HI all, I was given a root cutting of hops in autumn and looks like it is going to grow, I have it in a pot at the moment. anyone have experience growing and using this plant and have any advise as to a suitable location to plant it out in...TIA
Kali
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thankyou for those tips, I saw some very elaborate contraptions for growing hops when I googled, those were some diehard beer brewers on there.lol. I will try to locate a suitable tree to support it and maybe plant within a tyre to try and keep the rhizomes in one place, as my donor had done. his plants were prostrate over some bushes and hard to get to to pic . I have been wanting to make a sleep promoting pillow with the dried flowers ever since I saw it on grow your own drugs. good to know about the edible shoots too thanks Katharina
Hi Kali, Jane here. They are growing it around Nelson, Motueka way so you could google them and I am sure they would help.
I have some, I love the smell of the flowers and distil them, the hydrosol is a relaxant. It like well drained soil and lots of sun. It dies right back in winter and comes back with avengence in summer.
I am no expert, but as it grows in the UK, it has to be pretty hardy. We have a plant here that was here when we moved in , it is not very big and unfortunately in a position where it is very hard to get to to pick anything from it. It is down right near the stream edge surrounded by flax. I am guessing as it is usually a vigorous plant that it does not really appreciate its wet feet. So that is more of a recommendation of where not to plant it. If possible when it shows its face again this year I would like to try an move it to drier ground and give it a tree to climb.
Remember it is very vigorous and when grown commercial the poles they grow them up are several metres tall. I found that it was necessary to keep cutting it back. By the way the new shoots in spring can be eaten like asparagus.