GUIDE TO GROWING AND USING HOPS

Every 'normal' person associates 'hops' with making beer - true! 

However, did you know that in the old days, hops also had a wide use for making sleep pillows and (little known fact) for use as a vegetable?  Great for when someone comes to steal your veggies from your backyard - they'll take all the tomatoes and pumpkins but chances are that they'll leave the hops!!!!

Growing hops involves planting rhizomes in rich, well-drained soil with strong vertical support (like a trellis or a sturdy fence).  They have 'bines' - not 'vines' - which can get up to 7m long and require full sun and plenty of water.  The tender shoots may be harvested throughout the growing season or the papery cones harvested in late summer. 

Hops are a vigorous, fast-growing perennial that dies back in winter and is best planted in spring after the last frost.  

HOW TO GROW HOPS?

  • Site: Full sun, good air circulation, and extremely sturdy vertical support (poles, trellis) for bines that can reach 7m in height.

  • Soil: Rich, well-drained soil amended with compost or manure; raised beds or mounds help drainage.

  • Planting: Plant dormant rhizomes in early spring (or autumn/winter) horizontally with buds pointing up, about 10cm deep in mounds, 1m apart.

  • Watering: Water deeply but infrequently, especially as plants mature; use drip irrigation to avoid leaf diseases.

  • Training: Once shoots appear (they grow fast!), guide the strongest bines (not vines) onto your support and prune excess shoots.

  • Pests: Watch for spider mites in hot, dry weather; neem oil or predatory mites can help. 

   

HARVESTING AND USING HOPS

  • Harvest: Late summer/early autumn, when cones feel papery, release a yellow powder (lupulin), and smell fragrant.

  • Brewing: Use fresh or dried cones; the lupulin provides bitterness, aroma, and flavor in beer.

  • Herbal/Crafts: Dry cones for fragrant "sleep pillows" with lavender.

  • Vegetable: Harvest young, tender shoots in spring, cooking them like asparagus or pickling them. 
     

Eating Hop Shoots (Spring Harvest)

  • Raw: Snap off the tender tips and add them to salads for a fresh, crisp bite, like mild green beans or asparagus.
  • Sautéed/Grilled: Sauté with butter or oil and garlic, or grill them like asparagus.
  • Pickled: Easily pickle them in a spicy dill brine for a zesty condiment.
  • In Dishes: Use as a pizza topping or mix into risotto. 
  •  

Hop Cones (Late Summer/Fall Harvest)

  • Infused Oil/Vinegar: Steep dried or fresh cones in oil or vinegar for salad dressings.

  • Syrups & Honey: Boil hops with sugar for a bittersweet syrup or infuse honey for drinks and desserts.

  • Baking: Add ground hops to bread dough for a complex flavor.

  • Desserts: Use in ice cream, brownies, or even hot chocolate for a unique twist.

  • Broth: Infuse hop cones in broth for seafood dishes. 


HOW TO PROPAGATE HOPS?

  • To harvest hop rhizomes, dig carefully around the established plant in late winter/early spring (dormant season) to expose the crown, gently shake off dirt to find firm sections with buds (eyes), and use clean shears to snip off 10-12cm pieces with a few buds, leaving the main crown intact for future growth, focusing on extracting root sections without damaging the mother plant. 

  • Best Time: Late winter or early spring, while the plant is dormant and before new growth starts, but the ground isn't frozen or muddy.  This is when energy is stored in the roots, making it ideal for propagation and minimizing stress on the plant. 

  • Identify Viable Rhizomes: Look for firm, fleshy sections with visible buds or "eyes" (small white/purple shoots).
     
  • Preserve the Mother Plant: Always leave the main crown undisturbed and ensure you leave enough root structure so the original plant can regrow.