More and more gardeners and entrepenuers are getting started growing hops in Iowa. Diana Cochran, a horticulture specialist with Iowa State University, says its for good reason; Iowa is a great place to grow hops, as long as a grower can keep the plants disease free.
"They grow well here. It's the humidity that is a factor because of disease. They need well drained soil, but otherwise, the problems that you'll see here really have to do with disease," she says.
Hops can grow to be up to 25 feet tall and can grow 15 to 20 feet in just one season. They are usually planted in mid-April or early May and are harvested in August.
During this Talk of Iowa, host Charity Nebbe talks with Cochran and Iowa State Extension Horticulture Expert Richard Jauron.
