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Growing hops – update July 09
Posted by Trenchfoot in Growing Hops, Suppliers
Bit of a nightmare with the allotment…. I lost my key and haven’t been able to get in for several weeks!! 
I suspect Boo Boo has thrown them away…
Anyway, managed to get a new set from the Pope and was nervous going down to survey the damage. Everything had suffered. Big time! Including the hops. Loads of things had died and the whole plot was engulfed in weeds. As is was examining stuff, some of the old boys come over to mock. “Oi Tarzan! How’s it going in the jungle!” Ha ha. Very funny.
I had set up 10ft poles for the hops thinking that would be sufficient for the first years growth as the plants got established. Certainly they got off to a slow start especially the Northern Brewer which I thought was dead for a long time! But now, all the plants had outgrown their poles and the tops of the bines were trailing off into the sky.
Unfortunately, I planted them in a stupid place at the end of the plot, and this year the willow trees have started encroaching and blocking out light. The growth of the Cobb and Target varieties has been most impressive and they have both gone beyond the poles and begun climbing up the willow branches.
There are a few flowers appearing. They are pretty small and I would have thought they should have been flowering rather earlier than this. But I don’t know what you are meant to expect in the first year and I suspect they have been set back somewhat by the fact that they don’t have great light and that I have done nothing by way of feeding or watering!
In addition, some of the leaves are going a bit brown. Fendog assures me this is normal, but I’m not convinced.
I really need to do some reading up and check out that website Fendog recommended. Next year I’m going to get more plants and do a proper job…
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