Humulus lupulus is a plant perennial climber with flowers, belongs to the Cannabaceae family. It is widespread in central-northern Italy and in Europe, it grows spontaneously along the banks of waterways and on the edges of the woods, up to about 1000 meters above sea level. It is a herbaceous that develops in length, with stems that even reach 8-9 meters. The roots of hops go very deep into the ground and survive the winter, while the aerial part dries up in the cold.

Hops is a plant that can give great satisfaction, if you learn to take care of it, just have a few tricks to make it grow and bloom as it deserves.

IS known mainly for being a fundamental ingredient in beer production. Growing it is not particularly difficult, withstands well in harsh climatesthe.

Those who are passionate about beer and love to experiment with production can grow it in the vegetable garden. It is also a medicinal plant, excellent for making decoctions and herbal teas with a characteristic bitter taste, very useful against insomnia. The female hop flower, called cone, also has very interesting properties, in particular it is known for its calming and sedative effect.

CARE

IS a plant also perfect for growing in pots, in planter degrees of 80 liters or more, it fits very well in small spaces and is a perfect climber suitable for create dividers or on pergolas. Being climbing needs supportthe.

Choose a soil for the hops rich in organic matter, with a good ability to retain moisture. Better choose a loose ground, will allow the roots to expand and go deeper. It must be well drained to avoid stagnation which could lead to fungal diseases.

Remember to wet it often, does not like arid climates and needs that soil is constantly moist. This creeper it needs winter cold which allows him to take his months of vegetative rest and then to understand in spring when the time has come to start vegetating again. In fact it is a typical cultivation of central northern Europe, even in Italy it grows very well especially in the northern areas. The hop plant also wants good sun exposure, find it a south-facing, unshaded spot.