Hop growing

I have never atempted growing my own hops. however I live in the herb capital of america which is gahanna ohio. I have been wondering if there is some magic to growing hops or can they be pretty much grown any where? btw Ohio has screwed up weather, where we could have snow one day and summer the next. Ok, not really that bad but it does seem pretty eratic but i have never compared it to other places hops are grown. any thoughts?

If people grow them in Michigan, you can grow them in Ohio. I'm on the border of Wisconsin and Illinois and I grow them just fine. No magic...just a little dedication for the first few years. Make sure you water a lot and put them in direct sunlight, and you'll get hops.

There is nothing too difficult about growing hops. You may search through this part of the forum to find out what varieties grow best in your area. Here in NC I can't stop Cascade and Nugget from growing and producing like mad, but I have had much less luck with Northern Brewer, Sterling and Magnum; so I'd have to say your choice of variety will have a big affect on how easy they are to grow. But, with that wonderful Ohio soil you are already in good shape.

How much sun do they need? Afternoon, morning, full day?? I'd love to be able to grow them inside, but suspect that won't really be a viable option. I'd probably end up using bucket planters for the first couple of years, or until I can either get a place with yard space I can take over (not sure if my current landlord would let me plant these) or until I can convince my sister, or mother, to let me plant them at their place (about 45-60 minutes away)... I'd need them to tend to the watering during the week, so that the grow properly... I can see going up there a lot more on the weekends (that might convince mom to do this for me ) at least until harvest time...

Is there a good minimum number of hops to plant if you want enough to cover your brewing year round (I hope to brew at least once a month, if not twice a month starting spring)??

Next time I get to the LHBS I'll have to pick their brains about growing my own hops... I understand that it will be some time before I actually get to use my own, but it would be nice to have my own hops in my brews come next fall...

I've been thinking about this a bit more...

Would it be advisable/ok to use 5 gallon buckets for the first year or two? It would be easier to have them in buckets, with a something for them to grow up. Thinking of building something that goes up about 8-10 feet from ground level. I could (probably) partially bury the bucket (looking to make sure it won't tip over) if needed. Not to sure about putting holes in the bottom, but I could (for draining excess water out). For a 5 gallon bucket, I would probably put a couple of inches of stone in the bottom, then soil and fertilizer mix (cow manure being my first choice) and possibly soil from the compost heap.

Since I'm renting right now, and never know what my [a$$hole] landlord will think up next, or change his mind on, I need something where I'll have some flexibility to move the hops for the following season. I will have to talk with my sister (and brother in law) on xmas to see if they would be willing to let me plant hops in their yard. The only place that gets maximum sun is between the driveway and house. Don't think I'll be able to plant there. My only other option would be at the far end of their back yard. That might work, since it would also be outside of their garden, and an area they don't really care too much about... I need to find a place to plant the hops before I purchase a rhizome (or two)... If I can use their back yard, the I might get a few and build up a decent structure for them. I'll just need someone up there to take care of the hops during the week (watering if needed)...

If that really won't work, then I'll probably just keep buying pellets for now, and make sure the next place I move into will let me grow hops. Or find a good brew-buddy that has a yard where we can plant some hops.

So far, I've been using Fuggle, Cascade and Kent Golding hops in my brews. I can see also using Glacier, Santiam, and Tettnanger in brews. I'm pretty sure all of those would do fairly well in my area of MA... Yes?

Here is a link to Brew Your Own Magazine... it's a great article for growing hops in a container. http://***********/component/resource/article/1926-growing-hops-in-containers

Hope this helps!

I've seen hops grown in containers.

I'll be growing hops this year too (so long as the early heat here in AZ doesn't kill them). Best of luck to you!

northwesthops said:

Here is a link to Brew Your Own Magazine... it's a great article for growing hops in a container. http://***********/component/resource/article/1926-growing-hops-in-containers

Hope this helps!

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EXCELLENT information... I've already printed out the article and saved a bookmark for it. I think I'm going to have to subscribe to BYO so that I can get access to all that great info (easily)...

I'll have to check with my landlord to see if he'll let me take a section of the 'garden' area on the south side of the house so that I can plant a couple of hops. Already found 20"+ planters at Lowes, so I should be good there (a few different options, some at/above 24" even)...

Golddiggie said:

EXCELLENT information... I've already printed out the article and saved a bookmark for it. I think I'm going to have to subscribe to BYO so that I can get access to all that great info (easily)...

I'll have to check with my landlord to see if he'll let me take a section of the 'garden' area on the south side of the house so that I can plant a couple of hops. Already found 20"+ planters at Lowes, so I should be good there (a few different options, some at/above 24" even)...

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I can tell you from experience that the bigger the planter, the better off you'll be. A buddy of mine and I started growing hops at the same time. He doesn't brew, just liked the idea of having hops. He lives in an apartment but has a rooftop get can grow hops on that has a little shade, but mostly sun.

He put them in huge pots that we found, and by the end of the year, mine had outgrown his by nearly 10-12'. He only produced 30-50 hops buds, but mine produced around 4 ounces. His died during the next summer from what I'm assuming was a crowded root structure, but I'm not sure. Mine are still going strong producing much more every year.

Suthrncomfrt1884 said:

I can tell you from experience that the bigger the planter, the better off you'll be. A buddy of mine and I started growing hops at the same time. He doesn't brew, just liked the idea of having hops. He lives in an apartment but has a rooftop get can grow hops on that has a little shade, but mostly sun.

He put them in huge pots that we found, and by the end of the year, mine had outgrown his by nearly 10-12'. He only produced 30-50 hops buds, but mine produced around 4 ounces. His died during the next summer from what I'm assuming was a crowded root structure, but I'm not sure. Mine are still going strong producing much more every year.

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What size pot did he use? Did he water it enough (or the right amount per the article)?? Just wondering if the problems were due to something that can be easily avoided or not... Do you remember what hop he was growing?

I've been looking at picking up the largest planter I can get and still fit it where I can fit it. I'm also planning on making sure I pick the type that has the best chance of doing well, but is in the set that I'm interested in (and plan to use of course)...

He was growing Cascade, Nugget, and Centennial I believe. I think it was a 24" planter for each rhizome. And yes, he was watering daily, but I'm not sure how much. The plants looked extremely healthy, they just didn't produce or grow nearly as much as they would have had they been put in the ground.

Next time I'm at the LHBS I'll check with the guys there to see if growing in a planter is an actual viable option for this area or not. If not, then I'll have to either find a place to plant them in the ground, or wait until I have a yard, or part of a yard, where I can grow them...

My only real concern about planting them where I am now is if I move in the next couple of years. I'd hate to leave the hops there, especially if they're growing and such... Although I might be able to plan the move in the cooler months, post harvest.

Has anyone tried transplanting hops that were in the ground from one location to another? Is that something worth doing, or not worth the hassle? The rhizomes are pretty cheap (per unit) so it's not a cost thing, more of something I'd rather not leave behind. Although they would probably not do very well for the first year once transplanted, if they survived... Probably better off just replanting new rhizomes once I've moved (if I can get my current landlord to let me plant them this year)...

I've transplanted hops with good results. I actually pull mine up every few years to trim the root ball, so I don't think you'll have issues. Hops are a pretty hearty plant.

Suthrncomfrt1884 said:

I've transplanted hops with good results. I actually pull mine up every few years to trim the root ball, so I don't think you'll have issues. Hops are a pretty hearty plant.

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Good to know... Now I just need to find a place to put them into the ground...

Where I would plant (either in the ground or in large planters) would have sun from around mid-morning through to mid/late afternoon (sun it behind another house by about 7 during the summer). The sun comes over the trees (east side of the yard) around 9AM, or so... Just wondering if maybe your friends plants got too much of the hot sun... I believe the plants would be partially shaded by about 6PM during the summer, so they would get a good 9 hours of sun, roughly...

If my landlord won't let me plant hops (thinking of offering him a couple of brews from each batch that has those hops in it as incentive), then I'll see where else I can grow them... The biggest issue I can see if monitoring them, for water and such, when they're not where I live. Or where there's someone that will take good care of them during the week. Especially if we get a hot, or dry spell.

sorry for the stupid question, but i am assuming that hops are perennial type of plants that die in the winter and gorw again in the summer; is this true?

crxin said:

sorry for the stupid question, but i am assuming that hops are perennial type of plants that die in the winter and gorw again in the summer; is this true?

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They don't "die" in the winter, they "die back" for the winter, or post growing season... Essentially, the rhizome remains 'alive' but goes dormant until conditions are correct for it to grow again. If it actually did die, then you would need to replant them every year.

I figure I have a good month, or two, to figure out where to grow hops for the coming year... If I can find a place to do it, then I will. If not, then I'll just continue to buy hops until I do find a place to grow them...

I would like to know if there's a way to determine the AA% of hops you grow. That way you could use them for more than just flavor/aroma...

Golddiggie said:

I would like to know if there's a way to determine the AA% of hops you grow. That way you could use them for more than just flavor/aroma...

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There are labs you can send samples to that will tell you the AA%, but the price makes it pointless. Most companies that sell rhizomes will post an average AA%. I just use that and guess on the IBU's. I frequently use my homegrown hops for bittering.

Last year, when I started growing hops, I mentioned my setup and that I would give a report on how it worked.

I grow the hops up 8 feet, then horizontally about 16 feet. My setup works really well. I run the vines up some nylon twine to a galvanized steel wire, that is stretched across two posts, and then across to the eaves of my house.

The first year, only two varieties made it most of the way across to my house, for a total of about 20 feet--Chinook and Nugget. This year, I expect more growth, and may even find some of the vines wanting more line. As I write, three of the varieties have already reached 8 feet.

gerryalton said:

Last year, when I started growing hops, I mentioned my setup and that I would give a report on how it worked.

I grow the hops up 8 feet, then horizontally about 16 feet. My setup works really well. I run the vines up some nylon twine to a galvanized steel wire, that is stretched across two posts, and then across to the eaves of my house.

The first year, only two varieties made it most of the way across to my house, for a total of about 20 feet--Chinook and Nugget. This year, I expect more growth, and may even find some of the vines wanting more line. As I write, three of the varieties have already reached 8 feet.

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Are you growing in ground, or in large planters?