I've Created a Monster !!! - Hops

[Crispy Hedgehog]

Hi all,

Not posted on here for a while, since well before Christmas. Anyway, my eldest daughter thought she would buy me a novelty Christmas present:

http://www.giftrepublic.com/Product.asp ... STERGROWME

As you can see from the link above - it is to be treated as a novelty gift......... well heart over-ruled head and I followed the destructions, which to be fair were very plain and simple. You can see where this post is going!

Anyway. Put the seed packet in the fridge for a couple of weeks, just before the new year. Took them out again on 12 Jan 13 and sow them in the little coconut "pot" and soil provided. Not thinking anything more about them, I hadn't even watered them, other than making the compact disc of supplied soil moist enough to expand and fill the pot. I had cut up a large 2Ltr fizzy drink bottle, to make a cloche. So this is how they have been since 12 Jan:



So, got home tonight and had a quick look and (yes you guessed it!!):



The little green shoot is so small, but is definately there. Apologies for the poor picture quality, but had to rely on my phone. Hopefully I can get some more coming through.

[Hogarth]

I love the manufacturer's claim that 'growing beer hops at home is the first step towards brewing your own beer!' Sure ... and planting your own barley.

Still, it's a nice present. And I reckon we get too hung up on hop varieties. When it's grown a cone or two, bung them in at the end of the boil and see what they taste like.

[Crispy Hedgehog]

I know what you mean. Hopefully I can get this one to grow a bit this season and then kick on next year. I dont really have a green finger so anything could happen.

As for which hop variety it is, I had actually e-mailed the company and asked. Their reply was that they are "Common Hop" seeds So if anybody has any ideas what that could mean the feel free to suggest. Personally I'm thinking along the Fuggle or Golding.

[Belter]

Common hops are usually Golden hops (not Golding) and aren't generally used to brew with.

No one says you can't though.

[scuppeteer]

And they won't be the same as the parent because of natural selection.

[Crispy Hedgehog]

Oh well nothing ventured and all that. Might just see what happens and take it from there. I think the "Golden" is an ornamental variety rather than one used for brewing. Is that correct

[Crispy Hedgehog]

Well, for anybody interested, in the last 3 weeks the plant has put a tiny bit of foliage on and started to grow a little bigger (approx 1 1/2 Inch high):



Having done some research it looks like this variety (presuming it's a Golden), likes to overtake everything in the garden. Therefore I'm thinking that this one will be potted in a large pot and then trained and pruned to stop it going hay-wire. Certainly expected to be a "monster" if kept unchecked .