Pruning first growth

[olhacksaw]

It is my first year growing hops, and I planted my hops about 4 weeks ago. I planted 6 different types and all of them have sprouted. From the info I have found on growing hops it says that you should prune your first growth off each plant because your second and third growth are better and stronger.
What I was wondering was do you do this first year and you don’t have to do it again, or do you have to prune them back every year? And should you prune first year at all, or just let them grow first year?

Thanks for all the help

[b_hoppy]

You should let everything grow during the establishment year as more foliage=more energy sent back to the crown to aid in root production. The arial shoots can produce much more energy than they use to grow with the excess being channelled back down to the crown and eventually to the roots. Second and succeeding years are different stories though. Hop to it!

[pashusa]

i wouldn’t worry about pruning untill after you get an established crown. Then prune until you have no chance of frost then train your bines on the cords or whatever and prune everthing else you don’t want to grow after that.