Post Harvest Plant Care?

[SnowcreekWI]

Just spent the afternoon picking my first year Cascades, about 10lbs wet from 7 bines. I read somewhere that leaving the plants in place allows better root recovery for next years growth- did that since it as a low trellis garden and I could pick at eye level.

How about post-harvest watering or maybe a light fertilizer dose- any suggestions to get next year off to a good start?

Also nobody ever mentions hand picking hops is hard work! Still have the scratches to show for it.

Mike

 

[dirtyd90]

Leave your bines attached and no need to fertilize since they will not use it anyway. Just keep them watered till the leaves die off. When all is brown cut at ground level and wait till spring. First year plants are treated differently than others. Second year you can just harvest and cut at ground level or do as you did in first year.