Thought I would start a new thread on growing hops in 2018 (backyard hops).
Just chopped down the first shoots.
1.) Bull Shoots (don’t produce as much)
2.) Helps to discourage Powdery Mildew from last year (new for me in 2nd year, this is now 3rd year)
Will try weekly applications of Neem Oil and Baking Soda solution to prevent it this year.
Shown below: Chinook, Centennial and Willamette (also have Cascade and Columbus).
They should love living there, next to a foundation… I’ll be them suckers really grow well!
Just for kicks, when the are really shooting up, put a tape measure along side them and watch the progress… Perhaps they’ll gain a foot a day? Sneezles61
I have each area on water timers for 15 minutes daily in the early morning.
Pampered hops. I just let nature do it’s thing. I end up with more than I use anyway. This year I did something different. Took a red cedar that blew down and stuck it in the ground next to some Chinook . I left the narley branches on it I hope to foliate it with hops might look cool
Interesting… Wonder if the cedar would at all contribute to the hops… You know, the oils leaching off the dead wood and all… Maybe in a couple of years? Sneezles61
Wow! you must live down south those are way ahead of mine.
Quite the opposite, Northern mid-west.
But those are last year’s photos…
The earlier photos on this thread are recent.
WHEW! I was a gonna say, they REALLY do like that spot! Sneezles61
They like being pampered.
Brewed 10 gallons of a Vienna IPA this weekend (so it was a great weekend).
And moved 1 kid across the state…(ugh…)
Also pampered my hops some more…
E.g.
Cascade has some serious competition with Chinook reaching the gutters this year.
Cascade:
Chinook:
The race is on! Sneezles61
Neem Oil is more of an insect deterrent I would not be surprised if it promoted mildew.
I have read numerous articles on Powdery-Mildew protection.
They all seem to call out Neem Oil as one organic method.
There are several options.
Here is one:
Here is another:
https://growlust.com/baking-soda-neem-organic-fungicide/
I guess you are right. I looked on my bottle of Neem oil concentrate and it says it is good for powder mildew right on the front. My concern still is that it coats the plant in oil that sort of seals what’s on there to the leaf. I guess if it kills the thing it’s sealing on there and then rain washes the dead stuff away then thats ok.
This link has a lot of really valuable hops growing information. They list disease resistant strains as well as give tips for combating pests.
I have no clue if it will work. We will see.
I just can’t do nothing as I did last year.
I picked them way to late (waiting for a Party Event to pick them)
and when I did, the Powdery Mildew had taken over…
&;-(
I am attempting to be proactive this year.
Thanks for the links.
I also will say that too much shade and not much air movement will not be good too… Sneezles61
