The new year has brought plenty of abysmal weather. We have had snow dumped on us several times now. Here is just one example:
The table on the right gives you and idea of just how much fell, and this wasn't even our biggest snow fall by any means. There's more falling as I write this, hopefully the last of the year. It's been a funny year so you never know. I'm hoping spring will be with us soon. In between snow falls I was able to spot these very early signs of spring in my hops. Here are shoots on the Columbus:
The second picture is particularly encouraging as the shoot is growing out of an end that tore when I was transplanting them back in September. The Cascade also has signs of new growth:
Not quite as advanced as the Columbus but encouraging nonetheless. Even the Willamette, which struggled a little last year, is getting ready for spring:
Consistent with it struggling in comparison to the other two, there are fewer shoots on the Willamette. There are still plenty to make me hopeful enough that it will flourish shortly. There is also no sign of the tomato plant that tried to overtake the Willamette after I transplanted them. I will just have to hope that the current snow coming down won't set them back too much. Everything I've read or heard about hops leads me to think that this is unlikely, so I'm quietly confident that there will be greater growth this year and hopefully an increase in harvest too. As a consequence I've decided to not try replacing the Galena that was so savagely taken from us last year.
The second picture is particularly encouraging as the shoot is growing out of an end that tore when I was transplanting them back in September. The Cascade also has signs of new growth:
Not quite as advanced as the Columbus but encouraging nonetheless. Even the Willamette, which struggled a little last year, is getting ready for spring:
Consistent with it struggling in comparison to the other two, there are fewer shoots on the Willamette. There are still plenty to make me hopeful enough that it will flourish shortly. There is also no sign of the tomato plant that tried to overtake the Willamette after I transplanted them. I will just have to hope that the current snow coming down won't set them back too much. Everything I've read or heard about hops leads me to think that this is unlikely, so I'm quietly confident that there will be greater growth this year and hopefully an increase in harvest too. As a consequence I've decided to not try replacing the Galena that was so savagely taken from us last year.
