These are my hops. There are many like them, but these are mine. They're on their third year. I don't need a lot, and this year I should get a fair turnout.
And then there's this bitch.
Fun fact: all hop rhizomes used for brewing are female. As they wind pollinate, a nearby male rhizome would turn all your hop flowers into seeds. The more you know.
That bad ass bitch is my cascade hop. She's named Audrey 3 which is a joke that will remain funny until I have to sacrifice a dentist to keep it happy. I got all of my hops at the same time, and she was the run. I planted her with the rest, but had to move her into a pot temporarily until she sprouted. When she was happy enough to grow, I planted her in another bed where she did okay. In the second year, she took off and outgrew my others. Meanwhile I placed a raised bed over top of her and filled it with composted humus/manure mix. This year........well....she's really happy. She's almost matched last years growth already with months left to go. I've had to cut her back multiple times. I'd try to burn her back if I wasn't sure she'd come out of the flames holding three hatched dragons. Sounds nice, but I'd wind up the Jorah Mormont and I won't be friend-zoned by my own hop.
