Hops hit the heights
According to legend, hops should be at the top of their 16-foot posts by the longest day.
This leap year, the longest day is 20th June and Matthew is pleased to report from the hop garden that Fuggles and Farnham White Bine are on track.
Now the hop shoots have climbed to the top, the plants will put all their energy into producing the pairs of side shoots (called laterals) all along the length of the bine. It’s these side shoots that will ultimately produce the hop cones that we harvest.
The Cascade shoots have deliberately been cut back by Matthew to slow their growth, so the hops are ready to harvest slightly later in September. That gives him and the Hoppers team the chance to harvest all three hop varieties at their peak.
It’s too early to predict the harvest, but this May was the hottest on record, albeit rather wet! Now the ground is drying out and warming up, so this will help the plants put out their laterals.
On the flip side, the hot May weather has meant the pests have turned out early. They normally don’t start to appear until late July but Matthew is already seeing them.
If you want to join our team of Hoppers for harvesting, get in touch.
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