Growing Hops in the North Woods

Greetings,

I need some advice on growing hops in the cold north woods. I live in USDA Hardiness Zone 4, it can get as cold as -30. I am having trouble finding concrete information on cold hardy hop varieties. I have been told there are some that are hardy to Zone 4, however, I have not been able to locate the varietal names.

Please share your knowledge of cold hardy varieties and perhaps where they can be purchased. I am hoping to purchase full crowns rather than rhizomes if at all possible. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Hops are very hardy plants. Before the Pacific Northwest became the primary US hop farming region states like New York were big hop producers, not exactly the tropics. Zone 4 cuts a big swath through New York state.

You may want to consider using a thick mulch layer for the winter but I don't see any problems other than providing a nice, well-drained soil and garden area with good sunlight. The modern hybrids are probably the strongest growers so if you're just staring out choose those types rather than Old World artisinal strains which can be a little finicky.

I'm in Zone 6 so it only gets to -5/-10F at the coldest but very soon after the ground thaws in the Spring my Northern Brewer hops are breaking through and raring to go.

Where are you at? I'm at zone 3 in the Northwoods, and grow chinook, centennial, cascades, CTZ, EKG, northern brewer and hallertauer.

They grow like weeds, overtaking my yard and popping up under my deck. I'm putting them out and hacking them down all the time. They grow out of control, and will take over the yard if I don't keep after them.

I don't mulch them, and I don't take care of them anymore at all.

The only thing I can not grow is Willamette. I've tried two times, and it's just too cold for them.