Ok, thanks. I just read how the first year is all about developing the root system, so that makes sense. Darn. Gotta wait another year![/quote]
You will get some, it will be exciting. Soon, you will see them growing and changing every hour, it is amazing once they take off. I hope you have good soil.
Mine are literally growing 4-8" per day
Ok, thanks. I just read how the first year is all about developing the root system, so that makes sense. Darn. Gotta wait another year![/quote]
You will get some, it will be exciting. Soon, you will see them growing and changing every hour, it is amazing once they take off. I hope you have good soil.
Mine are literally growing 4-8" per day[/quote]
I’m pretty sure the soil is fine. The area has been used as a garden for 5 or 6 years. It’s a loamy/clay soil - the remnants of years of wooded area and leafing. I’ve had great success growing beans, peppers and cucumbers there. I guess I need to get a PH kit and check the levels, huh?
It is with great sadness that I report one of my hop plants has wilted and died. It was the Golding variety, but I don’t think that had anything to do with it, since my other Golding, still in the pot, is thriving. So, I decided to take out the dead and replace with the living. In doing so, I noticed there were literally hundreds of these “beetle” larvae in the soil around the plant. So, I think I discovered the source of the hop plant’s death. I just don’t know what these little buggers are. Anyone? They are white/clear in color, have a head and a abdomen. As I said, they appear to be baby beetle larvae, already with their little pincers. I cleaned out the area and tossed the dirt and larvae out. Forgot to take a photo. I’ll see if some are still present and try to snap a pic.
Update: OK, so I grabbed a handful of the dirt and took a closeup of these little bastards. They are about the size of small maggot, no more than 1/8 inch in length…
[quote=“monk-e-business”]It is with great sadness that I report one of my hop plants has wilted and died. It was the Golding variety, but I don’t think that had anything to do with it, since my other Golding, still in the pot, is thriving. So, I decided to take out the dead and replace with the living. In doing so, I noticed there were literally hundreds of these “beetle” larvae in the soil around the plant. So, I think I discovered the source of the hop plant’s death. I just don’t know what these little buggers are. Anyone? They are white/clear in color, have a head and a abdomen. As I said, they appear to be baby beetle larvae, already with their little pincers. I cleaned out the area and tossed the dirt and larvae out. Forgot to take a photo. I’ll see if some are still present and try to snap a pic.
Update: OK, so I grabbed a handful of the dirt and took a closeup of these little bastards. They are about the size of small maggot, no more than 1/8 inch in length…[/quote]
Ok, so after some research on the Net, I think I have identified the culprit - and this is probably well-known throughout the hops growing world already. Apparently, I have had my first experience with the Japanese Beetle larvae. After reading about them, and how they are typical and problematic for hops growers, especially in the East of USA, I recall how I saw a much larger one when I was digging the soil around the dead hops plant. This obviously was the mother. Going back to see that I disposed of it!
So, after about a month in the ground, I have a report on all 12 varieties of hops. Seems the Chinook and Cascade are the early winners…
http://www.howbrewbeer.com/hops-growing ... hops-2.htmUPDATE - My hops are doing pretty well. The Chinook, Nugget, Cascade, and Goldings seem to be doing the best. I don’t know if that’s because I got large rhizomes of if these varieties just want to perform better here in western North Carolina. Anyway, please go here to see the updated pages, with images…
http://www.howbrewbeer.com/hops-growing ... erhops.htmSo, now that it is early April, 2014 my hops are starting to sprout here in good ole Canton, North Carolina (western NC). This is the second year for my 22 plants consisting of 12 varieties. And, it’s time for an update on my first year’s production. Here is a link to part four of my hops growing from last year, with plenty of images. Scroll to the bottom to read my review… http://www.howbrewbeer.com/hops-growing … hops-4.htm
I’m late to the party here but those do not look like japanese beetle grubs. They look more to me like termites.
[quote=“Wahoo”]I’m late to the party here but those do not look like japanese beetle grubs. They look more to me like termites.[/quote]Yup, you are correct. I thought I updated this, but didn’t. It was strange to see these termites living under the soil surrounding my hops plant. I always thought they live in and around wood. Nonetheless, they’re gone now.
