Pins appearing in the hop garden

As the hot spell shows no sign of letting up, we catch up with Matthew in the hop garden…..

Given the combination on an extremely dry spring, high summer heat and lack of moisture in the ground, the hop crop is bearing up.  But it is beginning to show some signs of distress!

Now is the time that the hop plants should be putting their energy into growing upwards and pushing out the pairs of lateral branches.  Whilst the hop plants are still growing, they are putting out feeder roots underground in search of much-needed moisture!

Despite all of this, nature is taking its natural course, and the pins – the first stage in the hop cone development – are now forming in earnest.

The White Bine & English Cascade are coping ok but the Fuggles, particularly on the slope, are not faring quite so well!

Whilst in the garden, Matthew has spotted an unusually high number of male plants. They may look great, and a couple are necessary, but it is the female hop plants that carry all the hops. So an additional nuisance!

Matthew will be keeping a close eye on the crop and hoping for some rain!

Alongside the hop garden, the wheat is beginning to ripen.

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