West Coast Seeds ships anywhere in North America. However, we are not able to ship garlic, potatoes, asparagus crowns, bulbs, onion sets, Mason bee cocoons, or nematodes outside of Canada. We regret, we cannot accept returns or damages for orders outside of Canada. The minimum shipping charge to the US is $9.99.
CERTIFIED ORGANIC. Brewer's Gold organic hops is an old North American heirloom variety, developed in 1919 from an original open pollinated strain in Manitoba. This is the ancestor of many modern bittering types, and it's both high yielding and vigorous. Be sure to refrigerate harvested hops in both the fresh and dried stages for the best shelf life. Provide stout support for this vigorous upright climber. Harvest the flowers or "cones" in late summer.
Aroma: Hints of black currant.
Flavour: Lightly spicy with piney undertones.
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Latin
Latin
Humulus lupulus
Family: Cannabaceae
Difficulty
Difficulty
Easy
We Recommend:
We Recommend: Cascade Organic (HO100) is a great all purpose variety, and probably the most widely used in the brewing industry.
Season & Zone
Season & Zone
Season: Warm season
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Zone: 3 and up
Timing
Timing
Plant hops rhizomes in early spring, as soon as the ground can be worked. If the weather turns and hard frost threatens after planting, mulch over the planted area with straw, leaves, or even plywood in order to provide some frost protection. If you cannot plant outside immediately, they can be stored slightly damp in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Starting
Starting
Plant your rhizomes, woody stems from 10cm to 15cm (4” to 6”) in length, as soon as they arrive in the mail. Plant about 10 cm (4”) deep with the buds pointing up with the rhizomes either lying down or pointing up, whichever direction the buds are growing in.
Growing
Growing
Ideal pH: 6.0-7.0. Be sure to train them to twine around a support when they are about 30cm tall (1’), as hops have been known to reach up to 7.5 meters in a year. Mulch with loose soil as it is important the rhizomes do not dry out while establishing themselves. Hops are heavy feeders that require nitrogen rich amendments. First year growth will be limited while the roots establish themselves but you can expect to harvest some cones in the first year, more in the second and a full harvest in the third.
If you are planting more than one rhizome space about 1m apart (3’); space different varieties 2m (6’) apart. There is little difference in the appearance of hop varieties. It will be much easier when harvesting the cones to grow them some distance from each other. In the second year you can expect several bines to have developed. Cut back the weakest of them, leaving the strongest 2 or 3 to grow out.
Harvest
Harvest
Hops are ready for harvest when they become light and papery to the touch and when the leaves of the cones start to turn yellow at the edges. The lupulin powder, that contains the essential oils, turns golden yellow and becomes quite fragrant. Spread the flowers out in a single layer on a screen and air dry for a couple days with a fan blowing across them. They are ready to store in the freezer in an airtight baggy when the cones barely break when bent in half.
Seed Info
Seed Info
In optimum conditions at least 65% of seeds will germinate. Usual seed life: 2 years. Per 100’ row: 400-600 seeds, per acre: 96M -120M seeds.
Diseases & Pests
Diseases & Pests
Watch for slug/snail damage to young seedlings. Keep the area free from debris where these pests like to nest.
West Coast Seeds is a family-owned company that embraces an organic lifestyle. A group of imagination catalysts and passionate educators, dedicated to producing products and services that better the environment. As part of our mission to repair the earth, we aim to inspire and empower people to take responsibility for the state of the planet. For us, organic is about much more than saying no to chemicals, it is about saying yes to building a healthy soil for the future.
For over 35 years, we have upheld our strong reputation as a leading seed supplier, seeking out the highest quality untreated seeds for organic growing and putting them through rigorous independent testing. We built our company on the exchange of generational wisdom in a masterclass community of newbies and masters alike. Our world may have changed, but our commitment to our people, our customers, and our planet has not.
We’re a values-based business that has blossomed into a lifestyle ethos, with products that support seeders, feeders, keepers, and the tiniest of creepers. Our mission? To mobilize the next generation of gardeners with products that nourish soil and grow vigorous, sustainable gardens. We believe all plants should be grown without the use of chemicals, and that the seeds we supply are an important component of regenerative gardening.
We don’t just offer seeds, we offer experience, insight, and understanding. From timeless garden wisdom to new tech know-how, this is learning on the job: knowledge gleaned not from the pages of a book but from burying our fingers in the soil. We test, experiment, observe and adapt, never happier than when we get to share what we’ve learned with others.
Gardens don’t just grow seeds. They grow minds and imaginations, people and communities. Our vision encompasses both the micro and the macro. We eat locally, protect pollinators, teach people to grow from seed, and support regional biodiversity. We think big but act small and deliver unexpected impact — always with community and purpose.
At West Coast Seeds we believe in the power of small and that little can be large. Like the tiniest seed germinates to evoke incremental change with massive potential, so to can our community of gardeners and growers together. Gardeners are the earth’s stewards, planting seeds of creative declaration. The soil provides the canvas, we provide the seeds.
