Hop Garden Q&A
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    As you might infer from the title, this is a thread about growing hops. Feel free to post your questions about growing and harvesting your hops.

    I'll kick things off with a problem that's recently come up with my bines. I noticed a bit of holes where bugs have been eating my hop leaves. What should I put on them to discourage the insects from munching my plants? Soapy water? Something else?
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    @frydogbrews and @benvarine whatcha think?
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • LothosLothos
    Posts: 2,146
    yes soapy water in a spray bottle and douse the plant
    Ain't that a Bitch
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,568
    Why do my bines grow good for a short while then just halt? Ive tried growing hops a couple times and this is the same result each time.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • JayrizzleJayrizzle
    Posts: 90,044
    Lakewood said:

    Why do my bines grow good for a short while then just halt? Ive tried growing hops a couple times and this is the same result each time.



    I'd suggest some soil testing. Hops need lots of nutrients, good drainage (a bit sandy soil), and a pH of about 6.5. Also getting lots of light is important. A bag of cow poop might fix your problem.
    "I don't have TP, but I do have ammo."
    -Some guy in Ohio
  • JayrizzleJayrizzle
    Posts: 90,044


    FromZwolle said:

    As you might infer from the title, this is a thread about growing hops. Feel free to post your questions about growing and harvesting your hops.

    I'll kick things off with a problem that's recently come up with my bines. I noticed a bit of holes where bugs have been eating my hop leaves. What should I put on them to discourage the insects from munching my plants? Soapy water? Something else?



    First step it to identify the bugs. Many don't like soapy water, but you may be better with some garlic oil, vegetable oil or neem oil. I've had problems with caterpillars this year but I've just picked them off by hand and nothing has got too bad yet.
    "I don't have TP, but I do have ammo."
    -Some guy in Ohio
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,568
    Dr_Jerryrigger said:

    Lakewood said:

    Why do my bines grow good for a short while then just halt? Ive tried growing hops a couple times and this is the same result each time.



    I'd suggest some soil testing. Hops need lots of nutrients, good drainage (a bit sandy soil), and a pH of about 6.5. Also getting lots of light is important. A bag of cow poop might fix your problem.


    I'll buy some poop this weekend.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • LothosLothos
    Posts: 2,146
    my hops are going crazy

    will post a pic tomorrow
    Ain't that a Bitch
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    Dr_Jerryrigger said:

    Lakewood said:

    Why do my bines grow good for a short while then just halt? Ive tried growing hops a couple times and this is the same result each time.



    I'd suggest some soil testing. Hops need lots of nutrients, good drainage (a bit sandy soil), and a pH of about 6.5. Also getting lots of light is important. A bag of cow poop might fix your problem.


    I have the same problem ... and my soil is 25% composted manure .....
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,568
    ceannt said:

    Dr_Jerryrigger said:

    Lakewood said:

    Why do my bines grow good for a short while then just halt? Ive tried growing hops a couple times and this is the same result each time.



    I'd suggest some soil testing. Hops need lots of nutrients, good drainage (a bit sandy soil), and a pH of about 6.5. Also getting lots of light is important. A bag of cow poop might fix your problem.


    I have the same problem ... and my soil is 25% composted manure .....


    Sounds like I'm back to square one
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • JayrizzleJayrizzle
    Posts: 90,044
    Test it, if the pH is way off plants can't absorb the stuff they need.
    Also drainage/watering can mess things up too. To get a good root system it's good to let them get a little dry so they grow big and deep to find water. If you're growing in clay or with lots of humus (compost) and watering often they don't need to grow to get the water.
    I've had good luck with planting them about 8" deep and not watering at all unless it doesn't rain for more than a week and a half (unless it's very hot or dry). My soil is more on the clay end of things, but with a good amount of humus, and a pH of 6.5.
    Also remember first year plants don't need to be impressive, they just need to grow. Third year is when you get a good yield, first year you're just getting a good root system.
    "I don't have TP, but I do have ammo."
    -Some guy in Ohio
  • BenvarineBenvarine
    Posts: 1,606
    Dr_Jerryrigger said:



    FromZwolle said:

    As you might infer from the title, this is a thread about growing hops. Feel free to post your questions about growing and harvesting your hops.

    I'll kick things off with a problem that's recently come up with my bines. I noticed a bit of holes where bugs have been eating my hop leaves. What should I put on them to discourage the insects from munching my plants? Soapy water? Something else?



    First step it to identify the bugs. Many don't like soapy water, but you may be better with some garlic oil, vegetable oil or neem oil. I've had problems with caterpillars this year but I've just picked them off by hand and nothing has got too bad yet.


    Definitely find out what the bugs are. It will determine what to use to kill them. Also, decide if you want to stick to organic or not. I don't so lots of products out there at your garden store. Also determine if the product you use is systemic or simply kills insects on contact. If it is systemic be sure the chemical will not end up in the fruit which will end up in your beer. It depends on the chemical and timing of application. Since hops will not be listed on the label, check with the university extension office from a state in the pacific northwest. They have info available.
  • LothosLothos
    Posts: 2,146
    UPDATE HOP TRELLIS

    they are moving right along
    Picture.jpg
    1536 x 2048 - 1M
    Ain't that a Bitch
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    looks good. i definitely need to get mine out of buckets next year. they just don't have the nutrients to get enough bines up and producing.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • LothosLothos
    Posts: 2,146
    here i edited it
    Picture.jpg
    1536 x 2048 - 422K
    Ain't that a Bitch
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    Mine are not even up to your labels ......
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    Makes me mad ....... even though the storm Friday would have taken them out if they had been that tall.......
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • LothosLothos
    Posts: 2,146
    my centenials arent doing so good this year only got 2 or 3 vines on the string last year i had 6 to 7 and got a pound off it its going to be a small crop this year
    Ain't that a Bitch
  • JayrizzleJayrizzle
    Posts: 90,044
    ceannt said:

    Mine are not even up to your labels ......



    Don't put a label on your failures.
    Maybe it would do better if you planted in in the bed of your truck.
    What's your soil like down there? Clay, sand, loam? And how often have you been watering?
    "I don't have TP, but I do have ammo."
    -Some guy in Ohio
  • JayrizzleJayrizzle
    Posts: 90,044
    Also, to all of you guys having problems; I've found it quite helpful to "mound" them. You can do this by cutting a trench all the way around them 18-24" from the stem about a foot deep, (width of a shovel works, more is fine, less is hard to pull off). This keeps them from getting too soupy when it rains. If they are very small or just panted I'd recommend a smaller mound, like 24" dia. but you don't want to cut them up if the have roots out there.
    "I don't have TP, but I do have ammo."
    -Some guy in Ohio
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    Dr_Jerryrigger said:

    ceannt said:

    Mine are not even up to your labels ......



    Don't put a label on your failures.
    Maybe it would do better if you planted in in the bed of your truck.
    What's your soil like down there? Clay, sand, loam? And how often have you been watering?


    Silty clay loam
    added some sand, compost and a lot of composted manure ......
    only water when they look like they need it....... I think the biggest problem is they don't get full sun all day...... they miss n hour in the morning and a couple in late afternoon
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    Dr_Jerryrigger said:

    ceannt said:

    Mine are not even up to your labels ......



    Don't put a label on your failures.
    Maybe it would do better if you planted in in the bed of your truck.
    What's your soil like down there? Clay, sand, loam? And how often have you been watering?

    If I had lumber racks I would plant them in my truck ...... how cool would that be.....
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    ceannt said:

    Dr_Jerryrigger said:

    ceannt said:

    Mine are not even up to your labels ......



    Don't put a label on your failures.
    Maybe it would do better if you planted in in the bed of your truck.
    What's your soil like down there? Clay, sand, loam? And how often have you been watering?

    If I had lumber racks I would plant them in my truck ...... how cool would that be.....


    if you could shield them from the wind, they would be the coolest truck upgrade ever. imagine ordering a beer, and grabbing a few fresh cones from the bed to plunk into it.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    FromZwolle said:

    ceannt said:

    Dr_Jerryrigger said:

    ceannt said:

    Mine are not even up to your labels ......



    Don't put a label on your failures.
    Maybe it would do better if you planted in in the bed of your truck.
    What's your soil like down there? Clay, sand, loam? And how often have you been watering?

    If I had lumber racks I would plant them in my truck ...... how cool would that be.....


    if you could shield them from the wind, they would be the coolest truck upgrade ever. imagine ordering a beer, and grabbing a few fresh cones from the bed to plunk into it.



    Kind of what I was thinking ....

    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    alright, i finally caught the jerks in action. i can only assume that these are the culprits:
    DSC00353.JPG
    2592 x 1944 - 1M
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    i sprayed my bines with soapy water, only to have it rain about an hour later. #-o
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • JayrizzleJayrizzle
    Posts: 90,044
    FromZwolle said:

    alright, i finally caught the jerks in action. i can only assume that these are the culprits:



    Oh,those guys, I think I had the same thing. Some kind of catililler, maybe the tent kinds. I don't really know, I should google it, but I'm hoping someone will do that for me....?
    "I don't have TP, but I do have ammo."
    -Some guy in Ohio
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    i'm really not familiar with caterpillar species. i only know that now i hate them all.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • JayrizzleJayrizzle
    Posts: 90,044
    FromZwolle said:

    i'm really not familiar with caterpillar species. i only know that now i hate them all.



    Just picking them off by hand and crushing them will help you a lot. That's mostly what I did, but I think some big spiders took up residence on my hops. I don't like to go near them anymore, but there are fewer caterpillars... I think, it's hard to see them from inside my house.
    "I don't have TP, but I do have ammo."
    -Some guy in Ohio
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    Dr_Jerryrigger said:

    FromZwolle said:

    i'm really not familiar with caterpillar species. i only know that now i hate them all.



    Just picking them off by hand and crushing them will help you a lot. That's mostly what I did, but I think some big spiders took up residence on my hops. I don't like to go near them anymore, but there are fewer caterpillars... I think, it's hard to see them from inside my house.


    i hand smooshed any bugs i could find. but that does nothing for the ones i didn't see.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • JayrizzleJayrizzle
    Posts: 90,044
    FromZwolle said:

    Dr_Jerryrigger said:

    FromZwolle said:

    i'm really not familiar with caterpillar species. i only know that now i hate them all.



    Just picking them off by hand and crushing them will help you a lot. That's mostly what I did, but I think some big spiders took up residence on my hops. I don't like to go near them anymore, but there are fewer caterpillars... I think, it's hard to see them from inside my house.


    i hand smooshed any bugs i could find. but that does nothing for the ones i didn't see.


    Well get better eyes, duh! Or I guess there is a stuff called "BT" that works great... (I broke down and used google myself)
    "I don't have TP, but I do have ammo."
    -Some guy in Ohio
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 88,418
    Sevin is a pretty good all around pesticide. I use it on pine trees for bag worms, fruit trees for pretty much anything and veggies. Read the label of course... There are withdraw periods and such. I don't think it fan be used after the fruits/veggies are actually on the plant.
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    alright, here's another question. my cascades have already started producing cones, nothing yet on the willamette or centennial. should i be doing something to encourage cone production? some kind of nutrient (easy to find stuff like miracle grow?)

    should i start cutting down the new bines that are popping up so that the plant concentrates more on the ones that are already established?

    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • JayrizzleJayrizzle
    Posts: 90,044
    FromZwolle said:

    alright, here's another question. my cascades have already started producing cones, nothing yet on the willamette or centennial. should i be doing something to encourage cone production? some kind of nutrient (easy to find stuff like miracle grow?)

    should i start cutting down the new bines that are popping up so that the plant concentrates more on the ones that are already established?


    Diffident breeds flower at different times. My Magnum and Cascades have cones and nothing else has more than burrs.
    If you like to dump chemical fertilizers on them and your soil is trash from doing so, you'd want to hit them with a splash of something with a lot of phosphorous. If you like your soil just do nothing.
    no need to trim them. Just keep them from drying out to the point of killing them (hard to do). Harvest them when they get papery.
    "I don't have TP, but I do have ammo."
    -Some guy in Ohio
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    Dr_Jerryrigger said:

    FromZwolle said:

    alright, here's another question. my cascades have already started producing cones, nothing yet on the willamette or centennial. should i be doing something to encourage cone production? some kind of nutrient (easy to find stuff like miracle grow?)

    should i start cutting down the new bines that are popping up so that the plant concentrates more on the ones that are already established?


    Diffident breeds flower at different times. My Magnum and Cascades have cones and nothing else has more than burrs.
    If you like to dump chemical fertilizers on them and your soil is trash from doing so, you'd want to hit them with a splash of something with a lot of phosphorous. If you like your soil just do nothing.
    no need to trim them. Just keep them from drying out to the point of killing them (hard to do). Harvest them when they get papery.


    good deal. i'll just leave them alone, then.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    since all my hops died with that brutal winter two years ago, i ordered some more today. kinda late, but whatever.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    @plantweirdo, can i do anything to make my hops more smellier? i don't think i'll get enough to brew with for a few years, so until then i plan to just plunk the fresh cones into whatever beer i'm currently drinking. as such, i'd like more smells out of them. anything i can do? pee in the dirt? what soil ph to shoot for? i'd have to buy a cheapo soil ph meter, but i've been meaning to for a looong time now anyway.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    i'm growing them in 5 gallon buckets, for this year anyway, so what should i add to the dirt in them? cow poop, mushroom compost, potting soil, top soil?

    those are the ones i know i can get a hold of easily.
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,568
    Ive killed all of my hops.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    Lakewood said:

    Ive killed all of my hops.



    i don't even know why you try. the only thing that grows well there is debt and hippy musk.

    C_B
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,568
    Palm trees, oranges, avocados, and strawberries seem to do pretty well too.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • jeepinjeepinjeepinjeepin
    Posts: 18,099
    I can't seem to kill mine. They spent all winter outside in a 3 gallon bucket and have sent at least 6 bines up and around a tomato cage so far.
    Sign here______________________________
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,568
    I dont think mine ever got enough sun.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • FuzzyFuzzy
    Posts: 49,654
    Lakewood said:

    I dont think mine ever got enough sun.



    :-w
    The pinnacle of lame and awesome in one singular moment. -Lake
  • JayrizzleJayrizzle
    Posts: 90,044
    Lakewood said:

    Palm trees, oranges, avocados, and strawberries seem to do pretty well too.



    If you have the permits to water them.
    "I don't have TP, but I do have ammo."
    -Some guy in Ohio
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