Hops

[pdblake]

Not sure this is in the right place so feel free to move it

Is anyone growing their own hops and has anyone grown them from seed?

I notice that GreenChronicle are selling them for 99p a pack and thought I might give them a go. Is there an easy way to tell the male and female plants apart before they get too big so I can 'cull the cockerels' so to speak?

[Two_Sheds]

I'm sure this has been mentioned recently. Hang on, I'll do a search.

[Two_Sheds]

there's about a dozen older threads on hops. Here's one: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...lant-seed.html

[pdblake]

Thanks TS. I had a quick look about but didn't do a proper search

[maypril]

If you have neighbours, please be considerate as hops stink

[WrexTheDragon]

If you have neighbours, please be considerate as hops stink

I have Progress Fuggle and Goldings growing for the last few years. No smell from mine while they grow, it is only when dried in October that they smell.

Best way is to buy is bare root (approx £7), but be quick as they sell out quickly.

[sarraceniac]

I have Progress Fuggle and Goldings growing for the last few years. No smell from mine while they grow, it is only when dried in October that they smell.

Best way is to buy is bare root (approx £7), but be quick as they sell out quickly.

Wrex. As I've said on another thread somewhere, I grow from seed as an ornamental (I wouldn't be allowed to use them for any other purpose ) and they do smell, but it is very faint and it is lovely. Doesn't smell like beer at all. It is a clean smell and was/still is of course used for hop pillows to aid sleep. A very somnambulistic effect.

There is no way you can tell the sex of of a hop until it starts to grow properly by the way PD. The males are not as pretty as the females either when they get bigger .

[sarraceniac]

Somebody on another hops thread told me that hops are not very hardy. Can't actually find it but it looks like that person was mistaken. When I grew mine from seed (as an ornamental) I only wanted one over a pergola and got a near 100% germination from 10 seeds (so they aren't difficult either). Based on the info the grape had given me about the frozen north I decided early Feb. that, as they need a few weeks in the fridge, I'd better get some new seed which I planted last week. Just visited a neighbour whom I'd given one of the originals to. ' My hop is in bud,' she said. And it was. When I got home I checked my own and, yes, new growth is showing. If they could stand this winter then they are hardy. Very hardy. If the new ones germinate, I'll start a Yorkshire Hop Garden.