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The Synopsis
Spring is the perfect time to plant hops. Hops grow quite well in most climates with just a little water and a small amount of attention. You should think of hops as what would be called a "bare root" plant. Placed into soil in the Spring, roots will sprout from a Rhizome and then growth will emerge to become a hop vine. By mid to late summer hop flowers will emerge and begin maturing. Now is the time to start thinking about the satisfaction of using your own home grown hops in beers you will be brewing later this summer and beyond. It's probably as close to being self sufficient as you can get as a brewer... unless you plant the front yard in Barley (which we don't suggest unless you have a really understanding spouse and a very large front yard).
The Background
Hop Rhizomes are cuttings from the underground branch stock that constitute one of the two ways in which hop plants generate new vines. As the Rhizome grows it crawls, sending new vine shoots up as long as it is allowed to spread. (The second way hops spread are via pollination and seed production, when allowed.) Each year, hop growers thin out fields or "yards" and harvest some of excess Rhizome mass for propagation in new yards. We'll touch upon and explain a bit later why seed production and planting is not a preferred method. They make some of the Rhizomes available to us, the home brewing community, for hop growing fun. This ultimately provides for the personal satisfaction of using our own "home grown" hops in a recipe.
Roots, Branches, Flowers, Seeds & Vines?
A little about plants in general, and hops in particular. We've established that a Rhizome is an underground runner. Some plants have this capability and others do not. Those that cannot must rely on seed production or cuttings that root for re-population. Hops are one of the plants that exhibit this underground branching and sprouting behavior. In the wild this gave the early hop ancestors an advantage by allowing them to spread without seeds or the aid of wind, birds, insects, etc. Hops can also produce seeds and multiply via that method but that is not how we grow them for beer use.
So then, Rhizomes
Since hop plants are distinctly either male or female, plants created by seed may be either one. If male and female plants of a variety were to grow, pollination would occur. That would result in varietal seed formation, but because man could and animals would unavoidably transport seeds and cause new plants to grow in an area with a different variety, cross pollination would naturally occur. The resulting hybrid seeds would mean less varietal purity and potential continual change in future plant generations. Fortunately for all of us, hops do have the alternative means of propagation via Rhizome transfer. Rhizome cuttings of known female plants become the only reasonable means of plant reproduction for brewing purposes. The complete lack of male plants means no seeds and control of varietal purity. Other than purposeful hop hybridization programs and a few misguided boutique ornamental plant seed sellers, no one uses seeds or grows male plants on purpose. And, flowers produced by male plants have no favorable brewing flavors or aromas, so are thus very undesirable!
The Basics of Hop Growing
It's simple. Rhizomes, after harvest, are kept dormant by keeping them cool. Planting is easy. Place the Rhizome in soil so that the buds (or area about to bud) are about 1 to 2 inches below the surface. Make certain the soil is nice and rich so it will hold moisture, but loose enough to provide good drainage. The sunniest location possible is best. Once planted there isn't much work to do. Make sure to water lightly but frequently, keeping the soil from becoming dry where the Rhizome is until you see signs of growth. Then water as necessary to keep moist but not wet. By the way, a little fertilizer wouldn't hurt (that goes for all your plants!) And yes, they can be planted in containers, and in fact do quite well.
As the Rhizome begins to grow, a shoot (or shoots) break ground and a root system begins to develop. Trim off all but 2 or 3 of the hardiest shoots. Trying to support too much above ground growth would be impossible for the fledgling root system the first year. Once the shoots develop leaves you will need to give them something to climb on, as they will soon become vines. That can be a fence line, a trellis, a string tied to a pole or just about anything that will keep the vine off of the ground. If on a small trellis you will need to keep training the vine to stay on the trellis rather than wander off on its own. Over the following 2 to 3 months the vine will grow and then begin to form flower buds, usually in small clusters. The flowers will get larger, begin to open, and eventually open wider and begin to dry slightly. That can happen as early as late July to as late as late September or October depending on hop variety and your local climate. The flowers are cone-like in appearance, and thinking of them like a maturing pine cone will help guide you. When the "cones" begin to open substantially they are ready for harvest. They will begin to fade slightly in color and the outer petals will begin to dry. Remember, if there were seeds, they would have formed under the petals and the opening cone would allow the seeds to drop. At that time either pick them and use them immediately, or seal them in a zip lock bag and freeze for long term storage. That's it!
Remember... you snooze and you lose. Rhizomes are only available in the Spring and when they're gone, they're gone 'til next year. Plant early and plant often! Give a Hop a Home. Adopt a Hop! Become a Hop Rancher and herd Hops for fun and profit.
Note: You can learn more about Hop Rhizomes by listening to our podcast, Brewium Radio: Episode 1. Check out our podcast page for all the topics we cover. If you don't see the episode you're looking for, check the archives.
