Growing Hops at Home:

The Top 6 Things Every Grower Should Know!!

There is a lot of information about Growing Hops at home that can sometimes be confusing…… in this article we make it simple and we bust through some of the jargon to help you better understand hops and how to grow them.

1. It All Starts With a Hop Rhizome

 A Hop Rhizome is simply a root taken from another hop plant. It has literally been cut from an established Hop Plant and it’s what all hop growers need to get their hands on to start growing hops at home.

The hop rhizome is what you plant, water and care for. The Rhizome will turn into a plant and if looked after correctly, it will produce beautiful hops.

2. You Say Hop Vine I Say Hop Bine

Is it a Hop Vine or A Hop Bine? Does it matter?

Not really……… but the correct term is a hop bine. (click here to read wikipeda for the technical differences)

 3. It Can Grow How Big?

A hop plant can grow up to 6m in height (if you want it to). Because a Hop Plant needs something to grow on or along, the height of your supporting structure (if can just be your fence if you want) will determine the height of your hop plant.

So when you are planting your rhizome. Think about how you want to support your plant and determine how big you want it to grow. 

4. There Are How Many Hop Varieties?

There are over 80 hop varieties available in the world today.

Now, that’s a lot of hop varieties to choose from, but if you visit your local gardening center or if you search hop rhizomes on the internet you will be able to find what is available in your area.

When you decide on Growing hops at home, some common names you will see are cascade, perle, chinook, Saaz, and Willamette. (For more on hop varieties refer USAhops.org)

5. There is a Hop Shortage

Because of the explosion of craft brewing and people placing more emphasis on good tasting beer, hops are in demand. You can still find hops on the market but bigger breweries and micro-breweries are snapping hops up quickly.

So if you want your own supply that will continue to give you fresh hops year after year, you should be growing hops at home!

6. Growing Hops is Rewarding 

It’s incredibly rewarding knowing that you were able to grow and use your own home grown hops.

Everybody can get their hands on pelletized hops but not everybody has access to fresh hop cones.

So whether you’re looking to add your own touch to your beer or that you simply want easy access to one of the key ingredients…… growing hops at home will give your beer an extra edge on all other home brewers and even some breweries.

Want more information?

Growing hops at home is easy and its made even easier by checking out more articles at www.growinghopsathome.com