Growing Hops in Texas

Hops (Humulus lupulus) is a deciduous vine widely known for producing cone-like fruits that are used to flavor beer. Native to the cooler regions of Europe and Asia, hops plants were brought to North America centuries ago. Hops need a humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil with abundant sunlight; long summer days are also key to producing its flowers and, finally, its fruit. Typically hops vines are best grown between the latitudes of 30 and 60 degrees North or South. Texas extends roughly from 36 degrees to 26 degrees latitude, not ideal for the longest summer daylength and with a long, hot summer. Therefore, considerable work is needed for successful hops production in Texas.

Organic matter

Irrigation system

Hand pruners

Tall wooden or metal pole, 10 foot tall

Garden twine

Flood lamp and electrical cord

Lamp stand

Cultivate the garden soil where the hops vine are being planted. Dig and overturn the soil to a depth of 12 inches minimum, incorporating 4 to 6 inches of compost or rotten manure into the soil to create a humus-rich and fertile medium. The optimal soil pH for hops is between 6.5 and 8.0, according to the Freshops website.

Plant the hops vine rhizome so that the "eye" or growth node on its upper tip is no deeper than 1 inch below the soil surface. Water the rhizome well, keeping the soil evenly moist, neither bone dry nor soggy.

Cut back all new growth sprouts of the vine repeatedly to 6 inches in height before early May. According to hop geneticist Al Haunold, retired from the USDA-ARS Forage Seed and Cereal Research Center in Corvallis, Oregon, this pruning back is training the hops vegetation to grow only when the daylength is longest, mimicking the its ideal conditions in more northerly latitudes.

Set up a tall 6 to 10 foot stake and twist a trellis system around it on which the vines can climb. One system is a tall pole with several strong twine leads radiating off the pole's top to the plants below, somewhat resembling a Native American teepee.

Assemble a stand to hold a flood lamp or minimum 100-watt incandescent light bulb directly over the foliage of the hops vine. An electrical extension cord is needed to facilitate illumination of the plant if an outdoor outlet is far from the garden site.

Radiate the hops vine daily with the lamp to extend the daylength from early May until the summer solstice. Haunold recommends illuminating the hops vine foliage from roughly 8 pm to midnight nightly to create a longer day length that will promote flowering.

Fertilize the hops with a well-balanced liquid fertilizer product rated for garden vegetables, according to the label directions. Alternatively, apply a fresh 1-inch layer of compost or well-rotted manure monthly to provide nutrition for the growing vine foliage and flowers.

Remove the supplemental lighting regimen after the third week in June and maintain a watering and fertilizer schedule to promote strong growth of the hops vine the rest of the summer. Only female hops vines produce the fruiting "cones" that are harvested and used to flavor beer and ales.

Cut back the vines after the fall frost kills the foliage. Make pruning cuts even with the soil line and remove and untangle the old stems and leaves from the trellis structure before the next spring's growing season begins.

Haunold recommends planting the hops cultivar "Cascade" for southern locations in the United States, as he saw it fruiting successfully in parts of northern Mexico. Other cultivars could be planted, based on their variable tolerances for Texas' soils and hot summer climates.

Hops vine tolerate a good amount of summertime heat as long as the soil is rich in organic matter and frequently watered. Mulching over the root zone helps conserve moisture while shading the soil and keeping the vine roots cooler.