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Message |
    
Hallertauer
Intermediate Member
Username: Hallertauer
Post Number: 378
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 192.85.16.1
| | Posted on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 10:37 am: | 
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I planted 2 varieties of hops (hersbrucker and magnum) and they are about a foot high now and seem to be doing well. The only thing that concerns me is that they both are starting to look like bushs instead of vines.
Should I be pruning back everything except one vine? Or should I prune back everything and leave 2 or 3? Or should I not prune at all?
TIA |
Paul Erbe
Advanced Member
Username: Perbe
Post Number: 565
Registered: 05-2001
Posted From: 12.27.22.67
| | Posted on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 01:47 pm: |
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Normally people leave 2 or 3. Dont expect a big harvest this year. Let the plants have a nice stressfree summer while their roots grow.
The 2 second year plants I have are already 6 plus feet. Last year they maybe grew 3-4 feet all season. |
Vince Turley
Intermediate Member
Username: Vince
Post Number: 269
Registered: 05-2003
Posted From: 66.245.90.251
| | Posted on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 02:30 pm: |
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The first year you are really growing a strong root system. Be sure to use a couple of inches of bark mulch to hold water and protect the roots through next winter. If you fertilize, use a equal-ratio (3-3-3 for example), or high middle number to promote root growth. Stay away from high nitrogen fertilizers (large first number in the ratio), as this will only promote top growth; while it looks nice, it takes away from the roots (and any hops, too!). Foliar feed (i.e. spray) with liquid seaweed as often as once a week, and you will really stay ahead of the bugs as well. |
Cory Kelm
New Member
Username: Galaxy51
Post Number: 21
Registered: 04-2006
Posted From: 72.24.239.45
| | Posted on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 03:08 pm: |
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Like Paul says, 2-3 vines are most often recomended. If you worry about a possible spider mite or other bug related problems you could remove the leaves on the lower part of the vines. This is supposed to make a difference and I think some of the commercial growers do this. Also hops love a really fertile soil. Mine went in new last year and now most of them are well over 10 foot tall! I dug a fair sized hole for each and mixed in a lot of home made compost with the native soil. Watching these grow is reminds me of the "Jack and the Beanstalk". I admit to having babied them. Considering that it was their first year, at harvest time I took predominately the cones, leaving as much of the leaves and vines as I could. This was a lot of extra work but extended by two months the ability of the plants to keep feeding and growing their root systems. This year I will whack the vines off at ground level. |
Chad D.
Intermediate Member
Username: Icehouse
Post Number: 433
Registered: 02-2003
Posted From: 162.58.35.101
| | Posted on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 08:48 pm: |
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Mine just hit the top of their ropes!
That's 14 feet...
All second and third year plants.
Only problem I ever have is with mites, and not really sure of a good way to keep em away. I guess I may try the liquid seaweed and see if that helps. |
Brews and Views Archive 2006 
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