Abstract

As the acreage of hops continues to grow in the northeast, there is increasing need for regionally specific agronomic information. The majority of hop production and research is conducted in the Pacific Northwest, a region that has a much drier climate than our own. The University of Vermont (UVM) has carried out a number of trials to build relevant experience on small scale hop production in our wet and cool climate. The results and observations from our hops research can be found on the UVM Extension Northwest Crops and Soils website: www.uvm.edu/extension/cropsoil/hops. As for any perennial crop, managing weeds can require significant time and resources. Growers are looking for weed management methods that are effective, quick, and affordable. There are few herbicides labeled for use in hop production for VT and the region. Hence, growers are looking for alternative strategies to control weeds in hops. The main methods of control for weeds in the UVM hop yard have been hand weeding and mulch applications. While relatively effective, hand weeding has taken as much as 200 cumulative hours of labor per acre per year. In 2015, four alternative weed management methods were compared in the UVM hop yard including steam weeding, mulching, tilling, and applying a certified organic citrus-based herbicide.

Keywords

Vermont, University of Vermont

Publication Date

2015

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