2012 Home Grown Hops (Part 2)

By scot in Home Brewing, Lounge on Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

Centennial Hop on 2012-04-22

It has been a month since I updated about the hops growing at the corner of the house. It has been a bit of a slow month for growing after a crazy month in March that saw the emerge from their winter slumber much earlier than normal.

March was in the 60s just about every day with several in the 70s. If memory serves me, the mercury hit 80 on a day or two. The normal temperature is in the high 40s/low 50s. Way above normal. The hops plants loved it. In spite of it being dry, the Centennial plant managed to hit 2+ feet.

As good as the weather was in March, April was at the opposite end of the spectrum. Normal temps can hit the low 60s this time of the year but only a handful of days have managed. The weather is still dry, so watering has already started. As a result the hop plants have grown minimally. There are still more bines pushing up through the ground. I have to cut them back and will be focusing on the three strongest; I already have them wrapped around the string.

Hopefully the weather will bring some 60 – 70 degree temperatures and rain so that the hop plants will kick start back into action. Enjoy!

Useless Fact: Until the twentieth century dogs’ teeth were used as money by Solomon Island natives.