growing Hops in Iowa

I was wondering how well hops grow in the northern plains and what varieties produce best. I have a fence row that is about 40 feet that is begging me to use it for something......thanks in advance for your help!!:rockin:

They grow just fine with a little attention. Check out this thread from in your neighborhood:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f92/2008-iowa-hop-report-74054/

Plenty of comments on here about these things growing like weeds, once they get established. A friend here in town has a Northern Brewer that had quite a lot of cones despite his neighbor's best efforts with weed killer (it's growing on the fence in between). Mine are first year, and the Willamettes, Goldings, and Centennials grew best. The latter two varieties gave me a few ounces of cones. The main question is what variety do you use in brewing? There is no point in growing something you dislike. I don't like Cascade--no grapefruit beer for me, thanks--and so my choices followed. With a little attention to a few rhizomes you should have plenty of hops by year 3 of growth.

Thanks Three Dogs.....any thoughts on how many rhizomes for a good 40 ft fence??

That depends in part on the height they can grow to, and the varieties. Common wisdom on here and other sites has different varieties set about 5 feet apart, and plants of the same variety about 3 feet apart. That assumes they are growing up lines to a trellis or something like that which lets them grow to 16-18 feet or so. Most folks rig up some sort of poles with lines attached, tall trellis, or so on. If they are growing on a 6 foot wood or chain link fence, then the horizontal spread will be much greater, so the number of plants must be less. The one I've seen on an arbor by a fence probably has at least 8 feet in width of the crown, maybe more. Mine are growing up lines to the railing of the deck, 1&1/2 stories up, and the lines are angled out to add some length, and to spread them out in the sun.