Hops: Growing the beer plant yourself

If you think of hops, the thought of a cold beer is not far off. We have summarized everything you need to know about the versatile perennial.

The real hop (Humulus lupulus) belongs to the hemp family (Cannabaceae). Surely many people have the following picture in mind when they think of this climbing plant: a portly monk in a brown robe sitting at a solid wooden table and taking a deep sip from his jug of bitter hops. In fact, 95% of the hops grown in Germany are used to brew beer. But the perennial, originally from Central Europe, was not voted medicinal plant of the year in 2007 because of its main purpose. The real hops are also convincing thanks to some medicinally valuable ingredients. We will explain why beer and hops simply belong together and show you how you can grow this medicinal plant in your own garden.

Growing hops in the garden

Location

The real hop loves the sun. When growing in your own garden, this should not be denied under any circumstances - the plant develops best in a southern location. This is also the reason why more than 80% of the hops produced commercially in Germany are grown in sunny Bavaria. The Hallertau region is particularly famous for the cultivation of hops. Not only the wild form of the true hop, which is often found in very moist areas, enjoys a nitrogen-rich supply. A well-fertilised substrate should be used, especially for cultivation in pots, which is easily possible.

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If the hops are planted in a bed in your own garden, you should know that they form rhizomes. These are subterranean shoots from which strong-growing shoots push themselves to the surface every year. If the plant has to move from its place, everyone will come up with a spade. However, if the hop rhizome is divided and parts remain in the soil, new shoots can still sprout from them.

The beer gets its characteristic froth from the hops But the female hop cones are also appreciated in the form of tea. The infusion is said to have a calming and sleep-inducing effect.
Hops can also be found on the stove: young, fresh shoots of around 15 cm in length can be cut while they are sprouting and end up in the cooking pot as hop asparagus. However, it is important that the shoots are still tender and young - the harvest time is around mid-March to early April. The preparation does not differ from classic asparagus. However, the hoppy counterpart to the white asparagus spear brings an interesting resinous note to the plate. If the asparagus is to be used for cooking rather than brewing beer, it is definitely worth growing the perennial in your own garden: the delicate tips are valued as an expensive and rare delicacy.

If you have now acquired a taste and want to grow not only hops but also asparagus, we have the right tips for you here.