Help , some hop growing questions.

[TimCA]

Hay there,
I palnted a few hops this year just to see how the would do. The did bertter than I thought. But now I have a few questions. \
1) How do you know when to pick them?
2) Why are some of the hops (the cone or bract) turinng brown?
3) they only get about 6 hr full sun and maby another 3 hr filterd sun. how will this affect the product?

Thanks
Tim

[nakedbrewer]

Harvest time is kinda up to your plants. The cones will feel papery and when squeezed, will spring right back to shape. You can stick the tip of your finger in between the petals of a cone and give a gentle rup. If your finger comes out covered in yellow lupulin glands, youre at harvest time. Give those glands a little rub and smell. If there isnt a noticable hop aroma, wait about 2-3 days. As for some of the hops turning brown, this is the result of a number of different things. Overwatering, nutrient burn (too much nutrients), and wind damage are just a few causes I've seen do this in my hops. Usually when a hop flower turns all brown, its toast. You waited too long to pick it. Too many times I've looked my vines in early November and found one cone that managed to hide from me, and its always brown and completely dryed-out. Your sun exposure time sound just fine. It is a little on the low end, but this will affect your final crop very minimally. If you find that in subsequent years the vines stop producing, then you will have to either transplant them, or remove whatever is blocking those few hours of light. Cheers, and happy harvesting!