We take orders for hop rhizomes starting in February each year. Get e-mail reminders by signing up for our e-newsletter and/ or liking us on facebook.

Rhizomes will start arriving in late March/early April and should be planted with the earliest plants-- as soon as the ground can be worked.

Hops are a perennial vine that die back completely to the ground each fall.  They pop up in early spring and come back more vigorously each year.  They require a trellis or wires for climbing and you can expect them to reach heights of 20 feet or more, though not usually in the first year.  They do best in a sunny location, with well-draining and fertile soil. 

If you plant different varieties in a typical backyard garden, we recommend that the varieties be planted well apart, at least 4 feet but better still, in different areas of the yard.  Otherwise, the vines become intertwined and keeping the flowers of different varieties separate for harvesting becomes impossible.

Hops may also be planted in pots-- like large whiskey barrels if you don't have a garden space to plant in directly.  As with any container garden, the need to water and fertilize will be greater but the hops can thrive.

Harvest time is late August to mid September.  The flowers, the useful part for beermaking, should be very fragrant and when pressed between thumb and forefinger should be sticky and full of yellow lupulin-- the good stuff for brewing. First year plantings will produce little or no flowers for harvest.  The harvest will increase each year after and by the third year should be in full swing.

While providing an important brewing ingredient, hops also provide visual interest in the garden and are prized by ornamental gardeners and brewers alike.  The leaves are large and dark green and the flowers are an unusual, light chartreuse green, a shade not often found in the garden.

Place your order in February through April to be sure to have your hops rhizomes ready for planting.