Hop

Perhaps we will not meet a single person who has not tried intoxicating drinks in his life. But many people assume that growing hops is a very difficult task that is almost impossible to cope with in a small area. But if the gardener has a desire, and he would like to get a new experience, then the vine can be safely grown at home. Hops are versatile plants as they are not only attractive enough but can also be used for culinary and medicinal purposes. In this article, we will figure out how to plant hops in a garden plot, how to care for it.

Hops description

Hops are a vivid representative of the hemp plant family, the inflorescences most of all resemble spruce cones, but only they are green in color. But in reality, the hop fruit is a nut, not the whole bump. When a perennial does not bloom, it generally resembles a grape bush most of all. But even despite the fact that the plant has many similarities with other plantings and crops, it is unique and has special characteristics, which we will just talk about.

The hop twigs twist as interestingly as grape branches, and the leaves are divided into several parts, which have attractive decorative teeth at the edges. Sometimes there are also the simplest leaves, which are distinguished by their integrity. Previously, hops belonged to the same family as mulberries, but gradually new characteristics and traits of the plant were revealed, and it became a representative of a slightly different direction. Hops were excluded from the Mulberry family around the second half of the twentieth century. Today, only two types of hops have been isolated in nature, one of them grows in huge quantities in Japan, and it is called climbing hops.

Hops can only be used in landscaping as a vine. This is an annual plant, no inflorescences are formed from it, so only in this area hops really fit perfectly and reveal all their characteristics. The second type is the common type of hop, which also includes several varieties, which are especially often used regularly in cooking and production.

Ordinary hops are perennials, from which the beer, beloved by many gardeners, is obtained. It is this species that forms female inflorescences that look like small bumps. In the scales of the bumps, a substance can also be isolated, which is called lupulin. A small amount of it can poison the human body, so it is worth handling this production material very carefully. But if we focus on the topic of a beer drink and its production - brewing, then in the process of processing hops this substance breaks down into derivatives - this is humulin and lupulon. In this form, this substance can no longer harm the human body, it becomes practically safe for it. In addition to female inflorescences, male inflorescences are formed on the plant - they look just like panicles.

Common hop is a crop that is so adaptable that it can grow and develop anywhere in the world. But it should be said right away that the original homeland of this plant remains unknown, so we will not be able to tell anything about it. The root system of ordinary hops is very powerful, it is located mainly in the uppermost layer of the soil, it can reach a depth of one meter. At the same time, there is one main root, which is just very deeply deepened - it can reach a depth of four meters, and this is one of the records among many other landings.

Liana hops perfectly adapts in a shaded place, in partial shade. If the plant is in direct sunlight, it can significantly weaken the hops, and the plant will experience stress. Due to a decrease in immunity, pests and bacteria can multiply on it. Many also say that it is best to plant hops in the southern areas of the infield. There, the plant will supposedly be protected from strong gusts of wind, but this statement has practically nothing to do with the truth and is a real delusion.

Because of their powerful shoots, hops are basically not afraid of strong gusts of wind at all. But on the site where this culture grows, trellises must be installed - single-plane with a visor, but the choice may fall on other forms, here a lot depends on the preferences of the gardener himself. Also, you can not buy tapestries, but do it yourself - there are many video materials and video tutorials on how to build them.

The hop area should be exposed to sunlight daily for 5-7 hours. In this case, the growing season will come in accordance with the terms, and due to high temperatures, the plant will not only not die, but in general will not suffer from them in any way. In order to grow hops on your own backyard, you need to take care of the soil. It should not be acidic, nor should it be alkaline. It is a well-drained substrate that is rich and fertile. Loams and sandy loam soils in this case are the most ideal option, which will be just as ideal for hops. The reserve of these soils contains a huge amount of mineral components and organic nutrients. They are also great for growing grape crops in the same soil.

It is worth making sure that no moisture stagnation occurs in the soil after watering. Also, do not plant a plant in an area where groundwater flows shallowly, because the root deepens very deeply, it can reach them, and this will become a risky situation for the formation of putrefactive formations on the root part. Of course, the health of the hops directly depends on whether the planting has been properly organized and carried out. So in the next part of our article, we will cover all these aspects.

Planting and leaving

If the gardener observes all the rules in the care of the hops, as well as in the correct planting, then the plant will give not only a plentiful, but also a very tasty harvest. Before planting the plants, it is necessary to loosen the soil well. To do this, it is best to take a hoe to save time and your own strength. You can also use a garden rake, which is great for loosening very large clumps of soil that remain on the surface. It is also an integral part of plant farming techniques.

The site for planting must be removed - all weeds, branches and other herbs are removed. The process should be carried out 10-14 days before hops are planted on this area. Next, the soil is fertilized with organic fertilizers - compost or mullein is perfect. Half of the fertilizer is also applied before the soil is loosened. Then the fertilizer will penetrate deeper into the soil, and this will be very useful for the hop root, which goes almost four meters deep into the soil. The rest of the dressing should be applied about a month after the gardener has loosened the site. Pits for seedlings must be pulled out at a distance of one meter from each other. The pit is ten centimeters deep. If this is a cutting that will become a planting material, then it must be sprinkled entirely with soil.

The first shoots in time will appear depending on what kind of planting material was used by the gardener. For example, if these are seedlings, then they will sprout in about 7-11 days.If the gardener used cuttings, then their shoots will take up to two weeks. You should also pay close attention to the acidity of the soil, since the compost for fertilization should not be very acidic, or this will affect not only the condition of the seedlings, but also the speed. It should also be remembered that the seedlings are directed directly along the wire to the trellises, which are pre-installed so that the plant then independently winds around the support, preferably clockwise. In general, if you initially take care of the plant, then further it will grow and develop independently, and will not be whimsical.

Growing hops on the site is a rather complicated and time-consuming process. It can be influenced by even the smallest details or flaws that are made by the gardener. The plant differs in that it can be attacked by pests, and can sometimes get sick. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to carry out sanitary pruning in a timely manner. To do this, remove all root leaves from the hop shoots, and this pruning is carried out about three or four years after the hop has entered the stage of active growth. After the plant has been planted in open ground, the gardener should mulch the trunk circle with peat or sawdust.

Hop lianas respond well to abundant watering. It is important that the plant is in constantly moist soil, but moisture stagnation in the soil should not be allowed, as this will provoke the development of dangerous putrefactive diseases or fungi. It is enough to water the vine once a day if it is watering in the summer. After the hop crop has been harvested, watering can also be reduced, it is better to do it a little less often. This way the plant will receive the optimal amount of moisture. The water should be at room temperature, settled, rain or melted. It should not be very cold, otherwise the plant will experience stress from such watering, diseases will arise, or such cold watering will affect the external characteristics of the plant. As for feeding - it is quite standard, it is carried out according to the same scenario as feeding any perennials - it is especially abundant in autumn and spring. In autumn, when there is a high level of precipitation, it is necessary to apply manure and compost, but in the early spring period, the soil is fed with mineral mixtures with high levels of potassium and phosphorus, so that the plant strengthens and demonstrates abundant growth and development.

It is necessary to weed the vines very carefully, since most of the root system is very close to the top layer of the soil. It is necessary to remove all weeds - this is not just how weeds are removed, but the soil is also loosened. It is saturated with a large amount of oxygen, the shoots become strong and viable. But weeding is not carried out regularly - it is prescribed only in case of emergency, to maintain the cleanliness of the site and the health of the plantings.

Planting hops is different in that it is a very long process, but the seedlings can appear quite quickly, within two weeks. There are several main ways of propagating hops - these are seed propagation, and cuttings, and propagation of seedlings. Usually, the planting of planting material is scheduled for May, since the growing season can last up to three months. It is important that during planting there is dry weather, and the air temperature is stable - from 10 to 12 degrees. Then the planting will adapt much faster, and the plant will be much more effective and productive in the future.

Hop seed is incredibly small in size. The weight of one thousand seeds is only four grams! The seeds are sown according to the standard scheme, as are the seeds of other perennials. But at the same time, the seeds can not even be selected and not stratified, since in the winter the shoots are removed from the site.A large number of seeds are sent into the soil, then the plantings are watered and covered with glass or polyethylene. As soon as the first shoots appear, the shelter is removed. Further, the optimal air temperature is maintained, which will be as comfortable as possible for landing - twenty-twenty-four degrees, not higher or lower.

Seedlings are planted at the very beginning of April, as hops show a fast growth rate. Seedlings adapt very quickly, become strong, and at the very end of May, hops can be planted in open ground. Experienced gardeners share some interesting insights. For example, if hops are planted in areas with a humid climate, then the seeds are sown there directly into the open ground. The results here are exactly the same as when growing seedlings for planting hops. But, in general, it is most convenient to grow hops from cuttings, or with the help of seedlings. In this case, the garden material will already be ready, and you just need to send it to the open ground and give it enough care and attention so that it adapts and shows excellent growth and development results.