14 replies to this topic

[matt6150]

I got a third year cascade growing. Last year I had only one shoot really take off and I trimmed all the rest. This year I have about 4 that are at least a foot tall already and about 4-5 that are at about 6 inches. What should I do? Trim the short ones and let the other 4 grow? Or should I trim more than that? Maybe just let the 2 biggest ones grow? I really have no clue, haven't researched this stuff enough.

[RommelMagic]

I'd say pick the tallest four or five and cut the rest.

[Kremer]

+!

[Danny2Bricks]

I got a third year cascade growing. Last year I had only one shoot really take off and I trimmed all the rest. This year I have about 4 that are at least a foot tall already and about 4-5 that are at about 6 inches. What should I do? Trim the short ones and let the other 4 grow? Or should I trim more than that? Maybe just let the 2 biggest ones grow? I really have no clue, haven't researched this stuff enough.

Here's a link to a Hop growing manual, it's aimed more at the commercial grower, but still contains loads of info that the home grower can use.https://www.crannoga...hopsmanual.html

[Deerslyr]

Use the three or four healthiest looking bines, trim the rest. Depending on what they look like, your shorter ones may be healtheir... all depends on the plants. My 3rd year Mt. Hood has tons of very viable shoots... I hate to trim them back, but know I'll get the best production out of them.

[gnef]

I believe commercially they trim to 4-6 per plant. For my 2nd year hops, I trimmed them all to 6 bines per plant, we'll see how they do this year.

[zymot]

No comment on the prune/trimming back thing.A couple years ago, I grew some Mt Hood in 15 gallon rubbermaid tubs. Every one told me to expect very little. I used Miracle Grow fertilizer and got a massive amount of hops the first year.The stuff is cheap enough, I strongly recommend it.

[matt6150]

Well I think I'll do just that. Leave the healthiest four and trim the rest. I can run four strings off that lattice up to the top of the garage. The two in the back are climbing each other!

[shmgeggie]

This is what happens when you don't trim your hops (what you see is growing from a single crown). Fortunately Mrs. Shmgeggie helped me escape after snapping this photo.

[Augie1991]

This is what happens when you don't trim your hops (what you see is growing from a single crown). Fortunately Mrs. Shmgeggie helped me escape after snapping this photo.

WoW!

[matt6150]

Ok well I trimmed everything except 4 good looking shoots! That was this morning at 11am. Tonight when I looked again they were at least 2 inches longer!! This should be a great year!!

[Kremer]

Yep, Friday night my chinook shoots were about 6" tall, Sunday afternoon they were over 18". I'm going to have to put up the strings before midweek.

[gnef]

From what I have read, trim or no trim, you get about the same weight of hops. The difference is in the number and size of the flowers. If you trim, you get fewer number of hops, but they are larger in size, compared to if you don't trim, you will get a greater number of hops, but smaller.End result is the same weight of hops, but if you trim, you will do less work picking than you would if you didn't trim.Also, what I have noticed, is after I trimmed, the remaining bines started to shoot up much faster after the resources were redirected to only those 6 that I allowed to stay, so they should be able to climb faster and further up, to the height where they like to produce the flowers.Another good thing about trimming, is it reduces the vegetation closer to the ground, which can reduce airflow and increase the risk of mold and other diseases. This is actually why some growers will prune all the leaves close to ground level, leaving only what is above a certain height.

[Kremer]

Another good thing about trimming, is it reduces the vegetation closer to the ground, which can reduce airflow and increase the risk of mold and other diseases. This is actually why some growers will prune all the leaves close to ground level, leaving only what is above a certain height.

Mine started to mold/rot on the leaves near the ground last year, so I stripped all leaves below knee level. No leaves after that had any problem. I'm planning to strip the lower leaves proactively this year once the bines get 6-8' up the strings.