Hops in Scotland - A Rough Guide

2 It is essential that good quality plants are sourced at the outset, to ensure that the plantation gets off to the best possible start. There is a large range of available varieties, some of which are dwarf types, and the choice of variety depends on their intended purpose as all have their own characteristics in terms of quality. It should also be noted that some varieties are covered by plant variety rights, requiring royalties to be paid on them. Hops are planted around 1.5m apart, although higher density plantings are possible. In their first year, the plants are allowed to establish rather than produce a full crop, so the second year’s crop is generally the first that should be expected by growers. Hops can continue to crop for 10-20 years after planting if the plants remain healthy. Shoots begin to emerge in April from the underground rhizome ( 2 ), and once growth is advanced, support for the bines should be put in place. Strings (2-3 per plant) or netting can both work well. Bines can then be trained up each string ( 3 ), taking care to ensure that the shoots are emerging from the rhizome below ground level to reduce stem breakages when the wind blows. PLANT MATERIAL AND TRAINING SYSTEMS 2 Emerging shoots, May 2018 3 Bines halfway up string, July 2018