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beginner’s corner
HYDRO HOPS
THE ART OF HARVESTING
BY LEE ALLEN
Hydroponic hops aren’t new, but growing
them in nutrient-rich solutions is. As
demand from the beer industry for a reliable
source of fresh hops increases, efforts are
being made to produce hydro hops that are
as good and more reliable than field hops.
T
he old From Our Field to Your Fork slogan has some compe-
tition—From Our Greenhouse to Your Glass—as the concept
of growing hops hydroponically gains industry traction.
While the Pacific coastal states of California, Oregon,
and Washington were early trendsetters in field production
because of favorable climate, good soil, and a supply of irri-
gation water, other growers—hydroponic hop farmers—are
appearing in several new states following the path of the first
commercial hop production in Massachusetts in 1648.
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grow cycle