Helpful books for growing hops

[Straya]

Hey guys how are you?

I just wanted to see if any of you had any good books on growing hops. I've done a bit of looking and seen a book called ''Complete guide to growing your own hops, malts and brewing herbs". Has anyone read this book and would recommend it or any others?

Cheers guys

 

[hoppy2B]

I'd recommend looking at some youtube videos put out by commercial hop growers. Commercial growers have a lot of experience and understand what is needed to achieve high yields, as that is their primary aim.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Homebrewers Garden and Homegrown Hops.

 

[LiquidGold]

I have the book mentioned and although I haven't read it all I have read the section concerning hops and found it usefull. Bear in mind that only about a fifth or less of the book is related to hops and the rest talks about grains, other brewing herbs, culturing yeast and also a general overview of homebrewing.

 

[Mardoo]

Agreed, youtube and podcasts have the best info I've found. I'd love to hear of a top quality book though, but the aforementioned sources with commercial growers have been better than all the books I've seen.

 

[Straya]

Thanks hoppy2b i'll definitely start looking into that. Sounds like a great idea and podcasts also

Cheers Liquidgold i might just do some looking around online before i go buying the book then.

Thanks guys

 

[Straya]

Has anyone also had any experience with 'The homebrewers garden' by Joe Fisher?

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I doubt whether there are any books solely designated to growing hops in the garden, it would be hard to come up with much more than a page, you have to remember that hop rhizomes travel laterally so they need to be in the ground for successful growing and when feeding spread the feed around a good square metre around the plant, the only other factor is the PH level of the soil, to be around 6 to 6.5 (exactly the same as for marijuana)we don't get deep frosts in Aus, so just a thin layer of mulch is all that is required for the winter months. That's about all the knowledge required for the actual growing.

 

[hoppy2B]

Lots of water. Hops need to be watered regularly. PH probably won't make any difference. My soil is about 8.5-9 on the PH scale and they grow great out at my place.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

pH levels are just as important as water and nutrients,as for planting in soil it is very important that the pH levels are favourable to whatever you are growing.
Sure plants will grow in an unfavourable pH level but no where near as good as a plant where the pH is favourable,plants need to be healthy to defend itself against disease and predators, plants need to take up all the micronutrients if the pH is too high then the plants will suffer (over 6.5) to low and the the plant can suffer with calcium toxicity (5.5),pH levels are easily checked and adjusted.

Dolomite lime for raising pH
Manure or compost for lowering pH

Saying pH doesn't matter is a load of tosh pH does matter and is critical for strong healthy growth.