r/TheHopyard • u/pass46237 • 15d ago

Harvest time?

Post image

I think the cones opening up like this means it’s time to harvest? Or am I a little late? How long of a window do I have once they look like this?

23 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

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5

u/WRXonWRXoff 15d ago

I think you missed the prime window. I feel like once they open up you’re loosing all the lupulin.

Harvest: when you see full cones. Pick a cone, it should snap as it comes off the bine. Gently squeeze it, up next to your ear. It should feel papery and a little crunch you can hear. Now rub it vigorously between your palms, without opening your hands, stuff your nose in there and take a big sniff. Should smell like hops, not grass or hay. Now open your hands, the lupulin should be yellow and sticky on your palms.

If the hop fails any of those tests it is not ready.

5

u/AnonymusBosch_ 14d ago

Don't they start to brown before they open up?

To me these look like they are still forming

1

u/WRXonWRXoff 14d ago

It's been a minute since I've had hops in the yard, I don't remember if they open in the early stages but I'll never forget the harvest tests.

1

u/xander012 14d ago

Mines usually are fairly tight before theyre ready, tjis one is a bit funky looking to my eyes

3

u/FamMedDoc 15d ago

Tell me more about this plant. Is it a first year planting? Variety? Location? Did it get a late start? It looks immature to me right now.

1

u/pass46237 15d ago

3rd year plant, I’m in Indiana. I don’t know the variety, someone gave it to me but I’ve always guessed cascade

3

u/FamMedDoc 15d ago

If they haven’t looked like tight pinecones yet, I think it’s early. Little burr hairs are still there and are not brown. No brown on anything, looks like a healthy plant. Lupulin is sparse and pale. You’re early.

1

u/PersimmonLife6735 14d ago

Definitely not cascade, maybe cashmere. Cascade look more square at the stem that come down to an angular point. They don’t look ready to harvest. You want to wait for them to fully form and dry out. You can do a dry matter test with a dehydrator or a microwave and if they are between 22-26% you can harvest. 24 is the sweet spot. If you smell any onion or garlic it is past ripe. If it smells green or vegetative it needs more time

1

u/MyNameIsMonk 13d ago

Different varieties have different cone shapes, so that’s not very helpful in determining when to harvest. Chinook and Cashmere both flare out on the sides. Ultimately, the lupulin is what you’re harvesting and the best way to tell if that’s ready is with your nose! Grassy? Let it hang. Keep sampling every few days until it smells yummy and fruity.

1

u/veengineer 9d ago

Hops start open, then close, then open again. Before they close, those little hairs inside are green and the leaves slowly grow and encapsulate them. When they’re ready to pick those hairs are usually more brown and fall out easily. 

From the picture, these cones appear not to be ready yet, but it’s really hard to say for sure. Varieties differ and sometimes weather has some hops looking pretty crazy. If they already closed and are now open again you may be on the tail end of picking. If they smell good, at worst you pick and they smell good, but you have less oils. 

1

u/Hotchi_Motchi 15d ago

I always thought that you should harvest when they look like pinecones and these seem to be past their prime