So, as I was cutting down my first year plants and covering the root/stem with mulch, I noticed a hop shoot poking up from the Rhizome. It has been an unnaturally warm fall here in Colorado, close to 80 degrees in November! Now, I covered that shoot with dead leaves, will it die or go dormant untill spring? I am growing two seperate plants in to different pots, and they both did really well this year, I dug down a little and found many little red nubs on each rhizome, so I think they will do well next summer if I can keep them alive.
When it turns colder again, it should suck that energy back down to the crown and die off. Then it will go dormant during the winter until spring.
they’ll just wither and go dormant. But next year when they start peeking above ground those shoots are very tasty if you pull them them they’re 6-10" tall. I always pull the earliest shoots to delay the bines taking off too early. Steam them like asparagus and they’re pretty good with a little vinegarette.
Thanks for the info, of course, it snowed today… Colorado weather!