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Rocky Mountain Gardening

What do I do with hops...I don't drink beer

16 years ago

Hello all. I'm just wondering what to do with all these hops blooms hanging along the fence. Now, I have brewed one batch of beer, years ago, but since I don't drink, well, what do I do? I tried looking online, but there isn't much mention of what they would be good for. They do look awful pretty hanging off the vines though!

Thanks,

J.

Comments (6)

lilacs_of_may
16 years ago
Hm, I've been thinking of starting some homebrewing. But I'm just in the investigating phases of it. Let me look in some brewing books.
jclepine
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks, Lilacs...
I can bring a bunch of the flowers to the swap and if you'd like them, you are welcome to them.
I'm not sure of the drying process, but I think if I put them in a paper bag they will keep from being to moist.
Of course, I'm just guessing here!
J.
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digit
16 years ago
"Some recent studies link 85% of all disease to stress." The good news is that beer overcomes stress . . . no, not really.

Stash makes a "Sandman PM" herbal tea with chamomile, spearmint, lemongrass, passion flower, orange peel, hops, rose petals. I think the rose petals are just in it for looks. Don't know much about passion flowers - orange peel is available in any produce market. If you buy the lemongrass there in February and put it in water, it will grow roots and into a huge plant by September 1st - I've got proof.

Chamomile has been difficult for me to grow in quantity. It is a fairly small plant and you are just needing the flowers. And spearmint, well spearmint is a mint and we all know what mints can do.

Lovely stuff Sandman tea . . . Oh, and you can stuff a pillow with the dried hops and take them to bed with you and the Sandman.

digitS'
emagineer
16 years ago
How to make a Hops pillow below:

Here is a link that might be useful: Pillow how to
jclepine
Original Author
16 years ago
Oh, I am going to make the pillow!! I have a little bit of leftover fleece fabric from when I made my own puppy-on-a-stick...um, you know, fluffy dusting thing for dusting the corners that are hard to reach!
Yeah, sleepy time is here.
Now about that tea...I already have chamomile and spearmint teas, maybe I can just add some hops for a super-sleep-infusion...
night night
digit
16 years ago
J, I don't know if you ever made that pillow but here's a little more info (and a recipe :o).

I really like the smell (perhaps, oddly enuf) of the Artemisia that grows along the rivers after the water drops in the Summer. It is also here and there in dry creeks and such. Strong . . . I often pick a sprig and put it in my shirt pocket.

I also grew Sweet Marjoram for the 1st time this year and have been trying to come up with uses for it . . . Once again; it has a fragrance that I just really like and IÂve been picking a little and carrying around in my pocket in and out of the garden.

Apparently, Artemisia vulgaris is also called Mugwort. Here's a recipe using it, marjoram and hops from Jim Long's book on dream pillows:

"Restful Sleep Pillow

1 tablespoon rose petals (any color as long as theyÂre fragrant and not chemically treated)
1 teaspoon mugwort
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon hops (broken up a bit with your fingers)
Fabric
Thread
Fiberfill

"Mix herbs together. Sew previously washed cloth to make a 5-by-5-inch pillow, into which youÂll place some fiberfill, herb mixture and a bit more fiberfill, and sew the pillow closed. To use, simply place the pillow any-where inside your pillowcase Â it doesnÂt matter where since most people move their heads around during sleep anyway.

"Jim Long is a contributing editor to The Herb Companion magazine."

digitS'

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