Michigan hop crop report week of July 24, 2025

Rob Sirrine<sirrine@msu.edu> and Erin Lizotte<taylo548@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - July 24, 2025

The 2025 hop crop is coming along nicely.

A hopyard. — Cascade hops on July 24, 2025. Photo by Rick Kawalski, Hop Head Farms

Weekly weather review

Temperatures across much of Michigan have been above average over the last month and very hot Wednesday-Thursday, July 23-24. With the warm weather, growing degree days (GDD) base 50 degrees Fahrenheit are now above average for most areas of the Lower Peninsula (March 1-July 22). The Upper Peninsula is more variable with below average to above average heat accumulation depending on location. Accumulated precipitation has been above average across most of the Upper Peninsula and northern lower Michigan and below average across west central, southwest and southcentral Michigan.

Average Temperature and Departure from Normal (June 22–July 21, 2025) Left Panel: Map showing average daily temperatures in Michigan ranging from 65°F to 85°F. Warmer temperatures are in the southern part of the state. Right Panel: Temperature departure from the 1991–2020 normals. Most of Michigan shows above-average temperatures, with departures of 2–6°F, especially in southern areas shaded in orange. — Source: https://climate.geo.msu.edu/climate_maps.html

Accumulated Precipitation (June 22–July 21, 2025) Left Panel: A map of Michigan showing total precipitation in inches. Most areas received 2–7 inches, with some pockets in northern Michigan and Wisconsin receiving up to 12 inches. Green to blue shades represent higher rainfall totals. Right Panel: The same region with percent of normal precipitation based on 1991–2020 averages. Southeastern Michigan is below normal (yellow), while some northern and central areas are above normal (green to blue), indicating rainfall variability. — Source: https://climate.geo.msu.edu/climate_maps.html

Accumulated GDD base 50 range from near 800 in the Upper Peninsula and around 1,700 in certain areas of southern Michigan. GDD base 50 are near or just slightly below the long-term average across most of state.

Growing Degree Days (Base 50°F) and Departure from Normal (as of July 23, 2025) Left Panel: Map of Michigan showing accumulated growing degree days (GDD) since the beginning of the growing season. Southern counties exceed 1600 GDD, while northern areas are below 1000 GDD. Right Panel: Departure from normal GDD. Southern Michigan shows GDD 10–14 units above normal (red), while parts of the northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula are slightly below normal (blue). — Michigan accumulated growing degree day summary (base 50 F) March 1-July 22, 2025. Data source: https://enviroweather.msu.edu/

Looking ahead

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible across much of the state Thursday afternoon (July 24) through the evening. There is potential for additional precipitation across southern Michigan through the weekend.

As the heat dome gives way, high temperatures will drop to the low 80s in northern Michigan and high 80s and further south. Lows will be in the 60s-70s through the weekend and into early next week. From July 23-30, the forecast suggests 1-2 inches of precipitation depending on location. The 6-10 day forecast suggests slightly warmer than normal temperatures and near normal precipitation.

NOAA 7-Day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (Valid July 23–30, 2025) A U.S. precipitation forecast map showing expected rainfall over 7 days. The heaviest precipitation is centered in the lower Mississippi Valley, southern Great Lakes, and Northeast, where areas are shaded in dark blue and purple indicating 2–5 inches or more. Lighter greens and yellows show lower rainfall in the West and Southwest. — Source: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/qpf/p168i.gif?1748527265

6–10 Day Temperature and Precipitation Outlook (Valid July 28–August 1, 2025) Left Panel (Temperature): A color-coded U.S. map showing the 6–10 day temperature outlook. Large regions, especially the South, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest, are expected to have above-normal temperatures. The Southwest coast is forecasted to be below normal. Probability shading ranges from light orange to deep red for warmer-than-normal areas. Right Panel (Precipitation): The 6–10 day precipitation outlook map for the U.S. shows above-normal precipitation likely in the northern Plains, Southeast, Alaska, and Hawaii. Below-normal precipitation is forecasted for parts of the Northwest and central Rockies. Most of the Midwest and Northeast are predicted to have near-normal precipitation. — Source: NOAA 6-10 day forecasts: https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/610day/index.php

For the most recent Michigan State University agriculture weather forecast, visit: MSU Extension Agriculture Weather.

Stage of production/physiology

Hops across Michigan are in Principal Growth Stage 2: Formation of Side Shoots, 3: Elongation of Bines, 5: Inflorescence emergence, 6: Flowering (burr stage) and 7: Development of cones depending on growing location. Sites in southern Michigan are roughly one to two weeks ahead of sites in northern Michigan.

A horizontal timeline chart showing the timing of hop growth stages from March through September in Michigan. Stages include sprouting, leaf development, side shoot formation, flowering, cone development, and maturity. Cone development starts in July and matures into August and September.

In the field

A detailed calendar chart of hop farming tasks in northwest Michigan, organized by week and month. Activities such as planting, training, pruning, irrigation, scouting, fertilizing, and harvesting are aligned with growth stages from dormancy to reproductive and preparation for dormancy stages. Blue bars indicate the timing of each activity throughout the year. — Timing of hop management activities in Michigan. Table by Rob Sirrine and Erin Lizotte, MSU Extension.

Hop plants are in or transitioning into the reproductive stage across the state. Growers are actively fertigating, applying micronutrients based on leaf/petiole sample lab results and sufficiency ranges (see chart below), and have halted nitrogen application. Growers are scouting and treating for mites, European corn borer and Japanese beetles if necessary and applying plant protection products for downy mildew, powdery mildew and halo blight.

A table comparing nutrient concentration ranges in hop leaves from multiple sources, including John I Haas, Plant Analysis Handbook IV, and Western Labs. It covers stages from vegetative to full bloom and includes nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and others. Values are listed as percentages or parts per million (ppm). — Source: Michigan Hop Management Guide, 2025.

Leaf and petiole nutrient labs:

Agro-Liquid, St. Johns, MI
A&L Great Lakes, Ft. Wayne, IN
New Age Laboratories, South Haven, MI
Brookside Labs, New Knoxville, OH

SAP analysis labs:

Agro-K, Minneapolis, MN
Crop Health Labs, Bellville, OH
New Age Laboratories, South Haven, MI

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

Pest management

For current pest management information, see the Michigan hop pest report - July 24, 2025.

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 2024-70006-43569] from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. 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).

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