Hops! Plant or Seed?

[JamesA]

Hi all, been toying with the idea of getting a hop plant to train along my fence. Should i get a plant or do they grow quickly and easily from seed?

Anyone else grow them at all? Ayy help and advice would be great!

[Mcbee]

I'm thinking of growing them, but I think I'll get a plant. From what I've read its only the female plants that get the "hops" and the websites i've looked at guarantee sending you a female.

With seeds you'll probably get females - but i wouldn't know the difference! And anyway - i only want 1 plant!!

[Shaun the Sheep]

I've grown golden hops from cuttings and I assume they are male because there are no hops. But they are incredibly vigorous and cover a fence and everything around in no time at all. The are starting to grow now and I cut off some shoots today to start some new plants for a plant sale later in the spring

[JamesA]

What web sites have you been looking at McBee?

Ive got about 32foot of fence it can cover, so should give it a bit of room! What sort of soil do they like Shaun? I could put it in a big pot, but there is a small patch of rough ground between the shed and the fence i could put it in maybe.

[Shaun the Sheep]

Sorry, I missed your question. In my experience they will grow in anything. My soil is very shallow over chalk and flints and the hops romp away. I think in fertile soil they would be unstoppable. Good luck!

[Two_Sheds]

I nicked this snippet off another forum:
"I've been growing hops on the allotment for about 4 years, Goldings and Fuggles.
I originally planted 2 plants of each, and propagated additional plants from pruning. In totally I have 4 plants of each variety. I train 6 vines from each plant up 14 foot wire. After drying the hops I can get approx 2 to 3 kg each year"

[StephenH]

You could look for wild hops in hedgerows, note if they've got fruit on them in the autumn, and take cuttings. They're a fairly common hedgerow plant. I am thinking of doing that myself, and taking up beer-making, having noticed some wild hops growing near me - or maybe I could simply go there at the appropriate time of year and pick the hops where they are. It's like blackberries - why grow them in your garden when they are plentiful in the wild?

[JILLY JACKSON]

i would like a hop pillow,as shown on "grow your own drugs" would have thought for my needs that to buy some from someone else.Where would that be? Wont need many.

[JamesA]

Jilly, have a look here, they sell all sorts.
The Hop Shop - Castle Farm - Shoreham - Kent

Myself, ive ordered a Golden Tassel to train along the fence, should make it look a lot nicer and give me a crop of hops as well

Aplus Hops

[JILLY JACKSON]

Thanks James,looks very good!

[gypsophelia]

hops plants

hi my husband got some hops plants from the UK oct 2008 we had three kilos of hops from their first summer last year and they have gone mad ,we have goldings and i cant remember the other two (will find out later today)- i have some rooted plants from where they have spread. My husband is driving back to the uk on 10th may - he can bring some back and post them on to you if you like(no good posting at moment with the flight problems)