2018 Hop Plantations

[Mardoo]

They’ll stop vertical growth of their own accord if they can’t find anymore “up” to go. However, you can also clip them. The heat off that roof will likely kill off the growth tips and spur lateral growth, so you have a few options. Me, I have a highly trained pack of possums that take care of my growth tips once they reach the roofline.

 

[Rocker1986]

Cascade plant has formed into a nice screen now. There are some clusters of cones on it towards the top but probably can't really see them in the pictures. The Hallertau plant in the other planter box isn't growing very fast at all, just one bine about a metre tall and a few others a bit above soil level so far. Maybe it didn't like being buried as much.

 

[fungrel]

Cascade plant has formed into a nice screen now. There are some clusters of cones on it towards the top but probably can't really see them in the pictures. The Hallertau plant in the other planter box isn't growing very fast at all, just one bine about a metre tall and a few others a bit above soil level so far. Maybe it didn't like being buried as much. View attachment 109176View attachment 109177

Are you located in a warm region of Australia?

 

[koshari]

Are you located in a warm region of Australia?

hes in QLD, and yes his bines are killing it compared to mine down if gippsland,

my fuggles were first out of the block but the cascade seem to be gaining/overtaking them now.

 

[Rocker1986]

Are you located in a warm region of Australia?

Yeah mate, up in Brisbane. The speed of it has surprised me though, I figured it would go well in its second year, given the size of the root system, but not this bloody quickly. I have to go back there today to grab my whippersnipper, so I'll snap a pic of the contrasting Hallertau plant next to it.

 

[Rocker1986]

Here's a couple of photos from today, better lighting lol. Massive contrast between the Cascade and Hallertau

 

[pirateagenda]

They’ll stop vertical growth of their own accord if they can’t find anymore “up” to go. However, you can also clip them. The heat off that roof will likely kill off the growth tips and spur lateral growth, so you have a few options. Me, I have a highly trained pack of possums that take care of my growth tips once they reach the roofline.

Ive got mine only going up about 1.2m from grow bed (2.4 off ground) - then was hoping they'd go across strings at about a 20 degree slope up. Am I dreaming? should I make them go higher vertically from the bed before going along the horizontal (slightly sloping up) strings?

 

[homebrewnewb]

you'll need to train them. if that's too hard they will keep going up then fall down under their weight, i would try and train them while the bines are young, older and you can snap or damage them. not that you cant damage younger bines, they are just easier to manipulate.

 

[Mardoo]

My understanding is that hops begin flowering after a certain number of nodes have grown, not a measure of vertical height. I’ve never tested it myself though. FWIW my hops attached to the guttering of our house grow at about a 45 degree angle and flower well. They have a 3.5 meter run at that angle. I also have vertically trellised hops. By the node notion, your 20 degrees should be fine.

 

[Rocker1986]

Picked the first harvest from the Cascade on Monday, got 46g wet so probably about 12g dry. Still a number of comes on the plant not quite ready as well as more burrs forming. Hallertau is slowly growing up the lines now too

 

[LiquidGold]

That's nuts, I'm in Brisbane and so far not even all of my plants have popped their heads up, seems very late and I think I may have let them get too dry over winter.

 

[Rocker1986]

I'm wondering if that is why the Hallertau is slower as well, although it received the same amount of water over winter as the Cascade. I also have a Fuggle in a pot but it's done **** all, not even 30cm tall and it's third year hahaha

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Rocker what's going on there? You harvested already in spring?
On my end here in vic i have burs on my Red Earth hops. That is not good in my understanding of plants once they convert to flowering stage (too early underdeveloped) they are a fail. Maybe hops are different I hope.
Premature conversion to flowering is a bad thing isn't it? Anyone wanting to chime in...?

 

[Helles]

My understanding is that hops begin flowering after a certain number of nodes have grown, not a measure of vertical height. I’ve never tested it myself though. FWIW my hops attached to the guttering of our house grow at about a 45 degree angle and flower well. They have a 3.5 meter run at that angle. I also have vertically trellised hops. By the node notion, your 20 degrees should be fine.

Pretty sure its like there cousin plant
Number of day light hours when they get shorter they flower

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Pretty sure its like there cousin plant
Number of day light hours when they get shorter they flower

Yes that's the standard so why are my (Red Earth) hops burring now? Why have Rocker1986's Cascade already produced pickable cones?

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

I'm wondering if that is why the Hallertau is slower as well, although it received the same amount of water over winter as the Cascade. I also have a Fuggle in a pot but it's done **** all, not even 30cm tall and it's third year hahaha

Well that's weird: my Fuggles went apeshit, having broken the surface about 5 weeks ago the first one will reach the top of the trellis in the next day or so. The trellis is 5.5 metres so that's over a metre a week or about 15 cm / day. You can almost watch the buggers extend.

 

[koshari]

My fuggles have near stalled. they popped up strong and early compared to the cascade but now one of the cascades is nearly at the rop of the fence.


.

 

[Andy_27]

My Fuggles seem to have stalled too. They burst out of the ground pretty quickly about 6 to 8 weeks ago but now are only 20cm or so up the first trellis. My Chinook has only just been able to be trained around the trellis rope. I've been giving them some Seasol or Thrive every couple of weeks. Perhaps some warmer weather is needed?

 

[Rocker1986]

Well that's weird: my Fuggles went apeshit, having broken the surface about 5 weeks ago the first one will reach the top of the trellis in the next day or so. The trellis is 5.5 metres so that's over a metre a week or about 15 cm / day. You can almost watch the buggers extend.

That's pretty much what my Cascade did. It popped up around September and within a month had a shitload of bines at the top of the trellis and burrs forming. Not sure what's wrong with the Fuggle. Hallertau is at least moving along now albeit slowly.

 

[wynnum1]

Just found this on Internet this may be of interest.

https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/712717/hops-guide-for-new-growers.pdf

 

[pcqypcqy]

Mine shot up quick, but have stalled short of a metre. These are all first year's.

I've put it down to lack of water, so I've finally set up my drip irrigation and am using the bath water through this system. Hopefully they'll come good.

I'm not expecting many flowersin the first year, but I would have thought the vines would climb a bit and put on plenty of leaves.

I'm also finding they're strugglying to grab onto the baling twine as well. A few of them I wrap around manually, but in a bit of wind they seem to fall off again.

Edit: Photos attached

 

[koshari]

I'm also finding they're strugglying to grab onto the baling twine as well. A few of them I wrap around manually, but in a bit of wind they seem to fall off again.

the cascade that has just today hit the top of the fence is a very strong bine, its climbing a bit of fencing wire but i suspect it would have clung to anything, its a pretty hearty bine,

iam not putting the fuggles reluctance down to lack of water as they are all getting the same, the soil has always been moist when i have checked as there is a lot of straw in the pots to keep it damp.

 

[pcqypcqy]

the cascade that has just today hit the top of the fence is a very strong bine, its climbing a bit of fencing wire but i suspect it would have clung to anything, its a pretty hearty bine,



iam not putting the fuggles reluctance down to lack of water as they are all getting the same, the soil has always been moist when i have checked as there is a lot of straw in the pots to keep it damp.

I took a look at mine today during lunch and noticed they're getting better at holding on now that they're getting proper water.

 

[good4whatAlesU]

A bit of a motley crew.

First year rhizomes in pots.

 

[Mardoo]

Jeebus, one of my Victoria bines has already started burring out [emoji15]

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Jeebus, one of my Victoria bines has already started burring out [emoji15]

I'm worried because mine are burring too on Red Earth, Goldings, Hallertau and just noticed developing cones on Tettnang.
This is not good as I understand it. They have not got anywhere near the mass of last years growth. Mine never started to bur until well into January in which they got to grow out really well before flowering. What I understand is they basically stop, or slow to a crawl growing when they start flowering. They shouldn't start flowering before solstice I thought. Its shortening days that trigger it I thought.
Anyone shed any light on this?
Am I facing a poor yield because of this?

 

[Rocker1986]

I just picked another small harvest from my Cascade this morning, 96g wet this time so about 24/25g when dried properly. Still more to go, but no new burrs forming at the moment. It'll be interesting to see if they start flowering again after new years.

 

[Mardoo]

I'm worried because mine are burring too on Red Earth, Goldings, Hallertau and just noticed developing cones on Tettnang.
This is not good as I understand it. They have not got anywhere near the mass of last years growth. Mine never started to bur until well into January in which they got to grow out really well before flowering. What I understand is they basically stop, or slow to a crawl growing when they start flowering. They shouldn't start flowering before solstice I thought. Its shortening days that trigger it I thought.
Anyone shed any light on this?
Am I facing a poor yield because of this?

It's possible a solid nitrogen hit could bump them back into growth phase. I've never tried it. Just keep the potassium low until just before burring, then do a foliar application or on the soil. Foliar application is spraying a dilute solution of potash on the leaves. Most liquid potash fertilisers have instructions on the bottle.

Mine are only burring on the tallest bine, the rest haven't reached the node threshold yet.

I can't answer your other questions, unfortunately. I'm pretty sure mine have burred before solstice, but haven't actually noticed.

 

[captain crumpet]

I'm worried because mine are burring too on Red Earth, Goldings, Hallertau and just noticed developing cones on Tettnang.
This is not good as I understand it. They have not got anywhere near the mass of last years growth. Mine never started to bur until well into January in which they got to grow out really well before flowering. What I understand is they basically stop, or slow to a crawl growing when they start flowering. They shouldn't start flowering before solstice I thought. Its shortening days that trigger it I thought.
Anyone shed any light on this?
Am I facing a poor yield because of this?

Flowering can occur early if there is too little nitrogen and too much phosphorus and or potassium present.

I haven't done it with hops but with other plants like tomatoes I will pull off all buds and keep up the nitrogen. They will stop flowering and go back into grow mode.

Speaking of light cycles, if your plants are dealing with too much shade at either end of the day you could be simulating different light cycle. Once again with other plants, when I've needed to identify sex of the plant I force into a shorter light exposure but usually by completely covering it.

Maybe a combination of both

 

[Rocker1986]

I suspect mine flowered so early because it grew so quickly. Only took about 4-5 weeks from the first shoot appearing for it to pretty much cover the whole trellis and try to escape to the nearby fence, complete with plenty of laterals too. The Hallertau has been a lot slower to grow but is starting to bush up more at ground level and has a few bines making their way up the lines. No burrs yet.

This is the second little harvest from the Cascade a couple of days ago