Growing Your Own Hop Crop

In honor of Charlotte Craft Beer Week, entertain the idea of a beer garden

If you've ever wanted to experiment with growing hops, now is the time.

We're in the middle of Charlotte Craft Beer Week, which runs through Saturday. The fifth-annual event is designed to help craft brewers in the area by increasing awareness of locally brewed beer. In addition to learning about what's happening in the craft beer market, people also have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of beer in general. Events, such as Friday night's Meet the Brew Master Tap Takeover at Tin Roof, allow Charlotte residents to interact with local brewers and ask questions. Many experts in the local beer industry enjoy talking about what they do and sharing their knowledge.

After the events finish this weekend, Charlotte will likely have several newly christened hop-heads on a quest to create their own brews. One option for the craft-beer enthusiast who likes to garden is to try growing hops. Read our recent story from Charlotte Home + Garden magazine here about how to create your own beer garden. Hops are not only beneficial to the home brewer, they're also an attractive addition to the backyard with their trellising vines.

As the weather begins to warm and the threat of frost fades, it's time to prepare your plot and soil to plant. Alternative Beverage in South End, a home-brew mainstay since 1973, has a large selection of different hop varieties. The store's hop rhizome shipments begin arriving about this time, and the store takes pre-orders. Learn more about what to buy, storing tips, and planting suggestions here.

As interest in craft beer grows, several North Carolina farms are experimenting with growing hops. And N.C. Cooperative Extension centers across the state are researching to find out what types are well suited for our climate and are easiest for people to grow. Read more from the Cooperative Extension here about planting, trellising, and maintaining hops.

These resources are informative and helpful, but don't let all of the recommendations and requirements intimidate you. Purchase some rhizomes, put them in the ground, and see what happens. If you do try it out, let us know by sending an email to leahchughes.cltathome@gmail.com. We'd love to see your hop-crop progress and share it with our readers.