I've never grown this, but I just ordered seeds for a variegated form from Summer Hill Seeds. Check 'em out---they have a wonderful selection!

I heard seed have to be coldframed for these to grow.I to have tried with no luck on seeds.

coldframed? You mean stratified? (allowed a period of cold to simulate winter prior to being planted)

That website is neat and i may order a few things from them but i'm hoping to find rootstock for the hops rathe than trying with seeds.

Yep thats it sorry thats what I ment.

no probelm. i knew what you were tryign to say. based on the natural range of hops i'd tend to agree it probably does need a period of cold to be viable.

anoyone else know a source for rootstock?

I got mine on ebay last year the grew nicely but they look dead now from our winter weather still hope to see them repop up but might get some off ebay myself to make sure Im ready for them cats this year.

Greenhouse man here is growing hops from wild growing local plants (Illinois). Just seedlings but getting up the poles quickly. Sandy Reebel, on another forum, is also after hops. Yale

Try Nichols Garden Nursery or Freshops. If Theatrum Botanicum can reopen this spring, they also have a selection of root cuttings. Home brewing web sites or local micro brewers are other sources. Most sources do not have root cuttings until March and they sell out very quickly.

You do want roots as you can be assured of the variety and the sex (F) of the plants. Seeds notoriously fail to produce the anticipated variety.

Pinetree also sells the rhizomes. Many of the websites that have to do with "home brewing" sell hops rhizomes as well. You can check them out on Garden Watchdog to see what their rating is.

I ordered 3 to plant this spring from Pinetree. I like their seeds, and hopefully their rhizomes will be good as well. I am growing mine for the Question Marks, Commas, and other butterflies that use Hops as a host plant. The females are the ones that produce the hops, though. I think you may need at least one male in order to get good hops if you're growing it for home brewing purposes.

Susan

Here is a link to an excellent website which sells hop rhizomes and has lots of growing information.

http://www.freshops.com/

I had great success with winter sowing hops seed but my plant is 4 years old and I have NO flowers.(It's still a great plant -- this time of year it's AMAZING how fast it shows up) I think you are safer with rhizomes so you know you are getting female plants.