Humulus Lupus Seeds

[Dynachrome]

A friend suggested I start my hops from seeds after I expressed interest in getting some risomes already started.

I know I like Cascade and Northern - I have use Willamette and Fuggles and a few others.

Where might I source a specific seed.

Does male/female make any difference for bud production with this plant?

Hops seeds


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[day_trippr]

[...]Does male/female make any difference for bud production with this plant?

It makes all the difference. Males don't make cones.

I don't think starting hops for brewing from seeds is a worthwhile effort...

Cheers!

 

[samc]

This is what you want!

Seeds will be a frustration.

 

[mattd2]

It makes all the difference. Males don't make cones.

I don't think starting hops for brewing from seeds is a worthwhile effort...

Cheers!

And if the males get jiggy with the females won't they produce flowers not cones?

 

[Dynachrome]

And if the males get jiggy with the females won't they produce flowers not cones?

Oy! Do I have to mark this thread NWS?

...really - polinized plants don'r make buds?

Thanks for the other kinks too BTW.

 

[day_trippr]

And if the males get jiggy with the females won't they produce flowers not cones?

Occasionally you may find hops seeds in purchased hops, inside the cones. The problem with fertilization is the female plant will spend a lot of energy growing the seeds, taking away from producing more cones...

Cheers!

[edit] I had posted that the cones are the flowers, but that's not accurate, as the true flowers appear before the cones. I suppose the cones are the womb?

 

[Dynachrome]

So I'd have to sex the plants and dispose of the males. ...or just keep the bees away?

 

[B-Hoppy]

Shortly after they begin to go into their reproductive stage you can determine which are which and remove the males if you like. I would think the pollen is more likely spread by wind than insects. The problem with growing them from seed is that you have no idea what you'll end up with. Once they're pollenated you now have genetics from the male and may lose some of the desirable traits you started with. You may end up with the next Citra or it may just be some rank hop that's good for nothing except attracting any disease that's lurking in the neighborhood. You can do it but it may take quite a while to select one that has the brewing qualities that you're after. If you wanna play, Go for it! If you want a specific type of hop to brew with you're better off getting some known plant material to start with. Either way, have fun.

 

[Dynachrome]

So, they're kind of like apple trees? Apple trees are fairly exclusively grown by grafting clipping onto hardy roots. If you try to grow new seeds from apples, it's my understanding that genetics get kind of crazy and you could end up with some weird scrub apples.

Indian corn is another one. the kernels can be different colors on the same cob.

You're saying hops have funny genetics like that?

 

[B-Hoppy]

Zactly!