Hops are a fairly easy-care climbing plant. The fruits can also be harvested and used as a medicinal herb or for brewing beer. What do you have to pay attention to when caring for it? This is how you properly care for hops in the garden or on the balcony.
How do you properly care for hops?
Hop care includes regular watering without waterlogging, sufficient fertilization with nitrogen, providing a high trellis, pruning in autumn and spring, monitoring diseases and pests as well as winter precautions for potted plants.
How are hops watered?
Hops need a lot of moisture, but under no circumstances should they be too wet. Water the climbing plant regularly so that the soil never dries out completely. If you have hops in the bucket, make sure there is good drainage so that no waterlogging occurs.
How do you fertilize hops correctly?
Hops grow quickly and need a lot of nutrients. Make sure the soil contains enough nitrogen. Nitrogen-poor soil needs to be improved. Nettle stock is a good help.
In the spring, work compost or seasoned animal manure into the soil around the plant.
Additional fertilizer is necessary during the growth phase. To do this, you can use commercially available vegetable fertilizer (€19.00 on Amazon) or water regularly with nettle broth.
Do you need to help hops climb?
Hops is a climbing plant that can grow up to seven meters high. On the balcony it stays a little smaller, but can easily reach a height of four meters.
Provide an appropriately high trellis for the hops. When caring for the balcony, you should artificially raise the balcony railings or attach additional long plant stakes.
Hop vines wrap around the trellis in a clockwise direction. You often have to help with your hand. Make sure that you always wind the tendrils to the right. If you turn it to the left, the hop vine will no longer grow properly until the desired direction of rotation is maintained again.
When are hops cut?
In autumn the plant begins to shrink. You can then cut them back to 50 to 70 centimeters long. You should leave some left so that the nutrients can soak into the soil. You can cut the perennial climbing plant completely in early spring before new growth begins in April.
Can hops be repotted?
When growing hops in a bucket, you should make sure that the bucket is large enough. If necessary, repotting takes place in spring.
What diseases and pests occur?
- Hop aphid
- Common spider mite
- Hop wilt
- Powdery mildew
Pest infestations can often only be recognized when it is almost too late. If the umbels turn red or drip liquid, you should check for pests and take countermeasures immediately.
How do you overwinter hops?
You don't have to protect the hardy hops from frost outdoors. Winter protection is only necessary when growing in a container.
Tip
Check the hop plants regularly for pests. Lice in particular leave sticky honeydew behind, which leaves yellow stains on wooden floors and clothing. The stains can only be seen after washing and then can hardly be removed.
