Why would one plant grow faster than another of the same variety?

[autonomist3k]

I have 6 different hop varieties, 2 plants of each, and this one cascade is taking off like crazy, but the other cascade just 3 feet away from it doesn't have any shoots bigger than 1 inch, I've even cut this one plant back once already. What would make this one grow so much more vigorously than the others which have been treated exactly the same.
They're second year plants btw.
Here's the fast growing cascade.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1459100158.577731.jpg
Compared to this cascade.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1459100225.365172.jpg

 

[EcuPirate07]

It's the same reason humans are all not the same size or trees side by side grow different, just nature. I wouldn't look too much into it just be glad you have a good grower. We grow vegetables at the house and some plants grow faster than others and some produce better than others......Just life.

 

[day_trippr]

Might want to till that clover in, as its mission is to park the same nutrients that your hop plant would love to have...

Cheers!

 

[autonomist3k]

It's the same reason humans are all not the same size or trees side by side grow different, just nature. I wouldn't look too much into it just be glad you have a good grower. We grow vegetables at the house and some plants grow faster than others and some produce better than others......Just life.

That makes sense, thanks!

 

[autonomist3k]

Might want to till that clover in, as its mission is to park the same nutrients that your hop plant would love to have...



Cheers!

I actually planned that because I read that clover naturally adds nitrogen to the soil, but now I can't get it to die because I have to keep watering my hops.
I'm counting on the summer heat killing them since I'll be watering my hops less this year, because they're well established.

 

[day_trippr]

Around here we plant clover or rye grass in the fall then till it in once Spring arrives so the "food" is available to what we're really trying to grow.
I've not read/heard of keeping it around during growing season, but it could be legit I guess...

Cheers!

 

[lump42]

To the original question, all hops plants of the same type are clonally propagate. This means the are genteticly identical and should grow the same everything else the same. I would guess that there are small differences in the microclimates (variations of soil temperature, soil fertility) or in yhe rhizome health going into dormancy (drought stress, disease pressure, insect pressure, poor fertility, poor condition from supplier). If this is just second year, I wouldnt worryabout it too much yet.

The clower wont hurt. It will be adding nitrogen to the soil. If you keep it it will be competeing for water. If the hops arent up yet you could, spray the clover with glyphosate. Alternatively you could use vey shallow tillage and mulch well, 3-4"thick, to smother the clover. Mulch would also help retain soil moisture.

 

[TeeJo]

Could be as simple as a difference in the sunshine each gets, or a buried rock or clay lump under the slower one, or a bit better nutrition under the faster. One may be getting chewed on by insects.

They don't respond well to coercion, so... Not much else to be done.

TeeJo