Comments on: Beer Hops Harvest

By: Jon

Jon — Tue, 25 May 2010 13:13:33 +0000

Correct, ladybugs (or their larva) eat aphids, they don’t eat your hops. Ladybugs = good

By: Growing Hops

Growing Hops — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:42:09 +0000

My understanding is that lady bugs and Asian beetles eat aphids. Aphids can cause substantial hop bine/ hop leaf damage. I am not aware of ladybugs being much of a problem with hops.

Landscaping professionals have noted that lining the immediate perimeter of your house with food grade diatomaceous earth will get rid of lady bugs. Diatomaceous earth is a natural pest deterrent that I’ve been pushing in my articles for quite some time. It comes from fossilized algae that are mined and then either refined for medical purposes or bagged for landscaping and pest control needs.

from http://www.getridofthings.com/get-rid-of-lady-bugs.htm

By: old5foot

old5foot — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:36:29 +0000

Question:
I’m in Southwest Washington state.
We raised Cascade and Willamett hops this summer. Lots of small (inch to inch and a half) cones. Should be better next year. However, lots of bugs also. Any thoughts on bug control short of chemicals? Had lots of lady bugs earlier this season, not so many at the end of summer.
Thanks for any thoughts.
Old5foot

By: Growing Hops

Growing Hops — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:40:49 +0000

Jay, Don't worry. Next year should be better, especially since you saw rhizome / crown grew. Was it you that had a late start? If so, that would explain it and many people don't get anything the first year. Work the soil and a full season next year should get you cones up the wazoo. Best of luck and keep us posted.

By: Growing Hops

Growing Hops — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:29:24 +0000

Hey Tracy,
When the hop bines die from freezing, I cut them to the ground. Then I am covering my hop hills with grass and leaves – you can use hay, straw… Hops are pretty hardy. We will hit -30 below 0 fahrenheit during the winter and as long as you provide some insulation to the hop crowns / hop root stocks, they will survive the winter.

By: Tracy

Tracy — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 11:32:23 +0000

HI we have a few hop plants here in canada QUESTION how do you winterize the plants do you cover them and if so with what ..what is the best method of protection for the plants in winter time. they are cut down to 3 feet tall and had harvested early sept! thanking you in advance. tracy

By: jay

jay — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:40:28 +0000

Nice One!
Well done on the first year hops. I was not so fortunate with my harvest, but judging by the one fuggles rhizome I dug up, I believe I pumped a lot of energy in to them and this should pay off next year. Believe it or not, I only got cones on my Nugget and Zeus. The Goldings, Willamette, Mt Hood and Fuggles did not produce any this year….Oh well, we’ll work the soil big time this fall and get the rhizomes going eary next year. Thanks for the blog.

By: Stuart Raymond

Stuart Raymond — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:58:40 +0000

Yeah. I’m thinking of cutting them down when they die, the put mulched up leaves over them then cover it with plastic.

And your hops look great. I hope next year I get a better yield.

By: Growing Hops

Growing Hops — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:43:26 +0000

The big operations cut them down and their hops do fine. I have read from several hop growers that say leaving them up provides more energy for the root stock. I have also read that the sap from the bines will flow to the crown for next years energy store.

Not sure if I believe the sap thing, the additional photosynthesis to store energy makes sense to me. I have not come across any proof of either theory. Me, I am going to leave them up until the frost kills them then cut them down.

In Minnesota, I would mulch over the crowns. 30 below zero has got to be hard on them.

By: Stuart Raymond

Stuart Raymond — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:50:38 +0000

Just to clarify. Should I leave the bines up or cut them down? And should I cover the soil over the winter? Or is this for another post. Do I need to stay tuned?