What kind of hops should i grow

Since you are in SLC, avoid the ones that like cool coastal locations. Warm, dry and sunny are the ones for you. Quote from: hopfenundmalz on March 09, , pm. Quote from: corkybstewart on March 09, , pm.

Thanks for the link. I think I will go with cascade, columbus, and northern brewer. Quote from: weithman5 on March 09, , pm. Quote from: uintafly on March 09, , pm. Life begins at I saw Zeus and Columbus on sale last year. The actual onset of growth will vary from grower to grower depending on local spring temperatures.

Growers need not worry if vines in Central California break before those in Montana: emergence varies with climate. Planting begins with rhizomes. If your planting preparations are delayed, the rhizomes must be refrigerated in a plastic bag to prevent them from drying.

Ideally, you should plant rhizomes in early spring, but no later than May; late planting limits the plant's growth potential. In colder climates, you can start rhizomes in pots and transplant them into the ground by June. When you are ready, plant the rhizomes vertically with the buds pointing upward or horizontally about 2 in.

Spacing between rhizomes varies. You can plant mixed varieties, but plant them at least 5 ft apart; identical varieties can be planted as close as 3 ft apart. Care and Feeding: Like any young plant, too much water may cause more harm than good. During their first year, young hops have a minimal root system and require frequent short waterings.

Mulching the soil surface with organic matter is a great method for conserving moisture and helps control weeds. After the first season the plant is established, and less-frequent deep watering such as drip irrigation works well. Don't expect much growth or many flowers during the first year because the plant is establishing its root system. Instead, look forward to the second year when hops are full grown and produce healthy crops of fragrant flowers.

When the hop vines are about 1 ft long, select two or three strong vines and wrap them clockwise around a support system. The support system can be a trellis, tall pole, or strong twine. Hops mainly grow vertically, but lateral sidearms extend off the main vine. The main concern is to support the vines and prevent the sidearms from tangling. Tangled vines become an especially great concern when mixed varieties are planted in the same yard. In newly planted hop yards, the growth that appears is a cause for celebration.

Growers have a tendency of letting every shoot grow and climb. Although this is understandable, leave only selected shoots and trim the weaker ones at ground level. This may be painful for the first-time gardener, but it forces the strength of the root into the hardier shoots. The selected shoots will take care of themselves once they've been trained, or wrapped.

The early growth of a hop yard is amazing to watch; if you are not attentive, however, a jungle of vines is sure to develop. Severe trimming, like two to three shoots per vine, is an essential task that must be done every few weeks.

Neglected trimming sessions can cause you to have a difficult harvest if you are struggling with tangled vines. Growing hops at home is a rewarding project; however, a few hazards merit concern. Hops have unseen enemies that can cause much frustration. With a close eye, however, you can spot these diseases and pests before your hop vines wither or become unmanageable.

Downy mildew Pseudoperonospora humuli is the main culprit of unhealthy hops. The mildew appears in the spring when the new shoots begin to grow. While some shoots are healthy, others will look brittle or spiky. Once the shoot develops into a spike, it will no longer grow. Other characteristics to look for are curled underleaves with a silvery upper surface and black underside.

Infected leaves must be removed because they are a source of infection for the rest of the vine. Downy mildew needs moisture to germinate, making sprinkle irrigation a bad idea when your vines show mildew infection.

Drip irrigation is a better source of watering because the foliage remains dry and the water goes right to the roots where it is needed. The chances of downy mildew infecting your plants will be less if you strip the bottom 3 ft of the vines; these bottom leaves produce no cones, so your harvest will be unaffected.

If I was limited to three, they would be Fuggle, Nugget and Cascades. Joined Nov 6, Messages 62, Reaction score 6, I planted Cascade and Mt Hood last year.

Cascade did nothing, Got about 8 cones on the Mt. Hoping to see those cascade sprout this year. Thanks for the suggestions, I'm still unsure, I was thinking now, maybe some cascade at least This is good information to help me decide.

Thanks for the help! As has been asked, are you more of a traditional brewer or experimental? That is really what you have to get to the heart of. Now granted some types may do better in your locale than others, your extension can probably help with that maybe. The way I view it is one good method is to get a high alpha bittering hop going simply because imho it is more utilitarian to use high alpha hops for bittering and then flavor and aroma with another variety.

It is very difficult near impossible for most to tell what hops are used in the bittering addition. Granted some hops that are lower in bittering compounds may have higher yields, but I imagine you see my point.

Colombus aka Zeus I believe or Magnum is probably a good choice. I have been contemplating 2 bittering per one aromatic. Any hophead would plant more aromatic hops than bittering. Joined Jul 26, Messages Reaction score 3. Most bittering hops are high in alpha acid and consequently not as many are needed in most beers. Essex Member.

Joined Jan 16, Messages 10 Reaction score 0. Dave I just ordered three rhizomes. Joined Jan 4, Messages 12, Reaction score McKBrew said:. I think I will plant them here for this year, then possibly around the fence line. I plan to plant in pots so my yields may be low Get big pots! You really want to plant these, I think, because they root like mad!

Really, the roots spread out like 5 feet in the first couple of years. And that's what makes them flourish in latter years because they have strong roots. If you plant it, you will be able to transplant it and propogate it to somewhere else, so unless there is an issue with the soil or the space or whatever, I'd recommend you try to plant them. Sounds like you will have a very bitter and enjoyable harvest season!

Dual-purpose hops will give you the most bang for your buck. Any yield coming from a dual-purpose hop plant will provide you a product that will work for either aroma or bittering. Featured photo of Chinook hops by Mark Ahlness. Probably Teamaker. Get our in-depth articles delivered weekly right to your inbox. You'll need to find your own beer though. Beer Maverick is a website built for and by avid homebrewers and craft beer drinkers. We aim to provide in-depth brewing information for everyone from beginners to experts.

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What You Cannot Grow Unfortunately, every variety of hop is not available to be homegrown. So how can you tell if a hop is available to be home grown? Hops not marked as field grade are generally picked from older stock and are generally larger, more mature plants of varying size.

We suggest you plant more than one of these per hole. Location, Location, Location While hops will grow in just about any climate, it is important to pick a variety that is known to do well in your area. Making the Purchase There are a lot of places online to buy hop rhizomes.

A few of my favorite online stores to buy hop plants are: BuyHopRhizomes. NB usually has a very limited number of varieties for purchase. They also have decent pricing and a wide selection available. Thyme Garden — This online store has what appears to be the widest selection of rhizomes anywhere.

They have hop varieties listed that I have not been able to find anywhere else. Each rhizome they sell is one complete dormant crown, or a field-ready transplant.