Hop Growing 2018

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Meatymc
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Re: Hop Growing 2018

Post by Meatymc » Sun Jul 29, 2018 1:34 pm

My Northdown and Fuggles are at least 3-4 weeks early based on last year - Cascade and First Gold look a couple of weeks ahead but all look like there will be a much lower yield despite regular watering. The Santium and Styrian Goldings are 1st years so not bothered about yield - just want them to bed-in OK.

Was self-sufficient in hops from last years harvest - although predominantly Northdown. Despite doubling plants (new varieties plus runners from the originals) looks like touch and go for the coming year.

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Hanglow
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Re: Hop Growing 2018

Post by Hanglow » Sat Aug 04, 2018 6:33 pm

Here's a pic of my hallertau from a few days ago. I'd normally pick these in about six weeks time. Fairly sure they will be early, thankfully I'm back from holiday in time....I hope

Image

Although in all likelyhood we will get really shit weather between now and then :lol:

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Re: Hop Growing 2018

Post by robbarwell » Sun Aug 05, 2018 11:03 pm

Meatymc wrote:
Sun Jul 29, 2018 1:34 pm
My Northdown and Fuggles are at least 3-4 weeks early based on last year - Cascade and First Gold look a couple of weeks ahead but all look like there will be a much lower yield despite regular watering. The Santium and Styrian Goldings are 1st years so not bothered about yield - just want them to bed-in OK.

Was self-sufficient in hops from last years harvest - although predominantly Northdown. Despite doubling plants (new varieties plus runners from the originals) looks like touch and go for the coming year.
how do you dry your hops out? my Chinook is coated in hop flowers this year and want to use them through the year

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Meatymc
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Re: Hop Growing 2018

Post by Meatymc » Mon Aug 06, 2018 10:20 am

robbarwell wrote:
Sun Aug 05, 2018 11:03 pm
how do you dry your hops out? my Chinook is coated in hop flowers this year and want to use them through the year
Last year I used a double oven. Took a bit of experimenting to get the correct temperature but was able to keep it at a steady 56C. You have to leave the door open to prevent them getting over-cooked.

Wife wasn't too impressed as you can't do too many at a time so took a while plus had stickers around the dial showing where it needed to be set (lower than any of the dial temp settings). I did end up breaking a dial as it wasn't happy be forced to stay at a point not pre-set for but what the heck.

This year I'm going to make stackable trays with galvanised lath as the base and a 20" fan set directly above. Will take longer but I should be able to do much more at a time - swapping the trays around every now and then.

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Re: Hop Growing 2018

Post by Robwalkeragain » Mon Aug 06, 2018 11:19 am

Just coming into flower here after the dry spell and not enough watering!
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Matt in Birdham
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Re: Hop Growing 2018

Post by Matt in Birdham » Sat Aug 18, 2018 7:28 pm

Update on my hops in West Sussex.

Cascade has confounded all of my "first year" expectations and looks like it will give a decent yield - is probably about 5 metres long in total, mostly along the top of a fence:

Image

Close up:
Image

I also have a Centennial which actually started stronger than the Cascade but basically stopped growing about 2 months ago and now has about 25 cones in total - this is more in line with what I was expecting in year 1, so hopefully it has been packing it on below ground ready to go mad next year!

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Meatymc
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Re: Hop Growing 2018

Post by Meatymc » Mon Aug 20, 2018 10:38 am

I'm having to re-site all mine at the end of this season so will be looking for advice from you guys plus suppliers on how best to do this and when.

Matt in Birdham
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Re: Hop Growing 2018

Post by Matt in Birdham » Tue Aug 21, 2018 9:21 am

I'm going to resite my Centennial to nearer the Cascade, where I have now built a more effective trellis system for next year.
I'm no expert (first year growing) but had a bit of a Google and it seems the way to do it is to wait until winter/dormancy and just dig it up and move it, bringing as much of the crown/rhizome system as possible. Hopefully this way you won't go back to first year yields as it should have a decent underground system already. That's what I'll be doing anyway, using a tarp and a wheelbarrow to try and move a rootball maybe two foot across?

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Meatymc
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Re: Hop Growing 2018

Post by Meatymc » Tue Aug 21, 2018 1:00 pm

Agree got to be dormant. Seems that most remove the rhizome almost clean of soil and take a hit on the following years harvest. Like you, I think I'll try and disturb it as little as possible once I've determined how large the existing root system is.

Suppose worse case is a poorer 2019 crop although I'll be getting the soil to as ideal a profile as possible - certainly better than the heavy clay they're sat in at the moment.

Matt in Birdham
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Re: Hop Growing 2018

Post by Matt in Birdham » Tue Aug 21, 2018 6:09 pm

Yeah I think they are pretty tough. More than happy with the crop on my Cascade which was literally just a 6 inch piece of rhizome last winter, but I think I will try and disturb the Centennial as little as possible and just dig a massive root-ball around it, slide on to tarp and relocate. Can't be any worse and with any luck will get off to a much better start.

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Re: Hop Growing 2018

Post by tourer » Sun Aug 26, 2018 9:28 pm

Greetings all. my goldings are doing really well, lots of large cones i put this down to the fact that I only let 4 bines grow on and trimmed all the others off. Unfortunately I'm on Hols next Sunday for a month which means picking them early vacuum packing and freezing. My pearle are doing OK but i find that the cones are always small i dont know if thats normal does anyone else know?

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Re: Hop Growing 2018

Post by Robwalkeragain » Thu Aug 30, 2018 8:55 am

tourer wrote:
Sun Aug 26, 2018 9:28 pm
Greetings all. my goldings are doing really well, lots of large cones i put this down to the fact that I only let 4 bines grow on and trimmed all the others off. Unfortunately I'm on Hols next Sunday for a month which means picking them early vacuum packing and freezing. My pearle are doing OK but i find that the cones are always small i dont know if thats normal does anyone else know?
General Characteristics:
Growth Rate — Moderate to vigorous
Yield — Low in both varieties: U.S. (1150-1600 kg/hectare) GR (1367-1727 kg/hectare)
Cones — Small to medium; loose to moderately compact.

Seems normal!

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Meatymc
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Re: Hop Growing 2018

Post by Meatymc » Mon Sep 10, 2018 1:43 pm

2018 Northdown 2.jpg
Well this is the entire 2018 crop from my Northdown in one of my new home made drying frames (50cm x 50cm). The 2017 crop (2nd season from planting) gave me over 1.5KG dried weight - I still have 150g in the freezer so dissapointing isn't the word.

I had to transplant it this last winter but, as it was in a container and all but the tap root was transferred in a lump, still a bummer. There is clearly something not right where it now 'lives' so, as my new 'hop garden will be ready in a couple of weeks, I don't think moving it again will make things any worse.

Whilst everything seemed to be weeks ahead a couple of months ago things slowed down appreciably over the last few weeks - now a bit worried that I'll be able to get everything in and dried (Fuggle, Cascade, Prima Donna, Santium and Styrian Golding) before I'm away at the back end of the month - my Cascade in particular seems a long way off. Fingers crossed.

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bigchris
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Re: Hop Growing 2018

Post by bigchris » Sun Sep 16, 2018 8:50 am

Image
Picked a decent bucketfull from one of my plants yesterday. Time to start drying.


Many of the hop flowers have leaves growing from within the petals. Not seen this before
Image

But the hops are well loaded with the yellow dust so should have plenty of 'goodness' in them
Image

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Re: Hop Growing 2018

Post by alexlark » Sun Sep 16, 2018 9:21 am

Cracking haul Chris!

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