Are you an independent brewer who wants to make the leap in quality by growing his own hops? Hops, one of the basic ingredients of beer, can grow in all temperate climates. Learn how to plant, care and harvest your hops, so you can enjoy the satisfaction of creating a real home brew.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Preparation
Step 1. Purchase hop rhizomes
Hop plants are grown from rhizomes, pieces of a plant that give life to another. The rhizomes are available in early spring when hop growers weed them out and sell them to suppliers. Order them on the internet or check at local nurseries. You will need to plant them in late spring, after the last frost.
- Do your research to decide which variety of rhizomes to buy. Hops affect the taste of beer. Do you want to prepare a light beer with citrus notes, or one with wood or floral scents? Choose a variety that is suitable for the type of beer you want to create.
- When you have obtained the hops, wrap them with damp paper towels and store them in the refrigerator to keep them from drying out, until the moment of implantation.
Step 2. Choose a place to plant hops
Find an area of your garden that is illuminated by the sun at least 6 to 8 hours a day. In addition to needing a lot of sun, hops require the following conditions to thrive:
- Lots of vertical space. Hops grow on vines that extend 7, 5 meters or more upwards. You can choose a spot close to the house so that you can lean a tall pergola against the roof. If you prefer not to use the roof, you can stop the arbor against a solid post or other structure close to the garden.
- Well-drained soil. Choose a spot that drains well; if you often notice puddles of water after heavy rains, the soil is not suitable.
Step 3. Prepare the ground for the planting
Measure the area where you want to plant the hops, and use a rake and hoe or plow to break up the soil. It should become loose, without large lumps or dense spots. Remove stones and driftwood from the area and weed out the roots.
- Fertilize the soil by raking in manure, bone meal, or compost. These products help the plant grow healthy and strong by enriching the soil with the nutrients it lacks.
- Make sure the soil is loose and fertilized up to 30 centimeters deep.
Method 2 of 4: Planting and Caring for Hops
Step 1. Create a mound of earth for each rhizome you will plant
You should raise them about three feet apart so that the hops have enough space to grow.
Step 2. Plant the hops
Dig a 10 cm hole in each pile. Plant the rhizome horizontally, with the roots down. Cover it with soil and compact it lightly, then put straw or mulch on it to prevent weeds from growing. Always keep the soil moist until the hops begin to sprout.
Step 3. Tie the vines
When the hops sprout from the ground and reach about 6 inches, they need to be tied to the pergola you are using to encourage vertical growth. Place the trellis next to the plants and gently tie it around its base.
- Continue tying the hops for a few days. After some time, they will begin to grow on their own in a clockwise direction around the trellis.
- If any of the sprouting shoots look damaged or weak, remove them instead of allowing them to take up space on the trellis. Each rhizome should produce between 4 and 6 healthy vines.
Step 4. Prune the vines
After a few months of growth, prune the leaves of the lowest 120 cm of the vine. This will prevent the plants from being damaged by diseases or fungi in the soil.
Step 5. Take care of the plants
Keep weeding around the hops. Water them every day to keep the soil moist, but don't flood it. Keep caring for hops like this until late summer, when harvest time is over.
Method 3 of 4: Harvest and Dry the Hops
Step 1. Examine the pine cones
In late summer, when it's time to harvest hops, examine the pinecones on the vines to see if they are ripe. Hop cones are ripe when dry and paper-like in texture, aromatic, supple and filled with yellow lupulin powder. Smash one to check it's ripe.
- Pine cones that are heavy and green are not ready yet. Be patient; your hops can also ripen in the fall.
- Don't leave pinecones on the vine until they turn brown.
Step 2. Collect the ripe pine cones
Gently remove them from the plant. Some pine cones will ripen faster than others, so leave the ones that still need time on the plant.
- You can use a ladder to collect pinecones out of your reach.
- If it seems like all hops are ripening at the same time, and you'd rather not use a ladder, cut the creeper at the base. Lay it on the ground and remove the pine cones.
Step 3. Dry the hops
Place them on a flat surface away from sunlight. Make sure you don't overlap them. Turn on a fan and let it blow on the hops for a few hours. Turn them over and continue drying on the other side. Continue drying and turning the hops until there is no more moisture on their surface.
- You can also store the hops in a plastic bag in a cool, dark, dry place to dry out over the course of a few weeks.
- Check the websites for home brewers for hop drying kits that can speed up the process.
Step 4. Store the hops
You should keep them in vacuum bags for storing food in the refrigerator. If you won't use them for a while, you can freeze them.
Method 4 of 4: Caring for Plants after Harvest
Step 1. Cut the vines
When you are done harvesting, cut them up to one meter high. The first frost will cause them to die, and at that point you can cut them even more and cover them with a tarp or other protective cover for the rest of the winter.
Step 2. Revive the plants in spring
Use a shovel to uncover the rhizomes and cut off the roots. Fertilize the soil around them and plant them in piles of about 30 cm. Add a layer of mulch and wet the soil with water until the seedlings pop out of the soil again.
