Thinking of growing hops...where do I start?

[Leggoma]

I live in Boise, ID. I've learned over the last year that, contrary to the potato myth, hops and mint are actually Idaho's top cash crops. So it seems like I'm in an environment where home grown hops could flourish. I've read a little bit on the process on the internet, and have browsed in this forum a tad. However, I have yet to find (and I may just be blind) where to get hop rhizomes.

Where does one get their hands on rhizomes? I also seem to remember reading they are only available during a certain time of year.

I'm also a beginner home brewer, but I've caught the fever and will be brewing quite a bit in the foreseeable future. If you only grew one type of hop, what would that be? Not having brewed many batches at all, I haven't exactly pinned down a hop that I know I can use for a wide variety of brews. I'm thinking something that I can use for bittering AND aroma to give me more options.

Edit: Oh, one last question. How much of a hop yield can you expect from the average, well cared for plant?

 

[boss13]

Get the crowns, why bother with rhizomes?

Great lakes hops sell the full crown.

If you truly want just rhizomes, most LHBS should sell them and there are many online sellers as well. Now is a good time to do a pre-order, as you are right, rhizomes are not available all the time.

Check this doc for the yield: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f92/hops-comparison-table-297038/

 

[Leggoma]

Get the crowns, why bother with rhizomes?

Great lakes hops sell the full crown.

If you truly want just rhizomes, most LHBS should sell them and there are many online sellers as well. Now is a good time to do a pre-order, as you are right, rhizomes are not available all the time.

Check this doc for the yield: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f92/hops-comparison-table-297038/

Ok, I haven't seen anything about a full crown. Sorry for the ignorance, but what is that, and is it the same process as far as planting/growing from it?

 

[sweetcell]

great lakes hops can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/GreatLakesHops (www.greatlakeshops.com doesn't seem to be working for me). you can order crowns from their FB page.

GLH states: "*Note: most hop plants grown under ideal condition produce between 1.5lbs - 2.5lbs of DRIED hops per year." and that's once the plant is established, say year 3. you should expect a smaller harvest the first year - the plant will be putting its energy into root development, not flower production.

 

[Leggoma]

Ok, that makes sense, the crowns are the sprouted hop plants. Sorry, not much of a gardener yet.

 

[sweetcell]

Ok, I haven't seen anything about a full crown. Sorry for the ignorance, but what is that, and is it the same process as far as planting/growing from it?

a crown is a more developed, and central, portion of the plant. a rhizome is a part of a side root. the crown is the central part of the plant.

 

[B-Hoppy]

a crown is a more developed, and central, portion of the plant. a rhizome is a part of a side root. the crown is the central part of the plant.

Rhizomes can have roots, but roots can't have rhizomes. A rhizome is essentially an underground stem that can be used to propagate new plants being that it contains buds/eyes. True roots do not have eyes/buds. The terminology can be confusing to some being that both structures occur underground. Just an observation.

An afterthought. An exercise we can all do to show ourselves how an aboveground stem can be tricked into turning itself into a rhizome. This Spring, when all the new shoots begin to emerge, lets do this. Loosen up the soil a few inched out and away from the crown with a hand trowel. Now select one or two of the shoots that are emerging and gently bend them over and place them into the loose soil. I sometimes use a small rock to weigh them down. Now cover them with an inch or two of soil. In a few days the growing tip will start to peek out of the soil. Repeat the 'loosen/cover' with soil to this tip and continue as long as you have time to. If you don't continue to cover this growing tip up, it will begin to want to climb upwards. Give it something to climb and it's just like any other of the new shoots that come from the crown, but the foot or two that is buried underground will turn into a rhizome by the end of the growing season. Along this underground stem will be 'nodes' anywhere from 4-6 inches apart. At each of these nodes will be rings of 'buds'/'eyes' AND roots that will help anchor the stem into the soil. At the end of the growing season, you can sever this rhizome from the crown and remove it from the soil. Depending on how long it is will determine the number of nodes (where the buds are located) on it. Generally, cut rhizomes contain two rings of buds. These can be used to start new plants. You can also wait 'till the following Spring to do the cutting/transplanting. Hope this helps.

 

[Leggoma]

Yeah, I have learned more from this thread than I have trying to poke around blind on Google. P.S. The chart helped! How did you know I was a visual person? Haha.

 

[bestswmbo]

We ordered rhizomes last year from Northwest Hops. I think we put in Liberty and Gold Nugget. Our climate isn't great for them, and they died, but I'm going to try again. I thought the rhizomes were in good shape and they came with clear instructions. About now is the time to start looking. They will ship them at the correct time for you to start them indoors (you need to do so). My friend ordered with me and hers are doing very well, she lives in a slightly warmer area.