The hop plant is not only an excellent raw material for the production of intoxicating drinks, but also valuable medicinal plant. The decorative qualities of this vine, densely strewn with green cones, are no less in demand. It is often used for landscaping various types of supports, gazebos, pergolas and arches, and planting along the perimeter as living fences. It has been proven that hop leaves and stems are capable of absorbing heavy metal ions.
Humulus lupulus – common (climbing) hops, belongs to the hemp family. The genus is represented by three species of perennial and annual herbaceous vines, usually used for vertical gardening. These are fast-growing vines that shed all aboveground part and are preserved by underground rhizomes.
Here is the description of hops given by Dahl: “Hops are a warlike plant, the pollen of which is used in drunken drinks; cones of this plant, which contain pollen. The state of being intoxicated. The hops overcame him. The intoxication of the heroes will overcome. Mash cannot be brewed without hops,” and so on.
The most interesting thing is that with its current very wide use, despite the fact that “intoxicating” has become synonymous with intoxicating, hops are a relatively recent invention, although it is found wildly in the forests of Central and Eastern Europe and large parts of Asia. It is difficult to say who was the first to brew beer with hops.
This page describes what properties hops have and how to grow them. personal plot.
Healing properties of hops
The first mention of beer with hops is from the Finns, but it is only about 1200 years old, apparently, at the same time the Slavs who inhabited it began to use it in the Baltic states. At this time, they began to use hops in the Caucasus. IN Western Europe hops, judging by the mentions of it in chronicles and medical treatises, appeared even later, around the 8th–10th centuries, in different countries at different times.
Hops are added to beer not only and not so much to increase its “hopiness,” so to speak, but to improve its taste and preservation. Although hops really have certain action on nervous system. In medicine, it is used as a sedative and is included in many preparations.
Hops also began to be used in medicine around the 12th century, when it was already widespread. They were even paid taxes and tribute, for example, in the Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, as mentioned in the chronicles in 967. In the Middle Ages, such tribute became widespread in Germany, Holland and Norway. At this time, hops became the only and main additive to beer, giving it taste and aroma, and completely replaced other additives - wormwood, gravel and others.
In medicine and brewing, hop inflorescences and hop glands, which densely cover the leaves of the inflorescences, are used. When dried, some of these glands crumble, forming a golden, aromatic powder. Mature inflorescences are collected in August, in good weather, after the dew has evaporated. Inflorescences that have slightly yellowed, but have not yet turned yellow, are considered ready for harvest.
In medicine healing properties Hops are used as a sedative for overwork, increased excitability, and difficulty falling asleep. Good results gives hops for low acidity of gastric juice and digestive disorders. Together with chaga (birch mushroom), hops are used as a general tonic in oncology. Hops are also often used in cosmetics to strengthen hair.
The medicinal raw materials are infructescences (“cones”) of hops. They contain essential oil (0.3–1.8%), which includes mono and sesquiterpenoids (myrcene, geraniol, caryophyllene, farnesene); bitterness (11–21%) – humulone, lupulone, etc.; flavonoids, coumarins, phenolic acids (chlorogenic, caffeic, etc.), coumarins, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B6, estrogenic hormones, resinous substances.
Biologically active substances of hops have a calming, hypnotic effect, bitter substances improve digestion, the sum of biologically active substances has a bactericidal effect, has a positive effect on metabolic processes and especially on the regulation of fat, mineral and water metabolism. In scientific medicine, hop preparations are used for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, to stimulate appetite, improve digestion during gastritis, for diseases of the gall bladder and liver, spleen (“Hovaletten”).
They are used as an analgesic, sedative, and hypnotic for increased nervous excitability, sleep disorders, neuralgia, vegetative-vascular dystonia, mild spasms of the coronary vessels, tachycardia, and in the early stages of hypertension (Valocordin, Valosedan, Novo-Passit). .
Hop-based drugs are effective for pyelonephritis, kidney stones, inflammation of the bladder, dropsy (“Urolesan”); used for inflammatory diseases of the skin and mucous membranes, allergic reactions accompanied by itching; Decoctions and lotions are used for radiculitis and joint diseases.
The main use of hop cones is brewing; they are also used in cosmetology to strengthen hair.
The use of preparations from the hop plant is contraindicated during pregnancy (disturbs hormonal balance) and lactation, hypersecretion of gastric juice, acute hepatitis, severe dysfunction of the liver and kidneys.
Hop “cones” are collected at the beginning of ripening (late July - August), when they have a yellowish-yellowish color. green color; they are cut off together with the stalks so that they do not crumble.
Hops are often used and how ornamental plant, it climbs well on balconies, verandas, fences and gazebos, decorating them with its carved foliage. The liana does not lose its decorative appearance for 20–30 years.
On plantations, the entire vine is usually cut off, then the inflorescences are collected from it, which are dried in a ventilated, dark place on the litter. If you dry hops without bedding, the glands with essential oils and resins that fall off - the most valuable part of the raw material - will be lost. Hop cones contain up to 1.6% essential oil, and glands – up to 3%. More than 100 substances have been found in essential oil; its composition depends on the origin of the raw material, time of collection and climatic conditions.
With hops, not only the cones used for brewing are used, but also young shoots before their leaves have yet blossomed. These shoots are boiled and served like asparagus. Before the revolution, it was specifically recommended to grow hops for vegetable raw materials, covering young shoots from light, bleaching them, like asparagus. Such shoots are not only more tender, but also grow faster. By pruning the hops and blocking new shoots from light, you can have them almost all summer. Of course, you can’t prune the same bush all the time. Therefore, if you need young shoots, leave a few old large shoots on the bush to feed it. Young shoots are tied into bunches, boiled in salted water and served with breadcrumbs.
Here is the description of ordinary hops given by the famous Russian gardener Steinberg: “Hop sprouts usually appear from the ground quite early, already in April and May, so during the indicated vegetable-free time, you can eat hop sprouts, which are considered very tasty. Since hops are often found in the wild, this circumstance takes on special significance, although, in view of the indicated value of hop sprouts, hops should be bred on a small scale in every gardening and vegetable gardening. In the spring, the hop sprouts are allowed to come out of the ground a little, and then they are broken up and used like asparagus.”
What does the hop vine look like and how does it grow (with photo)
Hops are climbing herbaceous plant, perennial. Stems up to 6 m long, tetrahedral, covered with hooked spines. Lower leaves opposite, long-petiolate, rounded, 3–5 deep palmately lobed, serrated at the edges; the upper leaves are entire. Flowers are unisexual: staminate flowers - in axillary panicles, five-membered; pistillate - in pineal-shaped axillary drooping catkins, growing into infructescences.
As you can see in the photo, the fruits of the hop plant are nuts collected in yellowish-green cones:
They, like asparagus and cauliflower, can be eaten in the spring. It blooms in July-August, the fruits are harvested in September.
Hops grow like a vine, its faceted stems twine around the support to the right, counterclockwise. And in order to better hold on, the stems are covered with special anvil-shaped hairs; the hairs below are wide and thick, and on top they have two “horns” directed sideways along the stem, impregnated with silicon salts and very strong. Sticking their sharp ends into the support, these hairs firmly hold the shoot. At the same time, they also play a protective role. Try to make your way through the hop thickets in short sleeves - you will get an unforgettable experience of a lifetime. This method of struggle was used on my advice in one kindergarten– the children immediately stopped all attempts to climb over the fence into the street. Scratches are very painful and take a long time to heal.
Hops are a dioecious plant; male and female inflorescences are located on different bushes. Only female bushes that form inflorescences in the form of cones are of practical importance. Since inflorescences that do not have seeds are more valued in brewing and medicine, only female plants are usually planted on plantations.
Hops have underground branching rhizomes that produce new shoots. Sections of these rhizomes are used to propagate hops in culture. Green shoots die off every year after fruiting, and grow back in the spring.
This is a southern boreal-nemoral-forest-steppe North American-European-West Asian species. Widely distributed in the south of the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, the south Western Siberia, in Altai and Central Asia. In the Ural region it is found in the Middle and Southern Urals. Grows in thickets of coastal bushes, in humid forests.
The most decorative variety with bright yellow leaves - humulus lupulus ‘Aureus’.
These photos show what a hop plant looks like:
The following sections of the article are devoted to how to plant hops and how to care for the plant.
Planting and care conditions for growing hops in open ground
Hop vines are commonly used for vertical gardening. However, when growing hops, it should be taken into account that before winter, the above-ground mass of leaves and branches dies off completely every year, only the thickened underground rhizomes of the hop are preserved. In the spring, after the snow melts, hops begin to actively grow.
An important condition for growing hops is to provide a semi-shaded area, protected from northern winds. On sunny places Hop plantings are more susceptible to diseases, attacks by aphids and other leaf-eating insects.
For planting and caring for hops in open ground, permeable fertile loam with a sufficient amount of moisture, but not waterlogged, is best suited.
In a vertical position, hop vines quickly climb up the supports; in a horizontal position, the growth rate is significantly reduced. To grow a solid green wall, plants are planted at intervals of 1.5–2 m. A well-developed hop specimen forms a dense interweaving of stems and leaves by mid-summer. Knowing this feature, you can quickly decorate even the most inconspicuous garden buildings.
How to plant, grow and care for hops in your garden
To plant hops in poor soil, in the fall, holes or ditches 60 cm deep are dug, half filled with manure, and covered with earth on top. Planting is carried out in the spring with both seedlings and cuttings. When planting, ordinary hop seedlings are placed at a distance of 80-100 cm from each other; Japanese hops can be planted even more often (30-50 cm).
Like most vines, it needs support. Consumes a lot nutrients and water, therefore, to ensure good and rapid development, the plant must be fed and watered. In the first year, common hops can produce many shoots; weak and substandard shoots should be pruned so as not to deplete the plant. Then in the second year there will be fewer shoots and flowering will be more abundant. In the third or fourth year, the rhizomes grow, and if you give them free rein, hops will become a real disaster for your garden, so you need to keep this vine in its designated place with an iron fist. When the shoots reach 60 cm, they are given a support up to three or more meters long, around which they will curl. During the first half of summer, adult plants develop a powerful crown of intertwining shoots with lobed leaves and decorative cones.
After planting, when caring for hops in your garden plot, it is important to protect the plant from pests. Although this is not the most “tasty” plant, it can be damaged by leaf beetles. The old method of spraying with a bitter infusion of wormwood is recommended. It’s easier to purchase a modern chemical agent to combat leaf-eating insects. In the fall, after dying, the hop vines are cut off.
The plant creates continuous shadow, and twilight will always reign under the “green tent”. This must be taken into account if we plant hops near the gazebo or veranda.
In autumn, holes for planting hops 0.5 m deep are filled half with manure and covered with earth on top. In spring, hop seedlings or cuttings are planted in them. Seedlings are planted at a distance of 1 m.
In the first half of summer, hop vines grow so rapidly that this plant is the first to entwine pergolas and supports, far ahead of lemongrass, virgin grapes, and honeysuckle honeysuckle. During the day, the hops grow by several centimeters. As soon as the shoots grow 40–50 cm, a support is built for them. In the first year of planting, weak shoots of the plant should be removed, leaving the strong ones.
In order to care for hops as proper agricultural technology suggests, timely weeding, periodic loosening and watering during the dry period are necessary. In the first 3 years after planting to ensure rapid and good growth You should regularly water and feed the hops with a solution of complex mineral fertilizer. Fertilizers should be alternated: fertilizer is applied to the soil once, then foliar fertilization is applied to the stems and leaves (fertilizer should be diluted in half concentration). Method foliar feeding Also carried out in case of nitrogen starvation of leaves, when they become light and small; in case of potassium deficiency, the shape of the leaves becomes convex, and the fact that the plant lacks phosphorus elements is indicated by the bronze color of the leaf.
In the process of growing hops, it is necessary to ensure that the roots do not grow beyond the plantings. You can use limiters or bury slate remains to a depth of half a meter.
Hop propagation: how to propagate a vine by cuttings and dividing rhizomes
Perennial hops are propagated by dividing rhizomes, root suckers, and less often by seeds. The rhizomes are separated with a sharp shovel, without digging up the bush, directly in the ground. This is done in the spring, when new shoots appear. For planting, the rhizomes are cut into pieces 10–15 cm long with two or three pairs of buds and planted. Annual roots with a diameter of about 2 cm take root better. vertical gardening A hybrid form of Aurea with golden-yellow leaves is often used. It perfectly shades plants with dark foliage and creates a charming ensemble with coniferous plants, which are now in fashion.
Spaces of 2–2.5 m are made between the rows, and plants are planted at a distance of one meter. After the emergence of seedlings, the soil is loosened, systematic weeding and watering are carried out. During the summer they feed with slurry 2-3 times. When the shoots reach a length of 60–90 cm, the plants are sent along trellises. The fruits appear already in the first year; in the second year of life, hops produce quite decent yields. To help the hops winter better, the shoots are hilled up in the fall.
To propagate hops by cuttings, they are harvested from plants 3–8 years old.
In spring (from mid-March to mid-April, depending on the weather), shoots are collected, the thickness of which is at least 4 mm and the length does not exceed 8 cm. They must be light color, from cream to pale yellow. When the shoots turn green, their taste becomes slightly bitter. The tops of the shoots should still be tightly closed during harvesting. In place of the removed shoots, new ones are formed, which can also be collected. The hop cones are harvested in September-October.
There is no person who has not tried the intoxicating drink beer. But many people think that growing is expensive and not feasible for small ones. But if desired, this vine can be easily grown at home, both for brewing and for medicinal purposes. Let's figure out how to plant hops.
Description of perennial
Hops belong to the Hemp family. Its inflorescences resemble small fir cones, but only green. In fact, the fruit of the hop is... During the period when the perennial does not bloom, it looks like.
Its branches also curl, and the leaves are divided into several oblong parts, jagged along the edges. Sometimes its leaves are simple and not separated. Hops used to be classified in the same family as mulberries, that is, the Mulberries.
But in the second half of the 20th century, in the course of a number of studies, it was excluded from there. There are two types of hops in nature. One of them grows in Japan and is called the climbing hop. 
It is used only as a vine, because it is annual and does not form inflorescences. The second type is common hops, which includes varieties that are regularly used in production.
Common hops are what beer is usually made from. It is this species that forms those same pineal-shaped female inflorescences. In the scales of the “cones” you can find the substance lupulin, a small amount of which causes poisoning of the human body.
But if we touch on the topic of brewing, then during the processing of hops, lupulin breaks down into derivatives - lupulon and humulin. In this form, the substance cannot harm humans. also has male inflorescences in the form of panicles.
Common hops grow in all corners of the globe. However, the homeland is not known. 
Common hops have a powerful root system, which is located in the top layer of the earth (up to 1 meter deep). In this case, the main root goes into the ground to a depth of 4 meters.
Choosing a place to grow
The liana develops healthy in partial shade, and the scorching sun can weaken it, and it will be susceptible. Many people say that it is best to plant hops on the south side to protect them from north winds, but this is a misconception.
Did you know? Beer has a golden or dark hue due to lupulin.
In fact, due to its powerful shoots, hops are not afraid of winds. The selected location should have: most often they are single-plane with a visor. You can also make them yourself.
Lighting
Make sure that the water does not stagnate. It is also not desirable to have groundwater, which should be located no higher than 2 meters from the top layer of soil. 
Proper planting of hops
At proper care and when planted correctly, common hops will produce bountiful harvest. Before planting you need soil. A hoe will help with this. A garden rake will also be useful for loosening the remaining large lumps of soil.
All debris is removed from the site: branches, other grass. The process is carried out two weeks before planting the hops. Then the soil is fertilized or. Typically, half of the fertilizer is applied before loosening the soil.
The rest is applied three to four weeks after loosening the area. Holes for seedlings or cuttings are made at a distance of 1 meter from each other. The depth of each of them is 10 cm. If it is a cutting, then it is completely covered with earth.
The timing of the first shoots depends on the material used. For example, for seedlings they are 7-11 days, and for cuttings - up to 2 weeks.
Do not forget that the seedlings need to be guided along the wire on the trellis carefully and for several days. In this way you will help, and then it will independently begin to wrap around the support clockwise.Plant care
Growing hops at home is labor-intensive process, which is influenced by the smallest details. susceptible to many pests and diseases.
Therefore they carry out sanitary pruning: basal leaves are removed from the shoots (1 meter along the shoots). This pruning is carried out after 3-4 months of active growth. After landing, you can carry out.
Watering
Intoxicating vines are responsive to abundant water. It is important to provide the plant with moist soil. Make sure that the water does not stagnate. Once a day in summer is enough. After harvesting, watering may be done less frequently.
Growing hops at home requires that you provide adequate nutrition when caring for them. It is carried out as standard for everyone: in autumn and spring. 
During the rainy season - autumn, it is important to add a sufficient amount of compost, and in early spring- fertilize the soil with potassium-phosphorus or mineral additives.
Did you know? Hops for beer began to be used later than the actual production of the drink began. Now it is impossible to imagine beer without this element, which, by the way, was added to increase shelf life. Hops are a natural preservative.
Weeding and soil care
Weeding is carried out carefully due to the close proximity of most of the roots. Usually the soil is removed and slightly loosened - this way it is saturated with oxygen and the shoots become stronger. This should be done infrequently, but as needed.
Many have seen what the plant cones themselves look like, but few know what exactly a hop plantation looks like. Since the plant does not have a vine, but powerful shoots, it needs strong and high support. Places of mass cultivation, for example, are similar to vineyards. 
But the fact is that hop shoots can reach 10 meters in length. Therefore, the support must be strong. Summer residents make it themselves.
It is possible to make a support on the south side of your house. To do this, it will be enough to lower the string from the roof and secure it to the ground.
How hops are propagated
Planting hops is a lengthy process, but seedlings appear quickly. There are several methods of propagation: seeds, cuttings, seedlings. Usually planted in May, because the growing season of a representative of the Hemp family lasts 120 days. It is important that during the planting period the weather is dry and the temperature is above +10-12°C.
Important! Hop shoots require trellises at least 7 meters high.
Hop seeds are very small. The weight of 1000 pieces is only 4 grams. The procedure for sowing seeds is standard, as for all plants. Only in this case, they usually do not carry out seeds, because the shoots of the plant are removed for the winter.
However, sift into the soil required quantity seeds, water and cover tightly. When young shoots begin to appear, open and maintain the room temperature at +20-24°C. 
Among all the herbaceous vines, our gardeners have long appreciated hops. It is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and excellent decorative effect. The medicinal properties of hops have long been known. Ancient recipes are still relevant today. In our dynamic age, this plant will gently help us all become more stress-resistant.
In terms of growth rate, hops have no equal! It seems to have been created for draping northern walls. This perennial herbaceous vine grows well in the shade. It is quite decorative, winter-hardy, and easily propagated. And the practical benefits of hops make it necessary to allocate large spaces for planting this vine in many countries (for example, the Czech Republic).
Our common hop is the longest herbaceous perennial temperate forests (only annuals are Japanese variety hops).
Growing hops
Hops are propagated by cuttings. It is not at all difficult to obtain hop planting material. Ask the owner of the old curtain to cut a few cuttings. The cuttings should be 8–14 cm long with a well-filled core. This condition is satisfied by hop stems 1.5–2 cm thick, with 2–3 pairs of buds.
Unlike cuttings, for example, black currant or gooseberries, hop cuttings are completely buried in a groove to a depth of 15–20 cm in an inclined state: the upper end of the stem segment should be 4–5 cm higher than the lower one and located in the soil at a distance of 10 cm from the surface. The distance between the cuttings in the groove is 1 m. In the spring, after covering the cuttings with loose soil, the soil must be kept moist throughout the season. Shoots will appear in 10 days.
When the stems grow to half a meter, it’s time to tighten the supporting ropes, tying them to stakes driven into the ground. The shoots find support and cling to it with hooks, with which the stem is completely strewn, and with twigs, and even with the veins of leaves.
Hops are a dioecious plant: male flowers look like paniculate tassels, while female flowers look like small cones, collected in inflorescences of 30–50 pieces.
Now you can observe the extraordinary qualities of this plant.
Moreover, this vine is a champion in growth speed; it grows by 30–40 cm, and sometimes by 70 cm, in a day! The growth of the vine slows down during flowering. By the end of summer, the shoots will reach 8–10 m in length. The vine accumulates the strength for such rapid growth in the fall: when the stem begins to dry out in September, the nutrients move to the rhizome, which stores them until spring. The rhizome lives for 20 years or more, growing in breadth and depth every year (in damp deciduous forests it eventually moves 10 m away from the stem!).
Now it’s time to show that hops are planted not so much for their decorative qualities, but for practical purposes.
Attitudes towards different-sex individuals among farmers are strikingly different. For female specimens, from time immemorial it has been caring and even bowing. And seeing the masculine flowering plant, owner in best case scenario tends to castrate all the inflorescences. On industrial plantations, if a male is among the female ones, it is destroyed in order to prevent pollination and fruit development. Well, just a plant convent! Even special studies have been conducted showing that dry pollen male flowers hops can spread by air currents up to 3 km!
The thing is that hops are grown for economic purposes for the sake of LUPULINA, contained in the pollen of female inflorescences. It contains many biologically active substances: essential oils, resins, some alkaloids, tannins. It is this set that determines the value of hops as an agricultural crop.
This is where the main use of hops originates - brewing. The tannins contained in lupulin help brewers regulate the fermentation of the wort, and impart a piquant bitterness and aroma to the beer made from it, and persistent foam protects it from rapid souring. In short - it turns out the right beer!
Water and alcohol infusions of flowering hop cones have anti-inflammatory properties and help with diseases of the liver, bladder, and intestinal tract.
On an industrial scale, hops are grown on plantations. In spring, they look the least like farmland - they stick out in a bare field concrete pillars with a wire stretched between them. The wire rings in the wind at a height of 5 m, like on a power line. In summer, the ground is covered with hop shoots, like a tent: the workers, with a special pole, helped each hop shoot to catch on the top wires in time. The cones ripen in August-September.
It is very important to accurately determine the moment of harvesting (i.e., the maximum content of lupulin in the cones) and carry it out quickly, since essential oils quickly oxidize. If the cones turn red, they are late with cleaning. Moreover, during cleaning, wet or rainy days are extremely undesirable.
Harvesting hops is difficult because lupulin is poisonous in large quantities. The pickers have a headache. But humanity has always paid high price for receiving pleasure.
Even bakers cannot do without hops. To this day, dietary breads are baked using brewer's yeast. Many people know that brewer’s yeast itself is medicinal and is drunk to improve the body’s metabolism and increase appetite.
The medicinal properties of hops have been known for a long time. Recently, infusions have been used in the treatment of skin and breast cancer. Poultices and baths with hops help with radiculitis, abscesses and ulcers. After washing your hair, start constantly rinsing it with hop infusion, and your hair will become stronger and hair loss will stop.
Not everyone knows that drugs for heart disease (Valocardin in Germany and Valosadan in the Czech Republic) are prepared on the basis of hop oil.
One tablespoon of crushed cones, boiled with a glass of boiling water, is an ancient folk remedy for insomnia. An equally ancient method is to place a pillow filled with crushed hop cones in your head at night.
And finally, hop stems are a durable fiber for tarpaulins and burlap. And in Russia they also weave baskets from them.
Hops refers to edible plants, and quite nutritious.
In Russian villages, the first green cabbage soup was always brewed from nettles and young hop shoots. At this moment, the tender leaves and sprouts of the hop contain a large supply of vitamin C (remember, the roots stored it in the fall?).
Do you know what was included in the daily rations of slaves during the construction of the Egyptian pyramids? Two jugs of beer, plus two baked breads, plus a head of onion or garlic per person!
How nutritious beer is can be seen by looking at the size of its regular consumers. By the way, it is the density of beer in degrees that is placed on bottle labels, for example, 12O. This value has nothing to do with alcohol content. Beer never contains more than 6–8% alcohol, and there can be no talk of severe consequences of intoxication. Therefore, the proverb is true: “No me, hops, more fun!”
Text: Margarita Turkina
“Garden Affairs” No. 4 (48), 2011
Hops are a member of the hemp family. There are three types of this plant: ordinary, Japanese and heart-shaped. Areas of application include the perfumery and cosmetics, pharmacological, baking, canning and medical industries. The most widespread common hop. This climbing plant It is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and visual attractiveness, which has made the culture popular in gardening. Let's look at the features of cultivation and care in more detail.
Hops are a perennial vine-like plant with a twisted stem. As a rule, it is planted in decorative purposes. The root system is perennial, but the stem dies off every autumn. A rhizome is formed from underground shoots. About 10 branched roots grow from it; they are subsequently divided into small roots. From these roots and rhizomes develops root system, which is buried 4 cm into the ground, then extends to 3 m. The main part of the root is located in the upper soil layer. Buds form on the rhizome. A significant increase is observed in the fourth year. At this time, the number of buds from which shoots are formed reaches its maximum number. The stems grow up to 10 m in length and their thickness is 13 mm. It may be red or green. The leaves of this plant are shaped like a heart. They contain essential oil and resins, the volume of which varies from 400 to 600 units. During the growing process, only female hops are left, because male plants do not produce flowers. Choosing a placeThe following features can be highlighted in determining the location for planting:
How to grow hopsThere are three growing methods by which you can get this plant on your site:
Most simple option is the use of shoots, because it appears in sufficient quantities in spring period. If getting it or a cutting is problematic, you can get hops from seed material. In April you need to start planting seedlings:
Soil fertilizationSince hop cultivation must be carried out in a fertile environment, the soil is enriched with fertilizers. You can use manure or mineral components. Fresh manure is applied to a depth of 10-15 cm. It is preferable to use rotted manure, since fresh fertilizer may contain weed seeds. This component is enriched upper layer soil 5-7 cm thick. Manure is applied only in autumn, so that winter period he was able to decompose. Mineral fertilizer components are applied both in autumn and spring. These are ready-made nutrients that are absorbed by the root system of the plant. Potassium has positive influence on protein and carbohydrate metabolism, its deficiency leads to deterioration in yield. Phosphorus and nitrogen accelerate crop growth. Among nitrogen fertilizers, urea has the highest concentration of nitrogen. It is a granular powder of gray or white, dissolves well in liquid. When it decomposes, ammonium carbonate is released. To ensure that the soil absorbs this component in sufficient quantities, it is added before planting. On square meter up to 20 g of this substance is used. The next place in nitrogen concentration is occupied by ammonium nitrate. It also goes on sale in granular form. It is applied at the rate of 15 g per 1 m 2. The nitrogen content in ammonium sulfate is 1/5. It is a white crystalline powder. Dose of application – 30-40 g. The lowest concentration of the nitrogen component is contained in calcium nitrate. Due to its alkaline composition, this fertilizer is well suited for growing hops, since acidic soils are not favorable environment for this plant. For 1 m 2 of soil, 40-50 g of calcium nitrate is required. TO phosphorus fertilizers includes phosphate rock. It is used as an independent component, as it does not dissolve well. Application dose: 50 g. Superphosphate is a gray granular powder. For one application, 30 g are required. The group of potash fertilizers includes potassium sulfate, potassium salt, potassium chloride and potassium chloride. Apply from 20 to 30 g per 1 m2. Planting by seedsSeeds are planted in early spring. To do this, prepare trenches or holes. Before planting, seed material must undergo a stratification procedure, which involves preparing the seeds for germination by creating certain temperature conditions. They should be kept warm for 3-5 days, and then the temperature should be reduced to +8°C. Next, the seeds are placed in the prepared holes and sprinkled with earth. In the fall, after harvesting the fruits, compost mass is added to the soil. Dried shoots should be cut off. Autumn is the most suitable time for planting or replanting crops. The hops are dug up and healthy rhizomes, which are the size of a finger in thickness, are selected. If you do not plan to grow hops for an extended period, you should use annual seeds. It is quite difficult to get rid of this plant even with the help of herbicides. This should be kept in mind when choosing a site for planting. As the hops grow, they will invade new territories. Care requirements
HarvestingThe fruits are collected in last days August or early September. You can determine the maturity of cones by their appearance. They should have a yellow-green color and straightened scales. The bract in which the flower is formed should be brown in color. Ripe hop fruits are dry to the touch and resemble tissue paper. If they are wet, this indicates their lack of maturity. In this case, you should wait a little while collecting cones. Lupulin, a yellow powder resembling pollen, remains on the fingers after contact with ripe fruits. A specific hop aroma should be felt. Ripe buds contain the maximum concentration of essential oil and alpha acids. If the fruits are not collected in a timely manner, they will lose lupulin grains, which will negatively affect their quality. The hops must be dried immediately after harvesting, since 80% of their composition is water. If this condition is not met, the fruits will rot and become unusable. To dry hops at home, you can use a regular fruit dryer. An oven is also suitable for this purpose. But the temperature level during the drying process should be low, about 50 °C. In conditions high temperature the hops will lose some of their essential oil. The bud is considered dried when the stem located in the center becomes brittle. You can dry the fruits at room temperature by simply laying them out on paper. In this case, the procedure will take 2-3 days.
ConclusionThe advantage of hops is its fast growth. This is an unpretentious crop; its cultivation involves standard actions of adding nutrients and loosening the soil. The fruits can be collected already in the year of planting. Hops are used in various industries and are also well suited for forming hedges or camouflaging buildings.
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Sowing of seeds is carried out in the spring, when frosts have subsided and warm weather has established. Best time for this - the end of April or the beginning of May.
You can buy hop seeds in the store
Spring sowing includes the following actions:
- In the fall, choose a place to grow hops. Keep in mind that the plant loves partial shade, but can also grow in the sun, and is afraid of drafts and strong winds.
- Prepare the soil. Dig it up and add manure or complex mineral fertilizers. Hops grow well in moist, loamy soil.
- Make holes or trenches for future sowing.
- 10−14 days before sowing, prepare the seeds: after room temperature harden them at a temperature of about 8⁰C.
- In the spring, sow the seeds in prepared trenches, cover lightly with soil and water generously.
This is how seeds are planted in open ground.
The gardener, following this simple algorithm, will see the first hop sprouts in 2 weeks.
How to grow hops from seeds through seedlings
In order to germinate seedlings from seeds, follow the following algorithm:
- Prepare small box or a sowing glass.
- Fill it out fertile soil and humus.
- Place the seeds 0.5 cm deep and cover them with soil.
- Cover the container with glass or film and place in a warm, bright place with a temperature of about 22⁰C.
- Water the soil periodically.
Thus, every gardener can grow seedlings from seeds.
Within 14 days, the first shoots will appear, during this time remove the film for 2-3 hours, and when the leaves appear, stop covering the plant.
At the end of April, when the ground has warmed up well, you can transplant the seedlings into open ground, for this:
- make small holes up to 50 cm deep, at a distance of 0.5 m from each other;
- place the seedlings in them along with a lump of earth and sprinkle with earth;
- compact the soil and water it generously;
- mulch the top layer of soil using hay or sawdust.
Transplanting seedlings in open ground does not require much time and effort.
As it grows, take care of the plant - water it, remove excess shoots, feed it and protect it from diseases.
Hops will serve as decoration for any garden, beautifully entwining a fence or other vertical support.