Thursday, July 19, 2012

Unhappy Hops

Hops struggling to hold to the posts.
Twine wrapped around the post was no help.



I thought they could do it.  Squirrels don't swim.  Ducks don't climb trees. Why I thought my hops could spiral up the trellis posts is beyond me--now.








Hops unwrapped, sorted out
and ready to be "applied" to their new twine support


Hops grow in our area.  I've seen them, beautiful tepees of verdant vines going up 12 feet or more. What I didn't know is that they like to grip a tiny support like twine, and they cannot hang on to a 4x4" post.  The whole vine spine feels like a mini rasp, designed to catch on anything small and rough, allowing the vine to climb up and up.

Happy Hops







I finally saw the light when I asked the hops what the deal was.  There was the picture of them growing up a slender support.  Things I get to do today are make my hops happy and get them a support they can understand.








They feel so much better, I bet you can hear them boogie.  We're looking forward to their splendid blossoms in the fall.

3 comments:

  1. Excellent. My friend Ann in WI has a hop growing up the guy wires to the pole with their barn security light. It cascades down like a giant beard. Lovely to see.

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    Replies
    1. A Giant Beard?!!! Oh, I can hardly wait. Thanks for the encouragement!

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  2. Ah! This is my problem! I've got climbers that don't have the correct climbing apparatus! -Maia

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