Found my first wild hops!

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Rahahb

Rahahb

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:) I'm not expecting much out of these but I think it's super cool regardless.







This is just one part of a bine that I broke off to bring home. I'd like to id these if possible. How do you go about making a "tea" with them. I saw some threads where people mentioned doing so, but did not provide instructions on ratio, or method.

Kind of disheartening that totally wild hops are doing so much better than my virtually non-producing cared for hops. :( Maybe I should just start planting hops in the woods. :eek:
 
Great find!

Dig it up and replant it at home!

Does the tea need to be anything more than steeping a cone in a mug of hot water?
 
I will probably try to replant. Have to get permission to dig first.

I don't know about the tea. That's why I was asking! lol
 
I would think all you need to do is throw about 1 oz dried (so for fresh you need more) into about a quart of hot water and just steep it for a little while. I am guessing you would like to see what the flavor/aroma is so don't boil them.

I know my grandmother used to give hop tea to my mother whenever she was sick or couldn't sleep (she would also use schnapps on bandages, so...).
 
Nice find! When I first saw them on the cut grass I was thinking, man it looks like you just stole your neighbors untrellised hops. Where did you find them, habitat?
 
Rahahb said:
Kind of disheartening that totally wild hops are doing so much better than my virtually non-producing cared for hops. :( Maybe I should just start planting hops in the woods. :eek:
Click to expand...

I've noticed the same thing with the wild hops around here. They seem to need a lot less sun light and water than my willamette and cascade plants do. There is an enormous wild plant growing on a rail line that gets no sun light and we didn't have a drop of rain from the last week in June until the first week of sept but its at least 30ft tall, deep green leaves and covered in cones. My plants would not survive that treatment. However, there is a reason people don't intentionally grow whatever variety of wild hop it is - the cones are super mild in the aroma dept and probably equally mild when it comes to bittering. They don't smell bad though- very similar to goldings.
 
Brothfeder said:
Nice find! When I first saw them on the cut grass I was thinking, man it looks like you just stole your neighbors untrellised hops. Where did you find them, habitat?
Click to expand...

Down the road from me a couple of miles growing near the riverbank up a telephone pole and surrounding vegetation.

gbx said:
I've noticed the same thing with the wild hops around here. They seem to need a lot less sun light and water than my willamette and cascade plants do. There is an enormous wild plant growing on a rail line that gets no sun light and we didn't have a drop of rain from the last week in June until the first week of sept but its at least 30ft tall, deep green leaves and covered in cones. My plants would not survive that treatment. However, there is a reason people don't intentionally grow whatever variety of wild hop it is - the cones are super mild in the aroma dept and probably equally mild when it comes to bittering. They don't smell bad though- very similar to goldings.
Click to expand...

I noticed that as well. They can't get as much light as mine get but they are so much better looking. A little small compared to those who are successful at growing them but I imagine a healthy rhizome that hasn't had any trimming has WAYYYYY more bines so of course the hops will be smaller. They are mild as well like you said. Good aroma, but mild. Haven't tried the tea yet.
 
Maybe its because they have adapted to deal with less, but the sacrifice is in yield, aroma, alpha acids, ect?

I haven't really researched this, but my understanding is that hops don't breed true. Meaning the seed of a cascade will grow into a plant that is nothing like a cascade. Something new. It might have traits we favor, or it might not. Popular varieties are kept true by cloning through rhizome propagation. This is the same for many cultivated crops, like the apple. I have a crab apple tree that is sweet and delicious, yet the one next to it is horrid.

Something to think about...
 
So little bug damage!! I have been fighting catepillers toping my bines all year!!! Hoping after this first year the established roots will grow faster than the bugs can eat? Sigh.
 
Rahahb said:
:) I'm not expecting much out of these but I think it's super cool regardless.







This is just one part of a bine that I broke off to bring home. I'd like to id these if possible. How do you go about making a "tea" with them. I saw some threads where people mentioned doing so, but did not provide instructions on ratio, or method.

Kind of disheartening that totally wild hops are doing so much better than my virtually non-producing cared for hops. :( Maybe I should just start planting hops in the woods. :eek:
Click to expand...

Is there a chance you marked out, or remember where you found these? If so, would you be willing to share a rhizome of this plant? I'd be more than happy to exchange any material you can provide with a named variety if you'd like.
 

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