Hops are a native plant that can cope well with sub-zero temperatures. It dies down in the fall, leaving only dried-up hop vines behind. Overwintering outdoors is not necessary. If you grow the hops in a bucket, you should provide some winter protection.
How do you properly overwinter hops?
Hop plants are hardy and do not require winter protection outdoors. However, hops grown in a bucket should be placed on a Styrofoam plate and covered with bubble wrap to avoid frostbite. The plant can be cut back in February.
You only have to overwinter hops in the bucket
Since hops are completely hardy, the plant does not need winter protection. If possible, simply leave the perennial plant alone until next spring and cut it down completely in February.
If you grow hops in a bucket, light winter protection is advisable. The soil freezes much faster in the pot. Place the bucket on a Styrofoam plate (€25.00 on Amazon) and wrap it in some bubble wrap.
Tip
If the dry hop residues bother you in winter, cut them down in autumn. However, it is better to leave some leftover. Then the remaining nutrients can migrate into the roots.