Newby questions about hop growing...

[1stTimer]

I've done a few batches of home brew now and I want to start growing my own hops. I haven’t been at this long but I have never enjoyed a hobby this much so I’m going all in.

1. I have a pretty small yard. About 1/3 acre. How many rhizomes do I need? I am only brewing one batch at a time right now.

2. Can anyone recommend a certain type? I live on the Eastern Shore of Md. Gets pretty hot and humid in the summer. Don’t know if that matters or not.

3. I am thinking of purchasing the book The Homebrewers Garden. Has anyone read this or can anyone recommend some other reading?

4. Where should I order the rhizomes from?

I appreciate any input. This site has already helped me more than I can explain. Hoping that happens again. Take care everyone, and have a homebrew.

 

[JarrodH]

I've done a few batches of home brew now and I want to start growing my own hops. I haven’t been at this long but I have never enjoyed a hobby this much so I’m going all in.

1. I have a pretty small yard. About 1/3 acre. How many rhizomes do I need? I am only brewing one batch at a time right now.

2. Can anyone recommend a certain type? I live on the Eastern Shore of Md. Gets pretty hot and humid in the summer. Don’t know if that matters or not.

3. I am thinking of purchasing the book The Homebrewers Garden. Has anyone read this or can anyone recommend some other reading?

4. Where should I order the rhizomes from?

I appreciate any input. This site has already helped me more than I can explain. Hoping that happens again. Take care everyone, and have a homebrew.

The Homebrewers garden did have a lot of information about growing and harvesting hops on the homebrewers scale as well as growing your own herbs and grain. I thought it was a decent book.

I ordered last year from freshhops (Tet and Northern Brewer) and also one cascade this year from freshops.com and the rhizomes came and all have grown.

 

[JVD_X]

1. I have a pretty small yard. About 1/3 acre. How many rhizomes do I need? I am only brewing one batch at a time right now.

Start with one rhizome. They grow really fast and produce quite a bit.

Can anyone recommend a certain type? I live on the Eastern Shore of Md. Gets pretty hot and humid in the summer. Don’t know if that matters or not.

I live west of DC and in July/August you need to water water water. I currently have Cascade, Williamette, Magnum, and Hallertauer. Looking back I would rather have just started a single good American style aroma hop and the Hallertauer. This is because you can't really know the true bitterness of the hop without testing or trial and error, thus the hops I personally should have grown are those known for the aroma. Also, only you can decide what those are i.e. If you like beers that use cascade, grow cascade.

I would advise that you set aside a plot that is 3x3x3 per plant. Also, be sure to use some significant root barriers. These things can grow like running bamboo.

 

[1stTimer]

Appreciate the info from both of you. I am going to pick up the book for sure and as far as picking a certain hop, I will have to do a bit more research. I knew I was going to have to water big time. The corner of our lot where Im going to plant them gets sun from sunrise to sunset. For a root barrier would something like a plastic barrier work? I have old plastic barrels that I could cut.

 

[Clonefarmer]

1. I have a pretty small yard. About 1/3 acre. How many rhizomes do I need? I am only brewing one batch at a time right now.

I would suggest starting with 1 or 2 aroma varieties. For every rhizome you will need something for them to climb and they will need a water supply nearby.

2. Can anyone recommend a certain type? I live on the Eastern Shore of Md. Gets pretty hot and humid in the summer. Don’t know if that matters or not.

Cascades seem to be the first pick for most people. They are an aroma variety and often recommended for beginners.

3. I am thinking of purchasing the book The Homebrewers Garden. Has anyone read this or can anyone recommend some other reading?

Haven't had a chance to read this.

4. Where should I order the rhizomes from?

Freshops.com is a quality source for rhizomes.

 

[1stTimer]

Thanks again for the replies. I picked up The Homebrewers Garden this afternoon at Barnes and Noble. It seems really helpful. I already tilled the soil in the area Im going to use. Yard is set up perfectly for it. I have an old tool shed thats about 12 feet at its peek. Im going to run a tressel up that. And I think I will go with Cascades for sure and then a few others to see what grows best. Thanks again everyone..

 

[Figbash]

Hops take very little space because they grow vertically. You can plant them along the side of a building with three feet between like varieties and six feet between different varieties. When looking for an appropriate site, it's important to realize that in a couple years your hops may be more than fifteen feet tall, so plan accordingly.

When I planted three years ago, I put in centennial, nugget and Magnum. Since then I've added Willamette and Sterling. I got over two pounds of dried hops last year from my six original plants. When the new varieties I planted last year kick in I'll have WAY more than I can possibly use. To find out what grows well in your area, you should talk to someone at your LHBS or brewing club.

The "Homebrewers Garden" has lots of good information in it, but hops are pretty easy to grow. The info sheet I received from Fresh Hops with my rhizomes was more than adequate to get me started.

Tom