Hop Growing 2017

[robbarwell]

My Chinook has gone bonkers this year. Picked the cones today and sent on their way to a local microbrewery for a green hopped ale...1 Plant kicked off 8kg of hop cones, is this a record?

[Kohoutec]

So I got a tiny crop from my first year Prima Donna plants which is okay wasn't expecting much... But what now?
Mine are in large pots due to lack of garden space. What do people do just cut them back and leave them outside ready for next season. Will they be okay when the frosts arrive?
I'm thinking about using even bigger pots next year, when would be a good time to move them into their new homes?
Sorry for the daft questions

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[Meatymc]

Ko'

Surprsied no-one has responded so for what it's worth I have a Prima Donna (First Gold) and a Northdown both in pots simply because we're renovating a property and haven't started on the garden as yet. This is the 2nd season they've been in pots.

Managed 2.5lbs dried weight from the Northdown (around 9lbs pre-drying) but expect only around 1lb from the Prima Donna. I did plant an off-shoot from the Prima this year into the ground. It looks a lot healthier than the parent although the crop is much smaller (then again it is a 1st year plant in effect).

So I'd argue the more 'ground' it has to grow in the better - and that would therefore apply to the size of pot.

In terms of what to do, cut off the bines to around 4 feet from the ground and leave to die back. Once dead cover the area above with straw or mulch to protect from a really hard frost.

I'd transfer well after the plant is dormant - either late November or early Spring but if you're moving from pot to a bigger pot ground conditions aren't as relevant - just make sure it's protected from frost.

Hope this helps but search the forum as well - all the advice you need is in there!

[Kohoutec]

Ko'

Surprsied no-one has responded so for what it's worth I have a Prima Donna (First Gold) and a Northdown both in pots simply because we're renovating a property and haven't started on the garden as yet. This is the 2nd season they've been in pots.

Managed 2.5lbs dried weight from the Northdown (around 9lbs pre-drying) but expect only around 1lb from the Prima Donna. I did plant an off-shoot from the Prima this year into the ground. It looks a lot healthier than the parent although the crop is much smaller (then again it is a 1st year plant in effect).

So I'd argue the more 'ground' it has to grow in the better - and that would therefore apply to the size of pot.

In terms of what to do, cut off the bines to around 4 feet from the ground and leave to die back. Once dead cover the area above with straw or mulch to protect from a really hard frost.

I'd transfer well after the plant is dormant - either late November or early Spring but if you're moving from pot to a bigger pot ground conditions aren't as relevant - just make sure it's protected from frost.

Hope this helps but search the forum as well - all the advice you need is in there!

Great thanks for that, really useful

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[wilfh]

Any one in the north east with small hops this year.

[wilfh]

Not sure if its the season or something else like nutrition? My second year EKG seem much smaller this year. Any ideas? Wilf

[Eric]

My second year Bramling Cross is currently in next door's garden, the latest gale snapped its support, the fourth time of happening this year. I suspect that despite our combined efforts, yet another year when Co. Durham isn't the hop capital of the world.

I'm not sure if mine will be usable, they still aren't ready to harvest and weather is changing rapidly.

[grunter]

Seem to have lost most mine due to the wet September - there a lot of brown cones they just didn't seem to ripen, just went from too green and non-scrunchy to brown with open petals.

has anyone used the brown ones before i know maltmiller sold aged hops once ... take it they will be too bitter ... thought about possibility riddling them only a pieces of glass and collecting the pollen if i could get the motivation ??

Anyone got any good bug ejection techniques from picked cones ? - spotted the odd aphids and other beauties and didn't fancied them in my brew...

[robbarwell]

My Chinook has gone bonkers this year. Picked the cones today and sent on their way to a local microbrewery for a green hopped ale...1 Plant kicked off 8kg of hop cones, is this a record?

the lot has gone to a local brewery for a 5BBl green hop brew. Got a pin back in return. Gassing it up tonight to see what its like

[scuppeteer]

Seem to have lost most mine due to the wet September - there a lot of brown cones they just didn't seem to ripen, just went from too green and non-scrunchy to brown with open petals.

has anyone used the brown ones before i know maltmiller sold aged hops once ... take it they will be too bitter ... thought about possibility riddling them only a pieces of glass and collecting the pollen if i could get the motivation ??

Anyone got any good bug ejection techniques from picked cones ? - spotted the odd aphids and other beauties and didn't fancied them in my brew...

Do you know what variety they are? Hops do have the habit of turning in a couple of days if you're not paying attention. Aged hops are not over-ripe fresh ones. They are 2 or 3 seasons old. You may be able to salvage some though.

The best bug ejection technique is boiling wort.

[grunter]

Cascade, MT hood, Opal, Chinook, Centennial, Willamette

maybe i didn't check for a few days, but they didn't seem to smell that much as last year and didn't seem to dry out ...

Sadly my hop planting layout got wet, is there any way of telling about the willamette from the centennial, some of the cone were bigger and rounder

I think the chinook looked more light dragon fruit with pointy leaves?? but i've seen picks online that have pointy leaved centennials.???

What are your growing Dave?

[greengumbo]

Hi GG (same one as on SBAI?) - I'm in the same area as you and also not go any fully developed cones yet; trying to remember when they came last year but it goes feel late, in a year when everything else has been early. Odd. My plant has yielded OK for the last two summers as well.

A headstart in the greenhouse would be a good thing I think, mine aren't in pots so never tried.

Jambo

Hey Jambo - yup the same one ! We have to catch up and chat bees / hops sometime although being a hibee fan I'm not convinced by your handle name of Jambo

My cascade hops has cones ! I picked a small one and it smells lovely. Next question then.....when to pick and how to prepare ? Happy to use wet in an IPA brew but no idea how I would assess alpha acid and bittering ? I guess I usually use cascade as a dry hop addition anyway.

Our barley field just got harvested as well so going to try prep some of this for a full home grown beer.

[Hanglow]

Picked the last of my hops today, a first year centennial. Got 300g wet , made a hop tea and it had a distinct lime aroma and very spicey taste. Looking forward to this plant doing better next year, hopefully

[Jambo]

Hey Jambo - yup the same one ! We have to catch up and chat bees / hops sometime although being a hibee fan I'm not convinced by your handle name of Jambo

Sounds good I'll drop you a PM - I can assure you of no football chat whatsoever, the name is just a play on my first name!

My cascade hops has cones ! I picked a small one and it smells lovely. Next question then.....when to pick and how to prepare ? Happy to use wet in an IPA brew but no idea how I would assess alpha acid and bittering ? I guess I usually use cascade as a dry hop addition anyway.

Great stuff, nice to know such a variety can grow here too. I think here you need to pick as late as you can really, before the wet and cold weather really sets in.

All I have ever harvested are still vac packed and sitting in my freezer for the above reasons + the fact that I stupidly bought Golden Tassles which is allegedly useless for brewing... Need to replace it with something useful really!

Our barley field just got harvested as well so going to try prep some of this for a full home grown beer.

That'll be fun - DIY malting reads like a right PITA!