[Folksy music plays quietly in the background.]
[Evan Elford is seen standing in front of a hop trellis.]
EVAN ELFORD, New Crop Development Specialist, Government of Ontario >> Hi, I'm Evan Elford, New Crop Development Specialist with the Ontario government. Today we will be discussing the materials and methods required to effectively string a hop yard.
[TITLE: Stringing a Hops Trellis.]
[Field workers that are following the step-by-step instructions set out by Evan Elford in the following paragraph are shown. This is mixed with close-up shots of plants and tools used in the following instruction.]
EVAN ELFORD >> Efficient management practices in the hop yard are critical to long-term growth and success for crop production. Spring activities such as stringing twine and training the hops on the trellis can be very straightforward when using these simple practices. Bales of precut coir twine, which is a coconut based textile, are typically delivered with 2800 strings per bale. These must be ordered in the winter to ensure they are available for stringing in late April or early May. The coir twine used by commercial hop growers is 5-6 mm thick with a breaking point of 39 kg (or 85 lbs) per ply and typically comes in cut lengths of 6.25 metres (or 20.5 feet). Before the stringing process occurs, the coir twine should be soaked in water for 24-36 hours. Soaking allows the twine to become more pliable and easier to work with. As it dries, the twine will shrink around the top wire, limiting slippage through the growing season. Growers typically use elevated platforms for stringing in order to fasten the coir twine to the top wire. Some examples include self-propelled platforms like a skyjack, wagons, and movable stairs on wheels. A 'Lanyard Hitch' or 'Cow Hitch' knot is commonly used to attach the coir twine to the top wire.
[We are shown a close-up of how to make this specific hitch. Then, field workers that are following the step-by-step instructions set out by Evan Elford in the following paragraph are shown. This is mixed with close-up shots of plants and tools used in the following instruction.]
EVAN ELFORD >> 'W' clips are then used to secure the twine into the soil. A 'W' clip tool, which can be found at a few agricultural suppliers in Ontario, is used to anchor the 'W' clip beneath the soil. The coir twine is pinched between the bottom of the clip and is inserted into the soil. As the twine pulls up on the clip, the arms open up and secure the clip in place. There are two methods of stringing commonly used in commercial production. The 'V' method, which uses two strings per hill, can be placed parallel to the row, but is more commonly placed perpendicular to the row, as shown here. The second method is the Vertical method which uses 1 string per hill and is parallel to the row. This method is typically used in the establishment year when the hops are small and have less vegetation compared to subsequent years. Plant populations commonly range from 17-hundred to 42-hundred plants per hectare, therefore a hop yard employing the 'V' method with two strings per hill, would have 34-hundred to 56-hundred strings per hectare. Stringing takes place in early to mid-spring. In Ontario, this would range from late April to mid-May, depending on the growing region, annual weather conditions and hop cultivar. Once the hops are half a metre high, two to three vines are manually trained clockwise around the twine. Once the vines have reaches a height of approximately 2 metres, any remaining shoots should be removed around the base of the plants. Leaves are also stripped up to 1 metre above the ground to increase airflow between plants and promote optimal plant growth. [Leslie Huffman is shown standing in front of a row of apple trees in an orchard.]
[Evan Elford is seen standing in front of a hop trellis.]
EVAN ELFORD >> For more information on high density apple orchards in Ontario, visit our website or give us a call.
[TITLE: ONSpecialtyCrops.wordpress.com. Call: 1 (877) 424-1300.]