Yikes! Mealy bugs indeed! That's quite the infestation you've got going there; it will be difficult to get rid of. First thing to do is isolate this plant from the rest right away. It's quite likely that it has spread to other plants, but you can keep them from getting as badly infested as this one. There's a wealth of information on here about dealing with these guys. For a plant as badly infested as the one in the photo, I would remove it from soil and go at it with a treatment solution and a paintbrush in the sink, to get in every crevice. You will need multiple treatments to get rid of all of them. Good luck!

but he cuts my grass very well for cheap so I'm keeping him. ==>>> OK.. you have a GRASS CUTTER.. not a landscaper.. and that is quite apparent ... if this thing is precious to you.. hire the right guy for the job ... [which might vastly destroy your lawn cutting savings.. lol ...] i admitted no palm experience.. and since many grow in sand .. i suspected it might be from a world of its own ... imidacloprid ==>> look for Bayer tree and shrub products ... you arent going to buy it straight under that name ... at bigboxstore ... and most likely nowhere REPUTABLE.. w/o a license INSURE it is labeled for said use ... apply it according to the label ... and dont mess around with it ... i never understood spraying of a systemic.. think about it.. the roots are the most efficient sucker inner [technical term there] .. so why not use them so suck it up .. besides the fact.. that spraying a plant that size is just going to waft stuff all over you.. the house.. and half way down the block.. be safe ... ken BTW.. most scale.. being that they are scaly .. get this.. are impervious to topside applications ... you have to get the product into the vital juices of the plants .. [not through the scale cover of the little sucker ... the only reason oil works on scale.. is it suffocates them.. ] .. and the best way to do that.. is thru the roots ... Here is a link that might be useful: link

wind.. high winds flap the leaves around.. and they shred themselves on their own thorns ... when jean suggested mechanical.. most of us read that to mean.. IGNORE IT ... there is nothing to do.. and as a newbie.. do understand.. that leaves take a heck of a beating over the season.. and do not look martha stewart perfect all year long ... the leaf is green.. and still functioning.. there is nothing for you to do.. nor worry about.. ken

Thanks, jean001a, You may be right. The hops just come up like bulbs in the early spring, when the weather in Chicago is still extremely erratic. We've had storms followed by extreme chills followed by 90 degree heat and then back again. Hopefully as we move forward, the stabilizing weather will give our hops a break. Anyone have any thoughts on the holes in the leaves? Gen