Hop outlook for 2012 not great. As of right now I have two plants growing. A third year Fuggle is over in the corner of the yard strung up on a wooden trellis with some clotheslines while a first year Nugget is growing close to house and simply strung up to the window with some string that will need to be replaced next year.
The Fuggle:
Not even sure I really like these hops but having them laying around in excess this winter seemed like a good chance for me to get more acquainted with them. I'm sure in some combination they could be complimentary rather than just tasting like dirt on their own. But perhaps I won't get the chance; the aphids got after these guys good and after trying soap and water and a chemical spray it looks like I may be too late. They are wrinkling up and dying just as some lovely buds are starting to form...
The Nuggs:
These fellas are doing much, much better than the Fuggle being in another corner of the yard. There were some aphids early on but I hit them with the spray and they seem to be doing fine. They have grown up to the house so I'll need to string up somewhere else for them to grow. I was thinking about pulling them horizontally underneath the windowsill so maybe I'll try that out. Not sure if they will produce anything this year but maybe I'll get lucky and snag a few latter on.
The Fuggle:
Not even sure I really like these hops but having them laying around in excess this winter seemed like a good chance for me to get more acquainted with them. I'm sure in some combination they could be complimentary rather than just tasting like dirt on their own. But perhaps I won't get the chance; the aphids got after these guys good and after trying soap and water and a chemical spray it looks like I may be too late. They are wrinkling up and dying just as some lovely buds are starting to form...
The Nuggs:
These fellas are doing much, much better than the Fuggle being in another corner of the yard. There were some aphids early on but I hit them with the spray and they seem to be doing fine. They have grown up to the house so I'll need to string up somewhere else for them to grow. I was thinking about pulling them horizontally underneath the windowsill so maybe I'll try that out. Not sure if they will produce anything this year but maybe I'll get lucky and snag a few latter on.
Fuggle
Almost everything near the top of the trellis has withered away by now.
A closer look. More and more are getting brown and dying.
And they were doing so well. Probably about 15ft long I'd guess.
And the saddest part....the buds are coming in but the plant might be dead before they can grown up to be made into wonderful, delicious beer....
Nugget
These Nuggets leafs are much more promising though.
They're growing nicely and starting to wrap a couple more shoots up the original one.
Going crazy near the bottom. Maybe I'll trim some of that back in hopes that the main vine can get some first year production.
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