2012 Hop Plantations

[unco_tomato]

My second year barrels are going nuts. Chinook broke first but has slowed down just above my head. The cascade is approaching ten feet now:

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Contrast isn't great, but you can see it at the top of the bamboo and the barrel for some context.

Not as bad as the post earlier today, but am noticing apparent 'burning' on my leaves. No noticable bugs. They're probably due for their fortnightly seasol again...

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I've got the same "burning" look around the tips of my lower leaves, some are much worse than others. None of the higher leaves have and sign of it yet, I wonder if the plant has just come good since growing taller...

 

[431neb]

So about a month ago most of my hops took off rather vigorously. Now (for the most part) they all seem to have stalled. Normally I would just wait them out, but a few of the plants are starting to look rather sad.

Does anyone know what may be ailing my plants?? I figure its either bugs or nutrient deficiency, but I have no idea which, or what to do to fix it.

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Sam, I'm no hop expert but I know a thing or two about plants.

It probably is a deficiency of some sort and it may well be a trace element but I think the first thing you should check is the pH of the soil (the acidity / alkalinity of the soil). At different Ph's different nutrients become unavailable. pH is not a linear scale so increases in pH as they are measured can have severe effects. I have my first hop rhizome coming tomorrow so I'm not a hop expert but pH is always my first port of call when I see foliar evidence of nutrient deficiency. I see from Dr Google that there are ranges from 6.5 to 8 recommended. I think a neutral (7) to slightly acid 6.5 would be the best bet as it is for most fruit and vegetable crops.

Did you apply lime to the soil / potting mix? If so you may have overdone it. If not it might be worth a try. Look at other plants in the same soil and search for their deficiency symptoms they might be good indicators... PH kits are cheap at Bunnings or similar.

Do an image search for hop deficiencies and compare ... Good luck.

 

[The_Duck]

So far this year things seem to be going well for my hops.


Perle on the Left and Goldings on the right


Saaz (1st year rhizome)


Victoria at the back and Hersbrucker in front



Tettnang, Mt Hood and Pride of Ringwood (front to back)

I'll be getting more weed mat and spreading these out on the weekend as well as setting up the strings for them to grow on.

The Perle has given me some cones before... but last year the Perle and Goldings got burned off in a 3 day heatwave while I was interstate and never really recovered.

Fingers crossed this year I will get cones from most of the plants and be able to use homegrown hops in a few brews.

Duck

 

[hoppy2B]

Duck, if you're hops were in the ground they would tolerate you being away for a few days in the heat much better.

 

[The_Duck]

Duck, if you're hops were in the ground they would tolerate you being away for a few days in the heat much better.

Indeed they probably would.

I have had them in pots to try and work out where they would grow best. I have little or no north facing areas that I can grow them in. The Perle and Goldings varieties can't really go in the ground where they are as they are sitting on a large area paved with bluestone :-(.

If I am going away again this summer, I'll be sure to leave a drip line running to them all, just in case

Those other ones in the pots on the raised garden bed, may get planted in there but it is a small garden bed with 5 varieties to squeeze into a 2.4m x 1.2m area. I am still not convinced it gets enough sunlight there as well.

Maybe I should just move house and find one that has an optimum orientation and space to grow hops in


Duck

 

[NDH]

Should start out by saying I'm very much a noob hop grower, though this is the third season for my Cascade it is yet to bare fruit,

View attachment DSC05283.jpg

First year I bought it too late in the season and attempted to transplant anyway, didn't work out so well.

Second season was looking good until the dog got to it, chewed every bine off at the bottom

This year I had given up until, with much neglect it started climbing my 'dog proof' enclosure. I stuck a piece of conduit and some catenary wire up for it to climb last weekend and wouldn't you know it the ******* keeps growing! So today I was guilted into putting some mulch and pea straw around it after flicking through this thread.Today is the first time I've watered it too!

 

[kalbarluke]

My hops have been pretty sluggish and suffering some of the symptoms like the posts earlier (stunted, dying leaves, etc) . They were in the ground but one was in a pot with potting mix and this one seems to be doing the best. I decided to dig up the ones from the ground and put them in big pots.

When I dug them up I saw the soil was a bit too hard and clay like. I think if I plant them in the ground again I am going to need a lot more lime or gypsum to break up the soil. It has also been really really dry in this part of the world which hasn't helped at all.


A few people have already talked about the importance of lime in the soil. I'd have to agree that it is really important.

 

[Golani51]

Kinda :icon_offtopic: but I wonder about chickens being the culprit.
I know heaps of people blame their chickens.
I have 3 chickens and 3 hop plants. Never have my hops been damaged and they are not protected at all.
Could it be something else? Do you live near bushland?
BTW I have half an acre that they roam freely and they are isa brown if that makes any difference? I would have thought 4 feet would be too high. Mine never seem to get more than 2 feet off the ground.

Just re-read this. Sounds harsh, but I am not trying to be, just offering my experience.

surrounded on all sides by 3m + walls or the house.
chickens were either in pots or legs coated in potting mix. Them the culprits!

 

[hoppy2B]

My hops have been pretty sluggish and suffering some of the symptoms like the posts earlier (stunted, dying leaves, etc) . They were in the ground but one was in a pot with potting mix and this one seems to be doing the best. I decided to dig up the ones from the ground and put them in big pots.

When I dug them up I saw the soil was a bit too hard and clay like. I think if I plant them in the ground again I am going to need a lot more lime or gypsum to break up the soil. It has also been really really dry in this part of the world which hasn't helped at all.


A few people have already talked about the importance of lime in the soil. I'd have to agree that it is really important.

Hops will generally grow better in the ground, maybe you just needed to water them.

 

[Filfy]

My two haved slowed in growth somewhat over the last few weeks, frosts two or three days a week probably not helping growth and cool days also slowing things down I reckon.
Both my Chinook are at around the 60cm height still. Hopefully storing energy for summer............

 

[gava]

just put my posts in the ground this weekend... put my hops in a little late...
2 x Cascade just poking their heads up...

 

[Fish13]

got my hallertau going hard. 2 out of 3 showing growth. My cascade not a thing.

 

[kymba]

Seems i'm having some troubles with the stunted growth and dying leaves on a plant i've got in a pot. It was planted in a mix of mushroom compost, normal compost and some potting mix. The old lady suggested some potassium sulfate (sulfate of potash) might do the trick, so I've dosed the poor bugger with it this arvo and will see how that goes. It says on the packet to add it once a week for 4 - 5 weeks



oh and nice poles gava, going by the scale of your delivery dumptruck they are about 600m high!?

 

[paulhill]

iv got the same problem on a few of my plants

 

[Malted]

Go easy with the potash, less is more. I have previously burnt mine by applying too much.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

Mine seem to be about a month behind last years, growth-wise.
Anyone else in SE-QLD having the same thing?

 

[FuzzyDropbear]

My first year Hallertau hasn't got anywhere near the growth of any of those pictured, it'd be lucky to be 20cm high at the moment I rekon, that's after a weekly dose of worm tea.. Maybe it doesn't like the Ballarat climate compared to the Qld climate it came from. lol.

 

[Yob]

Seems i'm having some troubles with the stunted growth

fill that pot up ya stooge poor little thing is probably drinking itself dry :icon_cheers:

 

[kymba]

fill that pot up ya stooge poor little thing is probably drinking itself dry :icon_cheers:

Yeah looks like it has compacted somewhat, it was chockers when i planted it. Nevermind the water situation though, the old duck in the next unit has a penchant for watering so it gets a dousing at least once a day

 

[Malted]

Mine seem to be about a month behind last years, growth-wise.

Mine seem to be about 12 months behind last years