HOPS
The cones of the Hops vine have been used for centuries as a medicinal plant, a preservative, and of course in beer making. Extremely vigorous and hardy, Hops vines will die completely back to the ground ever year and produce new shoots that emerge in late spring. The vines can grow up to 1 to 2 feet per day, twining clockwise around any support they can find, with maturity of up to 40 feet each year! The vines of Hops plants come in male or female, and only the female produces the cones for use as hops. Flowering plant’s genders are easily recognized by the male’s five petaled flowers. It’s best to pull these out. They’re non-productive and it’s best if your female plants produce only non-fertilized seed. In August and September, begin harvesting once cones become dry and papery and the leaves are richly scented. Once harvested, the cones must be further dried in a cool dry place. This process can take weeks and isn’t complete until the cones are brittle. One plant will produce 1 to 2 pounds of cones. Very easy to grow, Hops vines do well in both full sun and part sun locations with average soil and moisture.
