Does anyone have any experience growing their own hops?

[Scerakor]

As a novice hombrewer who likes the taste of hoppy beers, I thought I would try my hand at growing some of my own. I have regularly maintained a vegetable garden and herb garden over the last few years but have never really tried my hand at anything like this.

Has anyone here had any experience growing hops either for decoration or for homebrewing? Do you have any tips / tricks / advice on how to get the most out of my new hop plant? Any information you can provide on your experiences will be much appreciated!

 

[warmweatherwoman]

I know a little about the process from research:

They can be very easy to grow- Hop Vines grow from a rhizome, which is essentially a piece of root taken from a larger, mature plant. You plant it in the ground in the late spring and small, green shoots pop out of the ground a few weeks later.

A hop vine can be very vigorous, growing up to 2' per week till the end of June when growth slows down and the plant enters into flowering stage.

The Hops Rhizomes are available once per year, typically in March/April, after the farms dig up the rhizomes and ship them to suppliers.

Remember that hops prefer light-textured, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 - 8.0. If drainage is a problem, build mounds for planting. Make sure to dig holes about 1 foot deep so some manure or other slow release organic fertilizers such as cottonseed meal, bone meal, rock phosphate, etc… can be mixed with your soil and returned to the hole so the nutrient are in the root zone. Plant mixed varieties at least 5' (feet) apart to prevent tangling. Identical varieties can be planted as close as 3' apart. You should also consider how you will support the vine when selecting a location.

Hops like to climb so planting close to a fence, wall or post is a good idea. Many people connect a strong twine/string from a stake in the ground to a hook secured in their house, fence, etc. After the hops pop out of the ground, and when they are about 1 foot in length, wrap them clockwise around your support string or pole. They will continue to grow up the string, occasionally needing your help in being wrapped. In the first year, when growth is not too vigourous, you can even use a long 8' stake.

There is more information where I got this from...just visit :
http://morebeer.com/content/growing-hops

 

[Whitewolf2578]

Always wanted to grow my own hops as the beer I tried to make didn't turn out well. I think I was expecting my first batch to be perfect. Ah well, I will probably try to grow some of my own hops and try again.