my jewellers loupe x20 mag, so I can hit them early.
Here is the Chinook the first one to finish with a Hersbrucker coming on in the background.

Same Chinook lower down:

Golding:

Hersbrucker:

Hallertau:

Perle:

Wuertemberger, it's still growing, this was taken Feb 11th:

Cascade is still growing, this was taken Feb 17th:

Glad to get around posting some hop pics for you guys, have enjoyed
looking through this thread.
Rupert.

 

[Guest Lurker]

Hmm my crop is looking puny. Nice work.

 

[domonsura]

WOW...........thanks for posting those pics Rupert, now I know what mine should have looked like Never mind eh, next year....

 

[lochrockingbeers]

It is going well, though had a spider mite problem, I used emulsiied neem oil at 10ml/litre.
I keep a close eye out for them with my jewellers loupe x20 mag, so I can hit them early.

Rupert

Wettable sulfur is a better option and easier and cheaper to obtain. Lime sulfur is another option but it knocks the beneficial insects and mites around more. Another option is to go biological and release some predatory mites but perhaps a bit expensive and over the top but it looks like you're verging on semi-commercial there. Planning on setting up a stall selling fresh hops at the albany farmers market?

Neem, while often quoted as the new magic bullet of insecticides, it's never really gone anywhere. Results haven't been outstanding for many pests, and it still seems relatively expensive. Perhaps it's worked for you and could be used for other pests. Sulfur is widely and successfully used in many australian industries for spider mite control.

Spider mites typically attack stressed plants or occur as a result of insecticides being sprayed that knock out their natural enemies and the mite populations surge. They love hot dry days. Even just finely spray blasting the foliage of plants with water regularly can knock back a spider mite population substantially. In your case it looks like hot dry days may have cranked up the mites as your plants don't look very stressed.

Lochy

 

[Little_Squares]

Praying mantis good or bad?? Had feeling it would be good.....but not sure



My miniscule effort in 2nd year(as of just now)...they need water dont they!?!?!?!



Please excuse the crappy backyard...Im working on it!...........fixing it up , not making it crappier.... <_<

 

[Linz]

Sorry,

that was me....someone doesnt know how to log off!!!!

 

[Cannabaceae]

Rupert

Wettable sulfur is a better option and easier and cheaper to obtain. Lime sulfur is another option but it knocks the beneficial insects and mites around more. Another option is to go biological and release some predatory mites but perhaps a bit expensive and over the top but it looks like you're verging on semi-commercial there. Planning on setting up a stall selling fresh hops at the albany farmers market?

Neem, while often quoted as the new magic bullet of insecticides, it's never really gone anywhere. Results haven't been outstanding for many pests, and it still seems relatively expensive. Perhaps it's worked for you and could be used for other pests. Sulfur is widely and successfully used in many australian industries for spider mite control.

Spider mites typically attack stressed plants or occur as a result of insecticides being sprayed that knock out their natural enemies and the mite populations surge. They love hot dry days. Even just finely spray blasting the foliage of plants with water regularly can knock back a spider mite population substantially. In your case it looks like hot dry days may have cranked up the mites as your plants don't look very stressed.

Lochy

Lochy,

Thanks for the sulphur tip, I do like the idea of using predatory mites, (the spraying was a bit of a chore.)
I got a price of $50 for 5000, (which was the minimum sold). I will try these next year if needed.

Neem is supposed to work mainly as a growth regulator, so works slowly ...pests take a few days to die.
Anecdotal evidence may arise of it not working well, from growers more use to contact toxins that kill relatively quickly.
It worked for me, but I had low levels of mites and the 15% potassium soap added to emulsify the neem oil, is effective
in itself.

I think the mites where coming from neighbours and were just wandering through my hops, looking for stressed plants.
I will be putting predator mites over the fence

Rupert

 

[lochrockingbeers]

Neem works 2 ways: inhibits pests eating your plant and those that do eat the plant are poisoned. You would have predatory mites around and they would increase in numbers as the spider mites increase but your plants are likely to get damaged. Depends on your tolerance for damage.

Be careful with neem. I had a uni entomology lecturer who worked with it, raved about it, became a raving lunatic, and was sacked by the university. Just because it's naturally derived from a plant does not mean it's safe.

Whoever posted the praying mantis photo is correct in their identification. It's a generalist predator of soft bodied insects; spider mites don't quite make a meal for a mantid.

 

[mr_walker]

Well I've just had my first harvest from my one year old POR. 90 grams of goodness.

I guess I'll have about 10-20 grams by the time it dries. I can't wait until next year, now the roots are established.

Walker

 

[Doogiechap]

I'm pretty happy with how my Nugget has gone for it's first season .

Not a big harvest but am looking forward to tossing it into one of my brews soon .

edit :spellign

 

[Plastic Man]

I'm getting a serious case of cone envy reading this thread.

I've got about 12 cones off my Goldings and none off my Columbus - though it's year 1 so I shouldn't complain...

 

[randyrob]

Evening Brewers,

just some piccys of my first harvest:



Cluser 220g



Chinhook 180g



Columbus 110g

also got 80g of Wertemberger.

here's a pic of the yield so far



i'm just about the bung them in the dehydrater, anyone done this before can u let me know how long yours took to dry?

Cheers Rob.

 

[chovain]

View attachment 18069

Didn't I see those bags on the evening news recently?

 

[randyrob]

well 2 hours in the dehydrator did the job, if anyone was interested the dry weight vs wet weight was 20%



Cheers Rob.

 

[chovain]

I don't have a dehydrator, and have been asked to curtail spending by the MoF. That means no buying screen material to make my own rack. Here's my solution (no laughing at my paltry harvest - It's only about half of my first harvest) :


It's a fan forced oven with a couple of bits of foil to increase the flow across the hops. The hops are sitting at a nice stable 40 C. I'm regularly rotating the plate to ensure even drying.

Can anyone tell me if 40 C is a reasonable temperature? I'm not going to damage the hops, am I?

Anyone know how long it will need to sit there?

 

[Doogiechap]

Just harvested my Nugget .
Very happy with the amount considering it's it's first crop.

How convenient that we had the front screen door replaced !

Happy days !
Hmmm now for the Alpha Acid guessing game.......

 

[mfdes]

well 2 hours in the dehydrator did the job, if anyone was interested the dry weight vs wet weight was 20%

View attachment 18072

Cheers Rob.

Hey Rob,
That doesn't sound dry to me. The central strig takes a lot longer to dry than the bracts. They should lose close to 90% of their weight, not 80%. Still, incompletely dried hops are probably OK as long as they're vacuum stored in a freezer.

MFS.

 

[randyrob]

Hey Rob,
That doesn't sound dry to me. The central strig takes a lot longer to dry than the bracts. They should lose close to 90% of their weight, not 80%. Still, incompletely dried hops are probably OK as long as they're vacuum stored in a freezer.

MFS.

Hey Mfs,

thanks for the input! they are vacuum stored in the freezer. i read around if the stem brakes and not just bends there pretty much dry ah well theres always next year
still haven't had a chance to brew with them i cracked the grain and then got busy....

Rob.

 

[randyrob]

Just harvested my Nugget .
Very happy with the amount considering it's it's first crop.
View attachment 18176
How convenient that we had the front screen door replaced !
View attachment 18177
Happy days !
Hmmm now for the Alpha Acid guessing game.......

:super: :super:

i feel a nugget summer ale on the horizon for you doogie!