Hops in Southern Ontario
Answered by: Conrad Richter
Question from: William C. R. Dunlop
Posted on: May 7, 2002

I am planning to be in the area this Saturday and I had a couple of questions about hops: 1) the availability of hops cultivators – do you have any in stock and which ones?

I have cc-ed this to our retail manager, Cathy Avery. She will get back to you about availability. Plant stock changes quickly during May our busiest sales time.

2) Best way of planting the cultivators for Southern Ontario. Last year I picked up two – a Mount Hood and a Willamette – planted them in a small hill in June. Willamette is fine and is coming back strong; the Mount Hood dried up and died. Did I plant them too soon?

No, June is not too early. There could be many reasons why one survived and the other didn’t: everything from one plant starting off weaker than the other, varietal differences, to one plant not getting the same conditions as the other.

We will be happy to replace the Mount Hood (if it is in stock, or with equivalent other plant merchandise). Cathy will arrange for that. It will help our retail staff if you bring a print out of this email message with you.

3) What type is present in the seeds? Wild hops, a mixture, any that are used in brewing?

The seeds come from an unnamed strain. Hops cultivars do not come true to name from seeds, so there is no point in giving the seeds a varietal name. The plants raised from seeds will vary in characteristics, and not all will necessarily be suitable for beer making. Remember, we sell hops for medicinal purposes too, and for that the unnamed seed-grown type is adequate.

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