hops and grapevines, do they need the same?

Hi guys,

My father in law has a small farm in the countryside. The area is known about it's wine, there are several vineyards around.

I'd like to plant few rhizomes here next year. Can I assume that hops will grow well under the same conditions that grapevines need?

Thanks.

Not necessarily.

Wine grapes do not like wet feet and thrive on "poor" soil nitrion conditions (relatively speaking, of course).

Not being familiar with cultivation of hops, I encourage you to look into it without making that assumption.

BUT, one of my neighbors, the kind of guy who does not care too much about taking care of his lawn or any other yard plants, grows hops _successfully_, at least enough without much loving and care of his vines. I'd say that if he can do it, short of living in the desert without a garden house around for miles, you can too.

In general, if you look at traditional hop growing regions, many times you'll find lots of vineyards nearby. Both like the deep, well drained soils in those regions. Fertility can always be adjusted to make up for shortfalls of nutrient deficient soils, but the biggest factor is the soil structure that helps these locations become home to lots of hops or grapes. I would start off with a soil test and make adjustments from there. Hops will pretty much grow anywhere so I'm sure you'll have lots of fun watching the girls race toward the sky.