Michigan hop crop report week of August 16, 2024

Rob Sirrine<sirrine@msu.edu> and Erin Lizotte<taylo548@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - August 16, 2024

Growers look forward to hop harvest.

A hopyard. — Photo by Rob Sirrine, MSU Extension

Weather review

Over the last month, most areas of the state have seen average temperatures for this time of year and lower than normal temperatures over the last week. Accumulated precipitation is variable depending upon location with above average precipitation across much of mid- Michigan. Southern Michigan had a chance to dry out over the last week although it won’t last long!

Maps of Michigan showing average temperatures. — Source: https://climate.geo.msu.edu/climate_maps.html

Maps of Michigan showing precipitation totals. — Source: https://climate.geo.msu.edu/climate_maps.html

For the Lower Peninsula, growing degree days (base 50 degrees Fahrenheit) range from 1,500 in northwest Michigan to nearly 2,200 in southern Michigan. This equates to a couple days to 14 days ahead of normal for most of the Lower Peninsula. Most areas of the Upper Peninsula are below normal or closer to average.

Enviroweather cumulative growing degree days, Enviroweather heat accumulation. — Michigan accumulated growing degree day summary (base 50 F) March 1- Aug. 12, 2024 (left) and heat accumulation (in days) compared to the 1991-2020 average (right). Data source: https://enviroweather.msu.edu/

Looking ahead

Medium range guidance suggests a chance for slightly below normal temperatures Aug. 18-22. The 6-10 day forecast suggests near normal precipitation.

6-10 day temp and precip outlook maps — NOAA 6-10 day forecasts. Source: https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/610day/index.php

See the most recent Michigan State University agriculture weather forecast.

Stage of production/physiology

Hops across Michigan are in Growth Stage 6: Flowering, Growth Stage 7: Development of cones, and Growth Stage 8: Maturity of cones, depending upon growing location and cultivar.

Phenological growth stages of hop in MI.jpg

In the field

Growers are harvesting in southern Michigan and preparing for harvest in northern parts of the state.

Timing of hop management activities in NW MI.jpg — Timing of hop management activities in Michigan. Table by Rob Sirrine and Erin Lizotte, MSU Extension.

Sincere thanks to the Michigan hop producers who provided timely input for the Michigan Hop Crop Report.

Stay connected!

For more information on hop production practices, please sign up for the hop MSU Extension Newsletter, the free MSU Hop Chat Series and continue to visit Michigan State University Extension’s Hops webpage or the MSU Hops News Facebook.

If you are unsure of what is causing symptoms in the field, you can submit a sample to MSU Plant & Pest Diagnostics. Visit the webpage for specific information about how to collect, package, ship and image plant samples for diagnosis. If you have any doubt about what or how to collect a good sample, please contact the lab at 517-432-0988 or pestid@msu.edu.

Become a licensed pesticide applicator

All growers utilizing pesticide can benefit from getting their license, even if not legally required. Understanding pesticides and the associated regulations can help growers protect themselves, others, and the environment. Michigan pesticide applicator licenses are administered by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. You can read all about the process by visiting the Pesticide FAQ webpage. Michigan State University offers a number of resources to assist people pursuing their license, including an online study/continuing ed course and study manuals.

This work is supported by the Crop Protection and Pest Management Program [grant no 2021- 70006-35450] from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the North Central IPM Center. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).