This past weekend I tilled my garden and am trying to figure out what I'll plant. It's about 5,400 square feet (1/8th acre), so I have plenty of room to do whatever I want; I could expand it even more if necessary. I still have 25 gallons of watermelon juice in my freezer because I haven't had the time to make my wine yet (too many things preoccupying me). Anyway, with my family becoming smaller (6 kids moved out and only 2 left), and tiring of canning and freezing so much, and my youngest son becoming less interested in selling produce for his spending money, I've been thinking of doing something different and planting either some grape vines or hop plants, or maybe both. I've never grown either one, but I've usually done very well with gardening with other things.
I've only made a few batches of wine over the years, but have brewed quite a few batches of beer over the past 8 to 10 years, and am now doing all grain. I've been planning my dream 'HERMS' system, too, so I've been much more partial to beer than wine -- although I wouldn't mind delving much more deeply into that, as well. Of course, neither one depends upon my garden, so whatever I choose to do won't really limit my options, but inasmuch as plantings of this sort are long-term investments -- taking a few years to mature -- I'm seeking a little advice before I make that sort of commitment. I've done some research on the Internet about growing hops, but haven't found the sort of answers or advice I'm seeking. I guess what I'm looking for is something like a poll or consensus as to whether growing hops is worth the trouble. When I compare it to growing vegetables, I can easily answer that for all the trouble, our vegetables taste better than commercial produce, and save us a pile of money. Regarding hops, from what I've read the taste doesn't seem to be a factor and in fact is problematic when trying to follow a recipe because of the variation in bittering units. Storage also seems to be much more of a problem than produce. I also wonder about the amount of work that goes into growing, harvesting, drying, and storing hops; I don't mind spending lots of time picking produce, but I'm wondering about having to use a ladder to pick hops -- or is there an easier way. I guess what I'm asking is how many folks have grown their own hops, only to eventually quit because they decided that it really isn't worth the effort? I don't know ... maybe the only way to tell is to try it myself.
Finally, I haven't read anything yet about compatibility with other plants; i.e., if I plant some hop bines in my garden, should I avoid proximity with any other plants in particular?
Any info will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Cheers, Bill Velek
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Growing Hops -- is it worth the effort?
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jean-yves
- Hollow Legs
- Posts: 367
- Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2005 1:00 pm
- Location: Brittany France
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I've plant hop last year for the first time, just for fun, to experiment and din't know any thing on it. so after some research on the web and got some answers, I decide to plant some bines, the main problem for me was the high of the plant, and I plant on the wall of my glass-house, South side.
the first thing to know is, and the most important, do you want to plant 1 or more hop bines, because for many bines you've to plant it on a line north-south to get sun and light all the day, if you plant it Est-West it must be on a wall (back of the garden) because behind the hop it'll dark all day and the other plant willn't grow and got deseases. it is not very easy to have other plants near the hop because of the high. also look at the aphids and mildew, they like it very much.
apart this problem of high, hop grow very easy and storage is not a problem in fridge if you've dry it well.
the best is to try it by your self and make research after to improve the method, here some good link:
http://my.vbe.com/~hawley/hops.htm
freshhops
hope this will help :beer
the first thing to know is, and the most important, do you want to plant 1 or more hop bines, because for many bines you've to plant it on a line north-south to get sun and light all the day, if you plant it Est-West it must be on a wall (back of the garden) because behind the hop it'll dark all day and the other plant willn't grow and got deseases. it is not very easy to have other plants near the hop because of the high. also look at the aphids and mildew, they like it very much.
apart this problem of high, hop grow very easy and storage is not a problem in fridge if you've dry it well.
the best is to try it by your self and make research after to improve the method, here some good link:
http://my.vbe.com/~hawley/hops.htm
freshhops
hope this will help :beer