Top of the Trellis

[gwk453]

Hops have hit the top of my trellis already..Crystal, Centennial, and Willamette are quite aggressive this year!
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[mtyquinn]

My hops have topped out over 30+ feet already as well.

[bingbong]

I was given some Crystal rhizomes last year, and they grew like crazy. This year they've already made quick work of my trellis...

What are you planning on using them for?

[gwk453]

My Crystal is my Hallertau substitute. The whole hops will work great in my Hopback. For a first year planting, Willamette is very aggressive! Cascade is kind of pathetic. EKGoldings is struggling. Sterling and Magnum is moderate. Brewing with whole hops sucks up a lot of wort that you need to compensate for with your preboil volumne. I push at least 3 or more bines per string. The Hop Union guru said homegrowers don't have to operate like commercial growers since we don't have to worry about jamming mechanical picking machines. I also use Miracle-Grow every 2 weeks.

[animaldoc]

Are you guys thinning to one or two bines per plant?

I've been wondering ........ I think it was (Ralph?) from HopUnion when talking about how he would grow hops he said he wouldn't thin ..... he would just let them grow. They wouldn't grow as tall but they would have many bines -- presumably the yield would be similar and the reason commercial growers thin is to aid mechanical picking ...... soooooo .......

Why should we homegrowers build a 30 foot trellis? Is there really an advantage?

[EL TIZZO]

Flowers will only form on the upper half of the plant so by my logic that says the more trellis you have, the more hops you will grow and harvest. Mine only go 8' because that is all the room I have. I train 3-5 bines per line with four lines per plant. I also held them back this year and didn't just let them go. I cut them back a couple times before I let them start up the lines according to freshops.com. (I will let you know the results in August) I fertilize heavily with Alaskan fish meal (try to keep it organic) about every 2-3 weeks and with bloom fertilizer (from the same company) when I see cones starting to form. With 3 plants (santiam, cascade, nugget) I harvested over 3 pounds last year. It was enough for several fresh hop beers (5 gal batch) and I have a few left in the freezer for a kitchen sink beer.

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[gwk453]

I have about 80 hop plants in about 120 linear feet. It is still easy to use Miracle-Gro to fertilize every two weeks. It provide more than enough nutrients for the growth of many bines. The later bines do eventually catch up to the earlier bines. The growth below ground of the roots is massive and is enhanced with the liquid fertilizer. The strong rhizome growth allows you not to have to purchase more root stock when you want to expand your garden or share with a friend. I rototill granular Sevin insecticide in the rows and also need to use snail and slug bait II around the plants too. Most places I have read consider 18 ft high terellis standard.

[EL TIZZO]

I have about 80 hop plants in about 120 linear feet. It is still easy to use Miracle-Gro to fertilize every two weeks. It provide more than enough nutrients for the growth of many bines. The later bines do eventually catch up to the earlier bines. The growth below ground of the roots is massive and is enhanced with the liquid fertilizer. The strong rhizome growth allows you not to have to purchase more root stock when you want to expand your garden or share with a friend. I rototill granular Sevin insecticide in the rows and also need to use snail and slug bait II around the plants too. Most places I have read consider 18 ft high terellis standard.

Whoa!...thats a large scale operation...who picks all that?...