How are your home grown hops doing?

My 3rd year Chinook is throwing off lots of sidearms and burrs, 2nd year Blisk is throwing burrs, 1st year Cascade is throwing tons of sidearms and burrs, 1st year Columbus and Hersbrucker are smaller than the other 3 but throwing off some burrs.

 

My Cascades and Nuggets (both 3rd year) topped out their 20 foot trellises by early June. the Cascade are almost ready to harvest, starting to get papery. As with my previous years, the Nuggets are weeks behind on the hop cones, they just started forming.

 

WOW!

 

Last year I built a couple of frames (about 2' by 3' ) out of 2"x4" boards. Attached metal screen (like for a screen door or window, you can buy a roll at hardware store) with staple gun. Enough room to spread out the hop cones in a single layer. Set them up stacked on sawhorses in the shade under my porch. They got good air movement and the hops were dry within a week. I had no need to use a fan or anything like some people set up.

 

I did mine much like this but I went deeper than one layer thick, stacked my frames up and set on top of a box fan to get more air circulation. I did it in my garage. Worked well, hops were dry at one week tops, lots of times sooner. More here and here.

 

Can someone put up a close up of these "burrs"?

 

Not super close up, but the best I have. If you click for full-size, you can see the detail fairly well.

 

Alas, no burrs on mine yet.

 

See my post above in this thread.

 

Hey guys kinda related question. 2nd year and my Cascade seem to be producing well. However, the leaves are filled with holes and many are brown around the edges. With no bugs in sight, what the hell is eating them and for next year's learning should I treat them with anything?

 

Maybe slugs at night?

 

That was my thought too. Get some slug and snail bait and pour it around the base of the hops see if it helps, or empty tuna cans pushed in the ground with old homebrew that is past its prime (no reason to keep the good stuff all to yourself).

 

If i'm passed out at the bottom of your hop plants don't be surprised...

 

Cascade and Hersbruckers have cones... Yay...

 

I do landscaping and gardening for some elderly clients. Last week I was pruning behind a client's garage when I noticed two vines climbing wooden poles that had what looked like clothes lines heading toward the peak of the roof of the garage. Sure enough they were hops (a little spindly but with definite cones hanging).
Now I know that the lady who owns the property would have no reason to be growing them. When I asked her about the vines she told me that her renter (who lives above the detached garage) was making wine and that she didn't mind. She thought they were grapevines. I figure I had no reason to correct her.

Maybe I can work a deal to get a few for my next batch!!

 

Burrs this morning on a few sections. Went and checked out that wild patch near my house and it seems my plants are right on track with those. Fat green leaves, thick main bines, so side arms coming out and a few hints of burrs here and there. Hope I get some cones before the season is over.

Does anyone know if I top my growing bines will the plant set cones more quickly? Similar to a tomatoe plant?

 

Starting to cone.

 

Must have some horny males out there...be careful with your daughters

 

Is that a tree or a hop bine?

 

Both! Really hard to get a good pic without the tree in the background...because the crown of the Cascade is so large.