Hop plants/rhizomes - growing report

[user 18729]

I've just let my hop plant go this year. I think that I'll have to cut out the weaker bines and train it next year. Still, looks like plenty of burrs there, with promise of a good harvest
View attachment 51882

I think that’s the best way sometimes! Barely touched mine this year abs they look fantastic

 

[Ahdinko]

I planted a Cascade, Chinook and Hallertauer Hersbrucker new from Rhizome in March. The Cascade is in a mostly shaded position and is smaller than the others, but all three are now in burr. The Hersbrucker has absolutely gone for it, got one bine at about 7 or 8 metres in length

 

[JohnB]

I've grown Prima Donna (First Gold) [whatever]. It's a hedgerow jobby and not quite so vigorous as the sky-rocket hops! I'm a bit limited for space so It's been grown on a wire 'hedge' on the allotment. I wasn't really expecting much this year, but crikey it has just started to form cones and there will be a good harvest even from this 2 year old. I was hoping for a few hops, but it is literally covered with buds.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

My Fuggle appears to be developing a fair crop

 

[Sandimas]

I'd be interested to hear how you all dry your hops.

Last year I dried mine on large trays in the garage, they seemed fine when I packed them up but must still have had some moisture in them as after a few months vacuum-packed they went mouldy. I was being careful not to over-dry them as the previous years crop seemed brittle: can you over-dry them?

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

I'd be interested to hear how you all dry your hops.

Last year I dried mine on large trays in the garage, they seemed fine when I packed them up but must still have had some moisture in them as after a few months vacuum-packed they went mouldy. I was being careful not to over-dry them as the previous years crop seemed brittle: can you over-dry them?

My fan oven has a defrost setting whereby the fan runs without the element. I laid mine out on trays in there with the door open slightly until they felt papery when rolled between my fingers. It took a couple of hours if I remember rightly. I dont have a means to vac pack so put them into freezer bags in the freezer and used them all within a couple of months

 

[Cwrw666]

Last year I dried mine on large trays in the garage, they seemed fine when I packed them up but must still have had some moisture in them as after a few months vacuum-packed they went mouldy. I was being careful not to over-dry them as the previous years crop seemed brittle: can you over-dry them?

Dry them down to reasonably dry, bag them and put in the freezer. They'll keep all year.
If you like beers made from `green' hops straight from the bine then you can freeze them without drying. IMO they're better dried first though, better flavour.

 

[Libigage]

This is my cascade, planted in March, Reading this thread i didn't really expect anything, but it's looking good or is this normal for year one?

 

[Ahdinko]

Just starting to get cones develop on my Hallertauer Hersbrucker. The Cascade and Chinook are still in burr

 

[Libigage]

Does anyone use plant food or anything else on their hops

 

[Hanglow]

Just a mulch of a few cm of compost in November and handful or two of growmore when they are starting to grow.

My hallertau got blown down with the high winds and heavy rains we just had. As have all my beans, rather annoying. Going to try and prop it up some way so it.s not on the ground

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Does anyone use plant food or anything else on their hops

You should - they're hungry plants, to support all that growth.

Also they're pretty thirsty, be careful to make sure pots stay watered in what seems to be a dry spell we have coming up.

 

[Libigage]

How do you know when to harvest?

 

[Ahdinko]

How do you know when to harvest?

Give them a squeeze and roll them in your fingers a bit, when they feel papery, they're ready

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Also worth noting that the traditional start of the harvest in Kent is the Tuesday after the Summer bank holiday - but some of the Goldings clones in particular are early ripening, like Amos' Early Bird. I see Hukins started on Thursday.

But the harvest goes on for the whole of September, so you probably shouldn't be harvesting yet. As a rough guide, don't even think about it until there's at least one or two cones starting to have the odd brown "leaf" in the cone - like with any fruit it's a fine line, you want them as ripe as possible to maximise the flavour, but just before they start to go "off".

 

[oldchap]

Very excited here, first year Cascade has a good few burrs now. Having hit the top of the strings it's gone a bit mad at the top! Hoping the good summer weather continues well in to September. (unlikely for Scotland but here's hoping)

 

[Sandimas]

Don't be tempted to harvest early, leave them as late as possible as they'll develop more aroma. Mine have been looking great for a few weeks, but when I rolled it and smelled it there was no aroma, I did the same yesterday and it's much better. I usually harvest mid September but you do have to watch them like a hawk, the rest of the garden is late this year (plums ripened 3-4 weeks later than usual) so maybe the hops will be late too?

 

[Snoop]

Cascade and Chinook gone bonkers. Love the look of hop vines, very pretty.

 

[Dazzelknight]

My 1st year growing and I’m very happy with the yield,, chinooks are much further on then the cascade.

 

[Libigage]

Is it worth investing in a food dehydrator to dry my hops? If so any recommendations