The Hop Farming Process
1
PRUNING, PLANTING, AND STRINGING
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Pruning is the practice of cutting away the hills from previous years. This process cuts away old stubble left behind by dried-out bine and the top later of root to avoid downy mildew infection.
Farms use multiple different devices, but traditionally, two rotating discs cut the crown and a pendulum swipes dirt and root material away.
Pruning freshens the crown while loosening and oxygenating the soil for new fibrous roots to feed
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Planting is the process of placing Hop Rhizomes or established potted plants from the greenhouse into the ground.
Hop planting typically happens in the Spring. Growers carefully prepare the soil to ensure optimal growing conditions. Then, they plan Rhizomes or potted plants at predetermined depth and spacing; allowing the hops ample room and access to essential resources for growth.
Proper planting establishes new hop fields, expands hop acreage, and revitalizes hop rootstock.
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Strings are hung at the top of an 18-foot trellis, then set in the ground (using an applicator or lance) right next to the hop plants to train the bines as they start to grow.
Growers us wire string or “Coir” string wich is made of coconut husks. Some growers have begun to experiement with recycled paper string with great success.
Stringing is an essential practice for the sustainable growth and harvest of hops.
2
TRAINING
Training is the art of wrapping the hop bines around the string, or Coir, from the Stringing process. Hops are put on the string in a clockwise direction. This helps the bines navigate as they begin to climb to the top of the trellis.
Knowing how many bines or shoots to put on each string is dependent on hop variety, plant spacing, and row spacing. A very aggressive, large hop will get fewer bines, usually 2 or 3. A less aggressive hop will normally receive 3 bines at a minimum, with a goal of 4.
Training is the MOST important part of the hop farming process. Timing is everything and knowing what bines and shoots to pick is crucial to the best yield for the season.
3
CULTIVATION, COVER CROP, AND HILLING
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Cultivation is the practice of preparing hop yard aisles for Hilling and seed beds for Cover Crop. At the same time, this helps with weed control and aerates the soil.
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With Cover Crop, a mixture of crops is mowed and incorporated into the soil to add moisture and nutrients. This process allows for the reduction of synthetic fertilizers and off-sets CO2 emissions. The flowers also help bring in bees to help with pollination.
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Hilling is the practice of applying loose soil to the hop rows. Tractors with mid-axle mounts with specialized hilling devices, hop disc harrows or cultivators with customized attachments are used for hilling. Applying fresh dirt to the rows helps with many things during the growing season: Moisture retention around the root base, plant stability which is helpful when they’re fully grown and weigh up to 100 lbs per string, reducing or eliminating weed pressure, and mixing in fertilizer while simultaneously directing it to the plant’s base.