growing hops

[stella]

Not sure if I am asking this in the right place but has anyone grown Hops. Did you have much sucess, are they easy. Do you know where I can buy seed?
Thanks

[sarraceniac]

Not sure if I am asking this in the right place but has anyone grown Hops. Did you have much sucess, are they easy. Do you know where I can buy seed?
Thanks

We may find that Zazen or Sars or some other Mod moves this to perhaps herbs (?) but like you I'm not sure what a hop is classed as (except I drink plenty of them). . Don't matter too much anyway I think.

Yes. I've grown them.

Yes. Total success.

Yes. Easy.

I bought mine on eBay but just google 'buy hop seed' if you don't use that and loads of sellers will I am sure appear. Just choose your favourite. I grew mine as an ornamental over an arch, not for home brewing, for which only the female plant is suitable. I wasn't bothered so just put in 12 seeds to pots and got 11 hop plants. It has great leaves in summer but dies off in winter to re-appear in spring. At least, this year, I hope it survives.

[stella]

Female plants???? Urm dont want to be obvious but how do I tell the difference......
I tried to grow maybe 6 last year which a kind Grape had sent to me but none germinated. I thought perhaps it was me and they were hard to grow. Did you do anything special for germination as for parsnips
thanks

[sarraceniac]

Apparently this is in the right place. Apparently hops can be eaten as a vegetable, it's eaten like asparagus when young.

I found that out when finding somewhere to find you a bit more about the difference. The picture at the top of this site Hop is a female hop with lots of little flowers. The male has fewer big ones.

I cold stratified the seeds for about 20 weeks in damp sand in the fridge before planting if I remember correctly. So get your seed now for planting in April and get them chilled out. Other than that no problems. Simples.