what to do during winter.

[Dan Pratt]

My hop rhizomes had been harvested and today after leaving the vines on after harvest they finally got cut down. The rhizomes now have the stems coming out of the ground, what do i do during winter, will they just sprout again come spring??

 

[Yob]

yep, they are pretty hardy.. just leave them as is.. just mulch them in winter so the compost breaks down and is available come spring

 

[Dan Pratt]

Thanks yob. I have some decent mulch up the back that will do nicely.

 

[JAM]

Pratty1 I'm glad to hear you got some hops because neither me (sydney) or my brother (Canberra) got anything this year...very disappointing.
Yeah just chop them to the ground and when their ready they'll start all over again

 

[geneabovill]

I've got a nice Chinook bine. Got probably 50gm dried hop cones off it this year.

Cut it off at about 600m from the ground, pick all the decent cones off it.

DON'T burn the leftover vines and leaves. They smell a lot like other home grown weeds when burnt.

 

[Mardoo]

So leave a bit of bine and leaf, or cut them down to ground level? And now or wait a bit yet?

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Once they are finished flowering and starting to die back cut them down to ground level, as yob says put a layer of mulch over the top,another tip is at the start of spring put some black plastic over the top and get the soil heating up, that will give them a great start. (works a treat on beans also)

 

[DU99]

whens the best time to dig up and trim the rhizome.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

When its dormant

 

[Shanta]

I also managed to get my first harvest of POR and plan to use it in my next brew. I couldn't help to notice though when I was cutting down my bines there was a large infestation on the base of some of the bines and the bines had also start to wither away in some areas. Does anyone know the best way to prevent this?

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

Any problem with leaving the bines up? I have complex rigging and I'd rather just leave it up all winter. Maybe I will just cut them and leave them on the rigging.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Shanta next year keep an eye out for any infestations and give them a spray of garlic, chilli and pyrethrum.

Mr No Tip, as long as they aren't harbouring any diseases, should be O/k.

 

[Fents]

Any problem with leaving the bines up? I have complex rigging and I'd rather just leave it up all winter. Maybe I will just cut them and leave them on the rigging.

Not as far as i know, infact in the past i have left the bines up and used them as next years string for the next bines to grow up.