Hops: How to Grow and When to Plant in Your Backyard or Patio Garden!

Hops blog post
Hops are a perennial bine that is grown for its flowers that is used commonly in home beer brewing. It is important to have both a male and a female plant as the male pollinates the flowers on the female bine.

How to Grow:

Hops rhizomes can be planted as soon as the last spring frost has occurred. You can see specific dates for your location using our FREE iOS, Android, and Universal Web App.

Hops can get very large growing up to 25 feet! Space out your plants at least 3 feet away from each other. Hops will require a trellis to help support their height. Hops will require full sun. Take care to notice what plants are around the area as well, see the companion plant section below. Plant your rhizomes 2 inches deep. Once planted, it will take approximately 7-21 days to sprout. Make sure to keep soil consistently moist during this phase. Provide plenty of water, especially during the first year as they are growing. Try to avoid wetting the leaves to prevent disease.

Companion Plants:

Companion planting is a vital part of organic gardening. Companion plants assist in the growth of others by attracting beneficial insects, repelling pests, or providing nutrients, shade, or support. There are also plants that do not like being next to each other. Some plants get too tall and can provide too much shade for your plant. Sometimes certain plants attract the same pests, so it is important to try and separate these.

         GoodBad
BasilLemongrassElderberry
Beans (Pole)Marigolds 
CantaloupeParsley 
ChivesPeas 
Cilantro/CorianderPumpkins 
CornSouthern Peas (Black-Eyed Peas) 
DillThyme 
GarlicTurmeric 
GingerWatermelon 
Honeydew  

See companion plants for 90+ foods in our FREE iOS, Android, and Universal Web app!

Pests:

Pests can be one of the most difficult challenges you face in the garden. We strive to grow food without the use of pesticide and luckily there are natural solutions for most of these nasty pests! The pests listed below are common ones for pole beans:

Learn more about how to manage pests and attract beneficial insects in our FREE iOS, Android, and Universal Web App!

Harvesting:

Hops will need at least 120 days before producing flowers. You will know when your hops are ready for harvest when they feel papery and light. After you pick the cones you will need to dry them by either using a dehyrator or laid on a screen to dry. Store in freezer for later use.

Cooking & Eating!

Homebrewers will use hops in their beer to give it its signature characteristics. There are many different varieties that will give you different flavors and characteristics. Check out the varieties section for more information on varieties available!

 

Learn more about growing over 90 different foods, including how to manage various pests in our FREE iOS, Android, or new Universal Web App!

 

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