I’ve planted a couple rhizomes and have everything set up, however, I didn’t even consider adding some chicken wire fencing around each space.
Do rabbits or other animals eat growing hops? Is this something to worry about?
[quote=“Shark”]I’ve planted a couple rhizomes and have everything set up, however, I didn’t even consider adding some chicken wire fencing around each space.
Do rabbits or other animals eat growing hops? Is this something to worry about?[/quote]
Rabbits eat the crap out of the shoots when they first come up. Once they’re up, bugs will attack with wild abandon. However, hops are pretty much weeds, so they survive a lot. Think of the bunnies as pruning your early shoots for you 
Seriously, though, you could put a small barrier up just until the bines are ready to climb… or you could just let it ride. Bugs will be a bigger nuisance once they show up.
Bunnies with a taste for hops must be a local thing. I’ve grown hops for years and have loads of rabbits (cottontails) and have never seen even one hop shoot nipped. You could wait to see if it is a problem; even if they get pruned, they will certainly grow back!
Interesting. Thanks.
Are there ways to safety guard against bugs or is it just something to live with?
Maybe I’ve been lucky but I haven’t had much trouble with bugs. That may depend on where you are. I’m in Western Massachusetts, have 12 plants and no other hops I know of in serious cultivation locally although New England has a lot of wild hops. The one bug I’ve had is the Comma butterfly (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygonia_comma) caterpillars in some years, but you can just pick them off; it is a really spiky caterpillar that is fairly specific for hops - I don’t see them every year and they just eat the leaves a bit. I don’t spray at all. I’m growing Santiam, Cascade, Nugget, Willamette, and a couple of unknown ones and so far (30yr) haven’t had any significant diseases. I’m putting in some Magnum and Chinook this year to see how they grow. By late July the leaves look a bit chewed up, but it really doesn’t affect the crop as best I can tell. Some of the damage to the leaves may be ozone - looks like grape leaves affected by ozone and we get some ozone alerts in the Pioneer Valley area in mid summer. I value the organic hops even if not perfect.
[quote=“Shark”]Interesting. Thanks.
Are there ways to safety guard against bugs or is it just something to live with?[/quote]
I’m pretty sure the need for protection from pests depends on your local environment, and what is living in the area. The hares that come through my yard ignore the hop bines, and I’ll some years get aphids, but most years not. Occasionally birds will come through and peck at some cones, but that’s not typical either.
In general, not much is interested in eating hops, but if you do end up with bug problems, go to a local garden store and ask them for advice. They may give you whatever spray is used for fruit trees or berries - things you plan to eat. Don’t use anything only intended for ornamental plants, as the residues might stay too long. And you will need to stop using it for some time before you harvest, to allow the hops to be clean.
I have a lot of rabbits in my yard but they don’t bother the hops. I guess they keep busy in my vegetable garden.
1 hop will kill a beagle, don’t ask…
