Any one experience with growing hops?

lostinrates

I'm looking at buying hops this month mainly as summer cover for an agricultural building but also for decorative use. A friend is a microbrewer and would like some too, so obviously will get a say in variety but primarily, I want first pick for covering the building and having some for decorative purposes.



I have never grown hops at all. Nor am I really a beer drinker, and certainly not a conisseur so looking at varieties for brewing my friend will definitely get the say, but I don't want to be drowned out when it comes to something for best use for us.

The wall space is sixty feet long, I haven't yet decided how many varities to grow, but would like more than one I think.


Although fuggle seems ubiquitous, and I guess that's for a reason? I quite like the sound of Phoenix for decorative purposes. The way cascade is described as smelling sounds appealing too.....citrusy. But I'm wondering if we should stick to a British variety?

I live in the south west in a cold spot, if that makes any difference.

DaftyDuck

Well, I grow them up old apple trees in the orchard here in Kent. I do use them to make beer - unsuccessfully on the whole - but mainly because they are dramatic, smell lovely, and cover a multitude of sins. Oh, and it just seems right for Kentish apple trees.

I'm no expert! Just do it for fun. Like the rest of my garden, really.

I've grown Kent Goldings (not sure exactly which - there are several cultivars I believe) and Fuggle, as well as a few ornamental and wild-gathered forms. Fuggle was the prettiest. I think I grew ?Bramlings/(can't be Bramley)? as a scented variety, but wasn't noticeably better smelling. The root run is dramatic; try digging them out in a hurry, and you'll kill your back and the spade. Try pulling, and they'll slice your fingers.

I did grow Fuggles in North Yorkshire very successfully in a sheltered spot, so they will grow in worse climes, but I guess the hop isn't as oily or fragrant.

Coverage potential is infinite. First year was a disappointment, second pretty good, thereafter dramatic. I was actually out winter pruning the apples in that area, and there were hop shoots aplenty already a few inches high!

lostinrates

Thank you!

Oh, so fuggle is pretty as well as popular?

Ok, on the list if my friend wants it, then something scented too.

DaftyDuck

Well, they are all pretty, in my opinion. At least until they die back, then they are pretty ... lank!

Just remember, if using to cover an outbuilding, the roots are very invasive, and tough as old boots. Not sure what damage they'd do to old foundations....

lostinrates

We're going to grow them in big water troughs. We've read a bit about container growing of hops, so know views are mixed. That we have no expectation of what they could achieve outside a container probably helps! Looking at the pots people are using on blogs the water troughs we are opting for look considerably 'better' sized.

My main concern is what to use as the growing medium, as we'll be using an awful lot of what ever we use.

DaftyDuck

From my experience, I don't think they'll be fussy, aside from wanting good drainage. I think they'd survive on coal waste, toenails and tarmac trimmings, and still grow to several metres.

More seriously, mine are currently on poorly-draining clay soil as a base, so I add in a large quantity of unrefined compost and leaf mould. I wouldn't dare offer them fertiliser of any kind, as they'd have my arm off.

So, assuming you've holes in the troughs, I'd use whatever soil you have mixed with some gravel/general debris for drainage, and add some compost for luck. Then run to safety. They do grow (second year on... first will be "oh, is that it?". No, it isn't! )

lostinrates

DaftyDuck wrote: »

From my experience, I don't think they'll be fussy, aside from wanting good drainage. I think they'd survive on coal waste, toenails and tarmac trimmings, and still grow to several metres.

More seriously, mine are currently on poorly-draining clay soil as a base, so I add in a large quantity of unrefined compost and leaf mould. I wouldn't dare offer them fertiliser of any kind, as they'd have my arm off.

So, assuming you've holes in the troughs, I'd use whatever soil you have mixed with some gravel/general debris for drainage, and add some compost for luck. Then run to safety. They do grow (second year on... first will be "oh, is that it?". No, it isn't! )

We're on clay too.

Like the sound of your potting mix


We certainly don mt have enough of our own compost to go that as a major components, but I was going to stick a fair bit of muck and in....you think hold back on the muck a bit then? Interesting.

Drainage......we have course stone from building works or sand as an option.....

I'll get clipping toenails. :rotfl:

peter_the_piper

We have a lovely one, self sown, in the edge of a concrete path. This is a fuggles and is very easy to take cuttings from. It also does self sow all over the place if you don't collect all the hops.

jonewer

I'm a homebrewer and grow my own hops (fuggles and cob goldings). These are the essential english hops and can be used to make most old world beer styles.

They are indeed beautiful things but be aware that they can be very vigrous and very invasive. They spread like mad and can put roots down very deep. So give a lot of thought to where you want to plant one.

Other than that they are effectively zero maintainance, just cut them down to the ground in autumn and watch for aphids in spring.

jonewer

By the way, unless I'm mistaken, Cascade is still proprietary. You wont be able to just buy one.

lostinrates

jonewer wrote: »

By the way, unless I'm mistaken, Cascade is still proprietary. You wont be able to just buy one.

Well, I can buy something being sold as cascade from a few sources on line.


Vigorous couldn't be better, and I think buy growing in big troughs we're coing to control invasive ness. Self seeding we'll watch out for, but its an area that (should ) be swept regularly. Certainly ATM they'd be plenty of stuff for something self sown to get its feet into. :o

I suppose if I'm cslow to sweep but quick to pot up anything self sown could be gate sale fodder ( though won't be clear which variety it is I guess) or grown on for village plant sale....