Key Contents
- History of Hops
- Hops in the diversified farm
- Market potential
- General hops horticulture
- Hops garden design and trellising
- Annual maintenance of hops
- Hops harvest time
- After the hops harvest
Reading Notes
Rebecca Kneen has written an excellent introduction to small scale hops production for small farms looking to diversify their income streams. We feel that this introduction is also suitable for the committed gardener looking to build their backyard into a beer production facility. Hops are one of four ingredients to authentic beer.
Hopyard Garden Design
Important to the backyard hops grower is the hopyard design and trellising. It is easy to forget that these plants make beatiful features in your garden. Site selection is important as planning should consider 15-25 years of enjoyment. The two critical design elements for hops plantation appear to be access to water and all-day sunlight. Rebecca feels that hops require a fiar amount of supervision.
Hops Maintenance
Spring time is critical to the maintenance and well being of your hops plant. It is recommended that the grower prunes the roots and divides the rhizomes. If growth is left unchecked, the plants will soon cover your entire lot with a solid mass of plant material. Be careful and be aware.
Summary
In comclusion, we feel that this handbook is a valuable introductory resource for those dedicated homebrewers that are looking to experiment with a dedicated hops garden.
