Hops!

As some of you may know, hops, or Humulus Lupus, is the closest living cousin of Cannabis Sativa. It may not come as a surprise to you then that as an avid homebrewer I grow my own hops.

This one grew almost 2 feet over the past two days. It shares that trait with it's cousin. I will be trimming back all but one of the vines so it will put all it's energy into that one and produce lots of lovely blossoms for me to brew with in the Fall.

 

It can grow almost that fast outdoors, especially Sativas. This was really more like 2 days I think, but they were just starting to sprout on Saturday.

 

Hops typically get to be 20' long by the end of the season. They start earlier than cannabis because they grow from the rhizomes. They finish just a little earlier.

The young hop shoots taste like asparagus btw. In some countries they are a Spring delicacy.

 

It's amazing how fast hops grow. You'll note the resemblance of the immature flowers to it's cousin cannabis, but the older flowers are beginning to take the characteristic cone shape that hops are known for.

This plant is a beast. She has several vines going off in different directions that are at least 5 meters long. I would show the whole thing but that would reveal way too much of my house and backyard

 

You know it

 

I'll do that

I've been homebrewing for about 15 years now. It is a very satisfying hobby. I consider it part of my love for cooking in general as beer is food. Water, grain, yeast...it's the same as bread just different proportions and seasoned with hops

 

I actually thought you were going to say 'you called' when I saw that you'd just posted in this thread

Thanks. The first are almost ready to pick but it'll be harvested over the next month or so as the newer flowers mature