2018 Hop Plantations

[koshari]

damn invasion of passionfruit vine hoppers on a couple of my plants.

 

[Rocker1986]

Could someone hazard a guess at how long until these cones will be at maturity?

I'd like to throw them in the whirlpool rather than dry them, so planning a brew day accordingly. My guess is 2-3 weeks, but don't have enough experience growing hops.

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They look like they're not far away but how do they feel? They should feel dry and papery and make a scrunchy sort of sound when rolled between the fingers. Also look for the yellow powder under the bracts.

 

[fungrel]

They look like they're not far away but how do they feel? They should feel dry and papery and make a scrunchy sort of sound when rolled between the fingers. Also look for the yellow powder under the bracts.

Very papery, scrunchy sound, yellow powder as well but for some reason they're not as aromatic as last year. Nowhere near it.

I made the mistake of picking them weeks earlier last year but the last year's batch definitely smelled more pungent.

I agree they're not far away. Maybe I'll cut one in half and give it a closer look.

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Very papery, scrunchy sound, yellow powder as well but for some reason they're not as aromatic as last year. Nowhere near it.

I made the mistake of picking them weeks earlier last year but the last year's batch definitely smelled more pungent.

I agree they're not far away. Maybe I'll cut one in half and give it a closer look.

If they still have a grassy/vegetal smell, they aren't ready. The center stig should snap when a cone is bent in half, and the bracts should fall off when rubbed backwards. Papery sound when rolled and tips just beginning to brown are also signs.The hops should also pop off easily when pulled.

These video give a good visual indication:

 

[mondestrunken]

******* possum or mouse or something ate all the leaves off my hops last night. I mean, what is the point of eating the leaves?

 

[Danscraftbeer]

******* possum or mouse or something ate all the leaves off my hops last night. I mean, what is the point of eating the leaves?

That's the character of Possums. I know those buggers. Dumb gatherers but when they find something worthy to eat they will repeat unless you take on a defensive somehow. They do eat the flowers too but lush green leaves and the tips mostly. Scampering around looking for anything good to eat and when they find something they do repeat the pillage. Stringed hops are usually safe they wont go out on unstable strings. They will eat what they can reach from a climbable structure.

 

[alm0nde]

Hey guys, hoping someone can help with a problem. Leaves are turning yellow, starting from the bottom. Thought it might have been leaf scorch due to the hot weather we've had in Melbourne, but I've noticed these insects hanging about all over it. Hopefully these pictures help

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Hey guys, hoping someone can help with a problem. Leaves are turning yellow, starting from the bottom. Thought it might have been leaf scorch due to the hot weather we've had in Melbourne, but I've noticed these insects hanging about all over it. Hopefully these pictures help

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What breed of Hop? What location? Its been a hard year on all my hops this season. You get good seasons and not so good seasons from a multitude of reasons. Pests being a big one when things (weather climate) favor them and not in favor of the plants.
I'm now thinking that breed versus location is very significant. I cant grow any breed I want well in a backyard in SE Melbourne it seems to me anyway. That's a real bummer to think of it but otherwise to take advantage of the hops that do well over others and persist on the perfect home grown brew any hop way.
Success Hops in my SE Melbourne backyard are: (from strongest and biggest yields per plant)
Victoria
Chinook
Cascade
Others attempted with mediocre success:
Hallertau
Red Earth
Goldings
Tettnanger (looks to fail for the second season in a row)

 

[fdsaasdf]

I'm located in Brisbane and have a few plants that are starting to show burrs. The Goldings and Victoria seem to have stopped growing up between 2-3m and have a few (but not lots) of lateral shoots. The Cascade has 4 shoots that got over 4m with one that is close to 6m, with a dozen or so laterals on each.

I've probably killed 30 or 40 bright green grasshoppers, haven't seen any of the giants that decimated the Victoria last year just yet but I need to stay vigilant.

I've seen mention of use of Maxibloom and other additives to increase the yield - any advice on what I should be feeding the plants with and when from here to encourage the best season possible?

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Hey guys, hoping someone can help with a problem. Leaves are turning yellow, starting from the bottom. Thought it might have been leaf scorch due to the hot weather we've had in Melbourne, but I've noticed these insects hanging about all over it. Hopefully these pictures help
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What you have there is the Passion Vine Hopper, could well be the source of your problem, they will suck out the nutrients from the plants, if you don't get rid of them they will diminish your crop. I have seen them on cannabis plants they bore into the stalks and feed from there.
Get some insect spray from Bunnings and give them a good dosing.

 

[alm0nde]

Cheers mate, will do.

Is the clue in the name? Meaning, we have a passionfruit plant nearby, are they perhaps coming from that?

 

[alm0nde]

What breed of Hop? What location? Its been a hard year on all my hops this season. You get good seasons and not so good seasons from a multitude of reasons. Pests being a big one when things (weather climate) favor them and not in favor of the plants.
I'm now thinking that breed versus location is very significant. I cant grow any breed I want well in a backyard in SE Melbourne it seems to me anyway. That's a real bummer to think of it but otherwise to take advantage of the hops that do well over others and persist on the perfect home grown brew any hop way.
Success Hops in my SE Melbourne backyard are: (from strongest and biggest yields per plant)
Victoria
Chinook
Cascade
Others attempted with mediocre success:
Hallertau
Red Earth
Goldings
Tettnanger (looks to fail for the second season in a row)

Hey mate, Golding's, in Melbourne. It's their second year. Have some Chinook as well down the garden that are doing well for their first year

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Cheers mate, will do.

Is the clue in the name? Meaning, we have a passionfruit plant nearby, are they perhaps coming from that?

Yes Passion Fruit vine is the main objective but any vine will do, as tomato is a vine they will also go for them, but I did see what a large group can do to the hops distant cousin which isn't a vine.

 

[koshari]

Hey guys, hoping someone can help with a problem. Leaves are turning yellow, starting from the bottom. Thought it might have been leaf scorch due to the hot weather we've had in Melbourne, but I've noticed these insects hanging about all over it. Hopefully these pictures help

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Passionfruit vine hoppers. Need to spray them. Usually for edible vegies you would use Pyreethrym however i used bayer as i dont have and cones yet. The all pissed off then. Look for the larve which look like they have little bits of cotton wool hanging out of htere *****.

 

[Mardoo]

I’m having the same thing on a couple of my hops. I’d agree with Dan’s - just the season - but I can’t say for sure. I’ve had those bugs for three years running, without the yellowing, etc, so I don’t think it’s them.

Goldings I never had much luck with here. The handful of hops I got off it was like angels’ breath, but I pulled it after four years. However, IIRC a mate who lives out Woodend way has had decent crops from Goldings.

 

[alm0nde]

Thanks a lot guys, I'll head to Bunnings tonight I think. Any specific products anyone recommends?

 

[koshari]

Thanks a lot guys, I'll head to Bunnings tonight I think. Any specific products anyone recommends?

i used a -
deltamethrin based spray as i didnt want them coming back soon , it worked virtually instantly,, i only sprayed a few days ago, you will literally feel all the feisty buggers leaping off the plant as the ricochet of your arms and legs, again if i had cones i would avoid spraying near them. pyrethrem is also suggested on some gardening sites however it has an effective life of 24hrs and needs to be sprayed directly on the pests.
http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/archive/Deltatech.html

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Hey guys, hoping someone can help with a problem. Leaves are turning yellow, starting from the bottom. Thought it might have been leaf scorch due to the hot weather we've had in Melbourne, but I've noticed these insects hanging about all over it. Hopefully these pictures help

Vine hoppers aside, yellowing leaves from the ground upwards is common. If the plants aren't getting everything they need as far as nutrients, they will begin to sacrifice their lower leaves for flower production. Over watering/damp feet can also cause this as well as root rot.

Get rid of the vine hoppers. Are your plants sitting in wet soil? What are you using as fertiliser?

 

[alm0nde]

No cones yet so ill go the deltamethrin. They could be overwatered, I water pretty much every afternoon after work.

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

No cones yet so ill go the deltamethrin. They could be overwatered, I water pretty much every afternoon after work.

That's fine if drainage is good, but don't let them sit in water, they like dry feet most of the time. They mound them commercially so they get plenty of water but water drains away.