Hops are fast-growing climbing plants with woody climbing stems that can reach up to 6 metres in length. Easy to grow and hardy, they require no maintenance if provided with a support to colonise. Moreover, hops are highly decorative and will create a lovely screen of tender green or golden foliage. While impressive large structures can be admired in hop fields, what about in the garden? Discover with us the different solutions for staking hops.

A large agricultural hop-growing structure

A large agricultural hop-growing structure

When to stake hops?

Hops grow very quickly and can grow up to ten centimetres per day during the summer season. The support structure should therefore be installed before or at the same time as planting the young plants in early spring.

Different types of supports

Training against a wall

  • Hops can be trained against a wall like any climbing plant, even in pots. You can install an attractive wooden trellis or make one using bamboo canes. You can even repurpose a piece of fencing to serve as a support.

Hops on a wall trellis

  • You can also run steel, iron or natural twine vertically, which the hops will naturally climb to reach height. For best results: secure the wire in the ground using a stake or peg about 10 cm from the wall, then fix the wire at height, for example on a bracket or hook. Be sure to leave 5 to 10 cm between the wall and the structure so the hops can twine around it and allow air circulation.

Hops climbing a steel wire against a wall

  • You can also fix trellis netting between the wires to encourage the hops to spread laterally, or by planting several plants. This way you can create a beautiful green curtain on a façade, or in front of a window to provide shade in summer, or over a pergola.

Hops growing on netting

Supporting on a pergola

With its beautiful 5 to 6 metre long lianas, hops are perfect for beautifully dressing a pergola or arch. They will climb on their own, but don't hesitate to guide them to cover the entire structure.

Hops climbing a pergola

Against a tree or post

Hops enjoy full sun but also partial shade. They will therefore happily climb up a tree trunk without much difficulty. For something more original: they can also scale structural posts or, as shown below, a lamppost! A bright idea!

Hops climbing a tree or post

A mini hop garden

You can also create a mini hop garden inspired by large professional structures, but on a much smaller scale. Its height should be between 2 to 3 metres.

  • Plant wooden battens, posts or tall bamboo canes vertically in the ground.
  • Connect the tops of the posts horizontally with a branch, bamboo cane, string or another batten.
  • Attach string, wire or twine to the top of the structure. Let them hang vertically to the ground and secure them with ground pegs. You can also replace the string with trellis netting. The hops will then climb up the cords and the top of the structure on their own.
  • Your structure will generally last two years. Check its sturdiness each season.
Example of a structure made from bamboo canes and trellis netting

Example of a structure made from bamboo canes and trellis netting

  • Another option: you can also create a teepee-shaped structure with canes.
Other examples of teepee supports

Other examples of teepee supports

On a fence or balcony

Thanks to their vigorous nature, hops will easily cling to fencing, a fence or balcony. Don't hesitate to guide their green stems to cover the structure.

Hops climbing a fence

Hops scaling a fence

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