Home grown hops 2023

[drjim]

I'll go with that, see how we do thias year!

[Meatymc]

How are everyone finding potential crops for this year?

Mine are looking at least 50% down at this stage compared to previous few years. Far less overall growth with different varieties seeming to be maturing/flowering at vastly different rates.

Some parts of my Northdowns are well on and may even be ready (subject of course to the weather) for some initial harvesting within 2 to 3 weeks whereas other parts and particularly the whole of my Cascades have barely formed flowers as yet with the Cascades in particular looking decidedly sorry for themselves.

Doesn't look as though I'm going to get enough (only use for bittering) to last the whole of the coming year!

[clarets7]

I didn't get round to buying any dwarf hops this year, or moving any of my existing Challenger plants. I had high hopes of them earlier in the year, they were doing quite well but the very wet and cold July here seems to have set them back. Flowers are appearing and I think I'll still get more than last year, but that's to be expected as this is the third year they have been in position.

[Meatymc]

We were touring France and Spain for 3 weeks during June and I think the neighbours may not have been as diligent on the watering front as they promised so a double whammy with the following rubbish July. Not that August has been consistently better so far.

Hey Ho!

[FUBAR]

After last years try with 3 old stock plants from essentially hops , only one survived and made minimal growth I bought two more of this years fresh stock 1 x Brewers Gold 1 x Styrian Goldings and going by the roots in comparison to last years plants they should take off nicely .
Can I ask if others are using coir string to train their plants or something else ? , last year I used jute string and that was so stretchy it would have been useless if their had of been any substantial growth and hops on them .