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Herb Full Sun Regular water

Hops

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Vigorous climbing vine essential for brewing beer. Hardy enough to withstand light frosts down to -20°C, hops performs best when daytime temperatures stay between 15°C and 25°C. It needs full sun (6-8 hours of direct light daily) and regular watering to keep soil consistently moist — leaves are ready for picking in about 120-150 days. Fresh leaves from your own garden taste noticeably better than store-bought — and the plant practically grows itself.

Harvest 120-150 days
Temp Range -20°C — 30°C
Frost Tolerant ❄

Quick Answer: How to Grow Hops

Hops takes 120-150 days to harvest. It grows best in 15–25°C with full sun and regular watering. Hops is frost tolerant and can handle temperatures down to -20°C. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Hops in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Full Sun
💧
Water
Regular
❄️
Frost
Tolerant
📅
Harvest
120-150 days

Temperature Range

15-25°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 15–25°C Tolerates: -20–30°C
Tropical suitable: No
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Needs tall trellis (5m+). Cut to ground in fall. Can be planted 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost, giving it a head start on the growing season. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: -20°C to 30°C
  • Optimal growing: 15°C to 25°C
  • Harvest in 120-150 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Hops is frost-tolerant, meaning it can survive light frosts and even thrive in cooler temperatures.
  • 🌱 Hops needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Hops (Humulus lupulus) are among the most vigorous perennial vines in temperate gardens, demanding deep, rich, well-drained soil at pH 6.0–8.0. Prepare planting beds deeply — hops roots can penetrate 3–4 m — working in generous compost and a balanced slow-release fertilizer. Plant rhizomes horizontally, 5–8 cm deep and 75 cm apart in spring when soil reaches 7°C. Provide a trellis or training wire system of at least 5–6 m height — hops grow up to 30 cm per day in peak season. Train two to three bines clockwise up each string; remove all other shoots. Water thoroughly during establishment and during dry spells as vines climb. Feed with a high-nitrogen fertilizer in spring as bines emerge, switching to a phosphorus-potassium formula as cones form. After harvest in late summer, cut all growth to the ground in fall and mulch crowns heavily before winter. Allow 2–3 years for full production; established hop gardens produce for 25+ years.

Common Pests & Problems

Downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora humuli) is the most serious hop disease, producing spiked, curled basal shoots ("basal spike") early in season, then gray-purple spore masses on undersides of leaves; remove all basal spikes immediately and spray copper hydroxide preventively in wet springs. Spider mites thrive in hot, dry summers, causing bronze stippling on leaves and webbing around cones — maintain adequate soil moisture, spray with water jets to dislodge mites, and apply predatory mite releases. Hop aphids (Phorodon humuli) are devastating cone-specific pests that contaminate the harvest with honeydew and cast skins; apply insecticidal soap to undersides of leaves from early June.

Harvest & Storage

Harvest hops in late summer (August–September in the northern hemisphere) when cones are papery and aromatic, spring back when gently squeezed, and have a dry, sticky feel from lupulin glands — a lupulin-stained fingertip is the key test. Cut bines down from the trellis and strip cones by hand. Fresh hops can be used immediately in brewing. For storage, dry cones in a single layer at 60°C in a dehydrator for 1–3 hours until they reach 8–10% moisture. Vacuum-seal dried hops immediately and freeze — they retain brewing quality for 12–18 months.

Popular Varieties

"Cascade" is the quintessential American home-brew hop, producing medium-bittering cones with signature citrus, grapefruit, and floral aromas widely used in pale ales and IPAs. "Centennial" is nicknamed "Super Cascade" for its intense citrus and floral profile at higher alpha acid levels, producing very heavy yields. "Fuggle" is a venerable English variety dating to 1861, yielding earthy, woody, herbal cones essential for classic English ales and porters. "Saaz" is the famous noble hop from the Czech Republic, producing delicate spicy and herbal cones that define Pilsner-style lagers — lower yield but exceptional quality.

Where to Grow Hops

Hops can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK medium
Amsterdam, NL medium
Ankara, TR medium
Antalya, TR medium
Athens, GR medium
Barcelona, ES medium
Bari, IT medium
Belgrade, RS medium
Bergen, NO medium
Berlin, DE medium
Bilbao, ES medium
Bologna, IT medium
Bordeaux, FR medium
Bratislava, SK medium
Brussels, BE medium
Bucharest, RO medium
Budapest, HU medium
Catania, IT medium
Cologne, DE medium
Copenhagen, DK medium
Corfu, GR medium
Cork, IE medium
Dublin, IE medium
Dubrovnik, HR medium
Edinburgh, GB medium
Florence, IT medium
Frankfurt, DE medium
Gdansk, PL medium
Genoa, IT medium
Glasgow, GB medium
Gothenburg, SE medium
Hamburg, DE medium
Helsinki, FI medium
Heraklion, GR medium
Istanbul, TR medium
Izmir, TR medium
Krakow, PL medium
Kyiv, UA medium
Limassol, CY medium
Lisbon, PT medium
Ljubljana, SI medium
London, GB medium
Lyon, FR medium
Madrid, ES medium
Malaga, ES medium
Marseille, FR medium
Milan, IT medium
Munich, DE medium
Naples, IT medium
Nice, FR medium
Nicosia, CY medium
Oslo, NO medium
Palermo, IT medium
Paris, FR medium
Porto, PT medium
Poznan, PL medium
Prague, CZ medium
Reykjavik, IS medium
Riga, LV medium
Rome, IT medium
Seville, ES medium
Sofia, BG medium
Split, HR medium
Stockholm, SE medium
Strasbourg, FR medium
Stuttgart, DE medium
Tallinn, EE medium
Thessaloniki, GR medium
Tirana, AL medium
Toulouse, FR medium
Turin, IT medium
Turku, FI medium
Valencia, ES medium
Valletta, MT medium
Verona, IT medium
Vienna, AT medium
Vilnius, LT medium
Warsaw, PL medium
Zagreb, HR medium
Zurich, CH medium

🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN medium
Almaty, KZ medium
Bali, ID medium
Bandung, ID medium
Bangalore, IN medium
Bangkok, TH medium
Beijing, CN medium
Busan, KR medium
Cebu, PH medium
Chandigarh, IN medium
Chengdu, CN medium
Chennai, IN medium
Chiang Mai, TH medium
Chittagong, BD medium
Chongqing, CN medium
Coimbatore, IN medium
Colombo, LK medium
Da Nang, VN medium
Dalian, CN medium
Davao, PH medium
Delhi, IN medium
Dhaka, BD medium
Dharan, NP medium
Fukuoka, JP medium
Galle, LK medium
Guangzhou, CN medium
Hangzhou, CN medium
Hanoi, VN medium
Harbin, CN medium
Ho Chi Minh City, VN medium
Hong Kong, HK medium
Hyderabad, IN medium
Incheon, KR medium
Indore, IN medium
Islamabad, PK medium
Jaipur, IN medium
Jakarta, ID medium
Jeju, KR medium
Johor Bahru, MY medium
Karachi, PK medium
Kathmandu, NP medium
Kochi, IN medium
Kolkata, IN medium
Kuala Lumpur, MY medium
Kunming, CN medium
Kyoto, JP medium
Lahore, PK medium
Lucknow, IN medium
Manila, PH medium
Mumbai, IN medium
Nagoya, JP medium
Nanjing, CN medium
Nha Trang, VN medium
Okinawa, JP medium
Osaka, JP medium
Pattaya, TH medium
Penang, MY medium
Phnom Penh, KH medium
Pune, IN medium
Sapporo, JP medium
Seoul, KR medium
Shanghai, CN medium
Shenzhen, CN medium
Siem Reap, KH medium
Singapore, SG medium
Surabaya, ID medium
Surat, IN medium
Taipei, TW medium
Tashkent, UZ medium
Tbilisi, GE medium
Tokyo, JP medium
Ulaanbaatar, MN medium
Varanasi, IN medium
Vientiane, LA medium
Visakhapatnam, IN medium
Wuhan, CN medium
Xi'an, CN medium
Xiamen, CN medium
Yangon, MM medium

🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US medium
Anchorage, US medium
Atlanta, US medium
Austin, US medium
Baltimore, US medium
Baton Rouge, US medium
Boise, US medium
Boston, US medium
Bridgetown, BB medium
Buffalo, US medium
Calgary, CA medium
Cancun, MX medium
Charleston, US medium
Charlotte, US medium
Chattanooga, US medium
Chicago, US medium
Denver, US medium
Des Moines, US medium
Detroit, US medium
Edmonton, CA medium
El Paso, US medium
Fargo, US medium
Fresno, US medium
Guadalajara, MX medium
Halifax, CA medium
Hartford, US medium
Havana, CU medium
Honolulu, US medium
Houston, US medium
Jacksonville, US medium
Kansas City, US medium
Kingston, JM medium
Knoxville, US medium
Las Vegas, US medium
Little Rock, US medium
Los Angeles, US medium
Louisville, US medium
Lubbock, US medium
Madison, US medium
Memphis, US medium
Mexico City, MX medium
Miami, US medium
Milwaukee, US medium
Minneapolis, US medium
Monterrey, MX medium
Montreal, CA medium
Nashville, US medium
New Orleans, US medium
New York, US medium
Oaxaca, MX medium
Oklahoma City, US medium
Omaha, US medium
Ottawa, CA medium
Panama City, PA medium
Phoenix, US medium
Pittsburgh, US medium
Portland, US medium
Puebla, MX medium
Quebec City, CA medium
Raleigh, US medium
Richmond, US medium
Sacramento, US medium
Salt Lake City, US medium
San Diego, US medium
San Francisco, US medium
San Jose, CR medium
Santo Domingo, DO medium
Saskatoon, CA medium
Savannah, US medium
Seattle, US medium
Spokane, US medium
St. Louis, US medium
Tampa, US medium
Toronto, CA medium
Tucson, US medium
Vancouver, CA medium
Victoria, CA medium
Winnipeg, CA medium

🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI medium
Accra, GH medium
Addis Ababa, ET medium
Algiers, DZ medium
Antananarivo, MG medium
Arusha, TZ medium
Bamako, ML medium
Bloemfontein, ZA medium
Cairo, EG medium
Cape Town, ZA medium
Casablanca, MA medium
Dakar, SN medium
Dar es Salaam, TZ medium
Douala, CM medium
Durban, ZA medium
Entebbe, UG medium
Fez, MA medium
Freetown, SL medium
Harare, ZW medium
Johannesburg, ZA medium
Kampala, UG medium
Kigali, RW medium
Kinshasa, CD medium
Lagos, NG medium
Libreville, GA medium
Lilongwe, MW medium
Lome, TG medium
Luanda, AO medium
Lusaka, ZM medium
Maputo, MZ medium
Marrakech, MA medium
Mombasa, KE medium
Nairobi, KE medium
Ouagadougou, BF medium
Port Louis, MU medium
Pretoria, ZA medium
Tunis, TN medium
Windhoek, NA medium
Zanzibar, TZ medium

🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE medium
Asuncion, PY medium
Barranquilla, CO medium
Belem, BR medium
Bogota, CO medium
Brasilia, BR medium
Buenos Aires, AR medium
Cali, CO medium
Campinas, BR medium
Caracas, VE medium
Cartagena, CO medium
Concepcion, CL medium
Cordoba, AR medium
Curitiba, BR medium
Cusco, PE medium
Fortaleza, BR medium
Georgetown, GY medium
Goiania, BR medium
Guayaquil, EC medium
La Paz, BO medium
Lima, PE medium
Manaus, BR medium
Medellin, CO medium
Mendoza, AR medium
Montevideo, UY medium
Paramaribo, SR medium
Port of Spain, TT medium
Porto Alegre, BR medium
Quito, EC medium
Recife, BR medium
Rio de Janeiro, BR medium
Rosario, AR medium
Salvador, BR medium
Santa Cruz, BO medium
Santiago, CL medium
Sao Paulo, BR medium
Sucre, BO medium
Trujillo, PE medium
Valparaiso, CL medium

🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU medium
Alice Springs, AU medium
Auckland, NZ medium
Brisbane, AU medium
Cairns, AU medium
Canberra, AU medium
Christchurch, NZ medium
Darwin, AU medium
Dunedin, NZ medium
Gold Coast, AU medium
Hamilton, NZ medium
Hobart, AU medium
Melbourne, AU medium
Noumea, NC medium
Perth, AU medium
Suva, FJ medium
Sydney, AU medium
Townsville, AU medium
Wellington, NZ medium

🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE medium
Amman, JO medium
Baghdad, IQ medium
Beirut, LB medium
Doha, QA medium
Dubai, AE medium
Erbil, IQ medium
Jeddah, SA medium
Kuwait City, KW medium
Manama, BH medium
Muscat, OM medium
Riyadh, SA medium
Sana'a, YE medium
Tabriz, IR medium
Tehran, IR medium
Tel Aviv, IL medium

When should I plant hops in my city?

The best time to plant hops depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 15°C and 25°C. Since hops is frost tolerant, you can plant it before the last frost date. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow hops in winter?

Yes, hops is frost tolerant and can handle temperatures down to -20°C. In many climates, it can be grown through winter with some protection.

Get Hops Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Hops seeds and starter plants online.

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Similar Growing Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions about Hops

When should I plant hops?

The best time to plant hops depends on your local climate. Hops grows best in temperatures between 15°C and 25°C (can tolerate -20°C to 30°C). Hops is frost tolerant, so it can be planted earlier in spring or later in fall. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can hops grow in tropical climates?

Hops is not well-suited for tropical climates. It prefers cooler conditions with temperatures between 15°C and 25°C. In tropical areas, it may bolt, fail to fruit, or suffer from heat stress. Consider growing it in cooler seasons or at higher elevations.

How long does hops take to grow?

Hops typically takes 120-150 days from planting to harvest. It requires full sun and regular watering. Needs tall trellis (5m+). Cut to ground in fall. Can be planted 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost, giving it a head start on the growing season. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Find the Best Time to Plant Hops

See the planting calendar for Hops in these popular cities:

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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