Anyone else coming to life?

[SoCal-Doug]

While out doing some yard work I noticed fresh green buds emerging. Checked the others and they are doing the same thing. This goofy weather has all my fruit trees in a confused state, but now all three of my hop species think its time to come out and play. They have never started this early, but the southwest didn't have a winter this year. Fingers crossed.

 

[crane]

My cascade has a bunch of buds coming up, but my neomexican varieties are still dormant.

 

[Leezer]

Can't wait for spring up here in the northeast and a chance to get out and look for signs of hop life! Supposed to have a couple days in the 60s this week, but then back to winter.

 

[corkybstewart]

I have 6 Cascades sprouted already, I think it's the earliest ever.

 

[bpgreen]

There's still snow on the ground here.

 

[springinloose1]

My hops are planted at my parents place on their trellis so no clue what they're up to, however, I was certainly floored to see the lilies and tulips coming up already... Here in northwest Indiana, we're a solid 3 weeks early... I just said to the gf the other day that I hope Mother Nature knows what she's doing because I've never seen activity this early. Glad I stopped by this thread... going to call mom and ask to check on the hops!

 

[Calder]

Southern Ohio, and I have buds showing. No leaves or shoots, but lots of buds. Might go do some root pruning this weekend if rain stays away.

 

[SoCal-Doug]

We went back to front warnings and nights in the 20's and 30's. I have no clue now how the plant will do. Mother nature is being really bi-polar this year.

 

[bpgreen]

We went back to front warnings and nights in the 20's and 30's. I have no clue now how the plant will do. Mother nature is being really bi-polar this year.

Hops are pretty resilient. A frost will kill the part above ground, but the roots should be fine.

 

[TwistedGray]

3:4 of mine are starting to come up; however, the fourth is dead. That's odd because they're planted in the same area, and that one is right between two that are doing perfectly fine. Oh well.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

This is not my photo, but it gives you an idea of what's going on this week up here in north Montana....

 

[Hayden80]

Shouldn't these super early shoots be cut back? I'm no hop expert, but I was under the impression that if hops start growing too early in the season, it will cause them to throw side-arms way too early and they won't produce many cones.

 

[B-Hoppy]

Shouldn't these super early shoots be cut back? I'm no hop expert, but I was under the impression that if hops start growing too early in the season, it will cause them to throw side-arms way too early and they won't produce many cones.

Yep. They generally blast off uncontrollably, and are fueled by the simple carbs that the plant produced last fall before it went dormant. Also, the shoots that sprout during that first flush of growth are generally the ones that will contain downy spores (if you've had it in the past) which is another good reason to get rid of them.

edit: The above info is pretty common in 'traditional' hop growing regions. Those growing in areas outside these commercial regions will probably experience anomalies with their plants growth.

 

[corkybstewart]

I never trim my first shoots, we usually have a very late hard freeze that takes care of pruning. But even with the freeze, I usually start harvesting Cascade cones by mid May. Then once they do produce sideshoots, the harvest takes off and continues until October at least.
So far I have 12 Cascades, 2 Centennials and my one neomexicanus that have sprouted.

 

[BrianK3721]

Does anyone know where to get a male hop rhizome/plant?

 

[TwistedGray]

Popping up

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Does anyone know where to get a male hop rhizome/plant?

Male hops have zero commercial value, in fact they're regarded as something of a pest, so you are very unlikely to find them available commercially. The only people they are useful to are hop breeders, who either collect their own from the wild or grow them from seed.

If your next question is where to get hop seed from - then again, either wild plants or eg British cones sold for brewing are probably your best bet, the UK has far more wild hops growing in hedgerows so British hops are more likely to get fertilised by wild males. I've some Ernest cones in the fridge that I fancy growing some seedings from.

 

[SanPancho]

My cascade has a bunch of buds coming up, but my neomexican varieties are still dormant.

Whered you get the neos from?

 

[BrianK3721]

Male hops have zero commercial value, in fact they're regarded as something of a pest, so you are very unlikely to find them available commercially. The only people they are useful to are hop breeders, who either collect their own from the wild or grow them from seed.

If your next question is where to get hop seed from - then again, either wild plants or eg British cones sold for brewing are probably your best bet, the UK has far more wild hops growing in hedgerows so British hops are more likely to get fertilised by wild males. I've some Ernest cones in the fridge that I fancy growing some seedings from.

That's exactly what I was wanting one for, thank you for the information

 

[bpgreen]

Whered you get the neos from?

As far as I know, great lakes hops is the only place that sells neomexicanus hops, and they only sell plants.

There are a number of people here growing a few varieties, and I'm tryng to coordinate an effort to exchange rhizomes once they're established. But it can take a few years for a plant to produce rhizomes.

One thing I'll point out is that if you buy some neomexicanus, you should go easy on fertilizer. I killed a couple of plants by fertilizing them the same as other hops.

 

[Hayden80]

Does anyone know where to get a male hop rhizome/plant?

I noticed that Annie's Heirlooms has hop seeds for sale. I can't speak for their hop seeds, never bought any, but I have bought a TON of seeds from them and they are an awesome company. I was thinking of buying some hop seeds for an ornamental garden, far away from my hop garden.

https://www.anniesheirloomseeds.com/hops/

 

[yanick74]

mine already started to bloom

 

[iancl]

This is our first “second year” at a test plot in the tropics. Is this normal.

 

[BrianK3721]

My first year Cascade, Triple Pearl, Magnum we had snow on the ground yesterday but they don't seem to mind... I did however cover then with a bucket at night

 

[BrianK3721]

What strain/breed..? Is this?

 

[BrianK3721]

Popping up
View attachment 561301

What strain is that, the dark green?

 

[PapaBearJay]

View attachment 565368 This is our first “second year” at a test plot in the tropics. Is this normal.

No, that growth does not look normal. Take a picture in a week!

 

[TwistedGray]

What strain is that, the dark green?

Cascade, nugget or Willamette ... Have to go outside to check and I'm tired so no letcha know sometime though

 

[yanick74]

View attachment 565368 This is our first “second year” at a test plot in the tropics. Is this normal.

View attachment 565368 This is our first “second year” at a test plot in the tropics. Is this normal.

Here at 21 ° N, they are like yours.

 

[PapaBearJay]

Here at 21 ° N, they are like yours.

Deformed like his too?

 

[yanick74]

Deformed like his too?

I was referring to the green shoots.

 

[corkybstewart]

My first Cascade burrs showed up today.View attachment 566266

 

[TwistedGray]

Barely off the ground...this weather!

 

[bpgreen]

All of my hops have at least poked through the ground. A few are a couple of feet tall.

My neo mexicanus plants (just planted) are just barely poking through.

 

[seatazzz]

My Mt Hood is stretching its arms up to the sun...planted it about 2 weeks ago and it's grown 12 inches since then. Have to get out tomorrow and run some twine up the tree it's planted under so it will keep going up. I planted a rhizome at the same time and I'm getting nothing from it. First year trying to grow hops, I'm hopeful I'll get something from them (the Mt Hood produced well last year according to my co-worker that I got it from), and even snagged a couple of nice dehydrators (free from work!) to dry them.

 

[SoCal-Doug]

I'm thinking the oscillations of 80 degrees and back to 30 a few times recently stunted mine for the year. The sprouts look healthy but they are only an inch or two so high. I have Sterling, Goldings and Willamette all doing the same thing. Maybe they will take off soon, fingers crossed.

 

[6Tap]

7’ tall already.

 

[brewbama]

My first year for these little guys who popped up.

 

[TwistedGray]

I'm thinking the oscillations of 80 degrees and back to 30 a few times recently stunted mine for the year. The sprouts look healthy but they are only an inch or two so high. I have Sterling, Goldings and Willamette all doing the same thing. Maybe they will take off soon, fingers crossed.

Same issue in Monterey! Shiz weather

 

[homebrewer_99]

My Hallertau's broke ground about 3 days ago. I transplanted 5 of them today.

I still have 3-4 plants to split up and move.