How to grow Hops in New Zealand
Hops are a fast, herbaceous perennial climber that dies back to the crown each winter and races up a string or pergola every summer, then bears papery green cones in late summer. Home brewers grow them for beer, and others for summer shade and fragrance. Commercial hop growing in New Zealand is centred on Nelson and Tasman, but home gardeners grow them throughout the country where winters are reasonably cold and summers not too humid.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Hops
At a glance
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| Northland | August to November | |
| Auckland | August to November | |
| Waikato & Bay of Plenty | August to November | |
| Central North Island | August to November | |
| Wellington & Lower North Island | August to November | |
| Nelson & Marlborough | August to November | |
| Canterbury | August to November | |
| Otago & Southland | September to November | Plant Sep to Nov, once the soil can be worked. |
| Central Otago | September to November | Plant Sep to Nov, once the soil can be worked. |
Where to plant
Choose a spot in full sun with easy access to water and plenty of room for vertical growth, such as along a fence, garage or pergola. Hop bines can grow 20 to 30 cm a day in spring and reach several metres, so they need a strong, tall support: a pergola, tall poles with wire, or strings run up to a high anchor. A windbreak helps.
Hops grow in a range of soils, including clay and gravelly loams, but avoid waterlogged ground. They need at least 120 frost-free days to flower.
- Nelson and Marlborough: the heart of New Zealand hop growing, with an ideal climate.
- Canterbury, Otago and Southland, Central Otago, Wellington and the central North Island: suit hops well. In Otago, Southland and Central Otago plant from September to November, once the soil can be worked.
- Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty: will grow, but humid summers suit hops less well. Give them a sunny, airy spot.
- Northland: may be too warm and humid for good crops, though some gardeners grow them successfully.
Choosing a variety
| Variety | Notes |
|---|---|
| Smooth Cone | An ex-commercial New Zealand variety, resistant to phytophthora, and the hop most often grown in home gardens. Fragrant, seedless female cones |
| Cascade | A citrus and grapefruit flavoured American aroma hop, forgiving and a common first choice; sold to home growers by specialist nurseries |
| Fuggle | A mild, earthy English classic, better suited to cooler gardens |
| Nelson Sauvin, Riwaka and Motueka | Well-known New Zealand bred aroma hops, available as plants from specialist hop nurseries |
Only female plants make cones. Buy named female plants or rhizomes from a nursery rather than growing from seed.
How to plant
- Put up the support before planting: strings, coir rope or wires running up 4 m or more.
- Plant potted plants or dormant rhizomes in early spring, in soil enriched with plenty of well-rotted compost or manure. Set the plant at the same level it was in its pot.
- Space plants of one variety about 1 m apart, and keep different varieties at least 3 m apart so they do not tangle.
- Water young plants little and often, every second day in dry weather, while their roots are small. Mulch the surface.
- When the shoots are 30 to 90 cm long, choose two or three strong bines per string and wind them clockwise around it. Remove the rest, and keep trimming extra shoots weekly through spring.
Watering and feeding
Hops use a lot of water, especially over the warm summer months. Keep the soil moist with deep watering or drip irrigation, keeping the leaves dry.
They are also heavy feeders. Feed through the growing season with a balanced fertiliser containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, or with fully composted manure or compost tea. Use only fully composted manure, as fresh manure can encourage fungal problems.
Pruning and care through the year
- Train new growth up the strings every few days in spring; the bines twine clockwise.
- Strip the lowest leaves from the bottom metre or so of each bine once it is well up the string, to improve airflow.
- After harvest or once the bines yellow in autumn, cut them down. The crown stays in the ground and goes dormant over winter.
- Hops spread from their roots and from stems that touch the ground, and wild hops are listed as an environmental weed by Weedbusters. Keep plants contained and do not dump prunings near bush or riverbanks.
Harvesting
The main harvest is from late February to March. Cones are ready when they feel papery and slightly sticky, spring back when squeezed, leave yellow powder (lupulin) on your fingers and smell strongly. Pick them by hand, or cut the bine down and strip the cones.
Dry the cones on a screen in a warm, airy, dark spot until the centre stem is brittle, then store them sealed in the freezer. Hops lose quality with heat, light and air.
Companion planting
Hops are tall and hungry, so keep other crops out of their root zone. Low, soil-building plants can grow nearby.
Good companions
Pests and diseases
Hops in New Zealand home gardens have few serious problems. Spider mite in hot, dry weather is the main one.
Pests to watch for
- Spider mite Fine pale speckling on leaves, which turn bronze, and fine webbing in hot, dry weather. Keep plants well watered.
- Aphids Clusters on the shoot tips and under leaves in spring.
Diseases to watch for
- Root rot Plants wilt and die back in wet, poorly drained soil. Smooth Cone is resistant to phytophthora.
Common questions
Can I grow hops outside Nelson?
Yes. Commercial growing is concentrated in Nelson and Tasman, but home gardeners grow hops throughout New Zealand. They do best with a reasonably cold winter, a sunny site and summers that are not too humid.
Which hop should I grow in New Zealand?
Smooth Cone is the most common home-garden hop in New Zealand and resists phytophthora. Specialist hop nurseries also sell Cascade, Fuggle and New Zealand varieties such as Nelson Sauvin, Riwaka and Motueka.
When do I harvest hops?
From late February to March, when the cones feel papery and slightly sticky, spring back when squeezed and smell strongly.
How long until hops produce cones?
The first year is mostly root growth with a few cones. Expect good crops from the second and third years.
Do hops die in winter?
The bines die back in autumn, but the crown is a hardy perennial. Cut the old bines down and new shoots come up in spring.
How high do hops grow?
Several metres in a season, often 4 to 7 m and more. Give them a tall string or pergola and plenty of sun.
Sources we checked: Wild About Hops (NZ hop plant nursery): How to grow hops; Tui: Grow your own beer; Weedbusters: Hop; NZ Hops Ltd: FAQs.