If you like beer then you must be aware of the plant “Hop”. Hops are the female flowers of the plant. These herbs are used as a flavoring agent in beer. Hops were first discovered in the early 11th century. Although they were first used to flavor beer, as time passed herbal medicines were concocted using the hop flower. Cultivated in many parts of the world, Hops have a strong aroma and a sour taste. But you need not drink beer to get the benefits of this amazing herb! There are other ways to use the goodness of hops for your health and beauty.
... Hop is a good source of antioxidants, which means that it helps the body fight against free radicals, giving the skin a radiant and youthful glow...
This picture was taken several years ago before and I retired and moved to UpState New York. We would spend a good part of the summer in NY, and over several summers we started cultivating some wild hops we had stumbled across.
... The oils and minerals in the plant provide an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin and is used to decrease the surface blood vessels...
These magnificent plants require a good deal of care to get them to grow as you see here.
...The essential vitamins and oils present in the hops help to open the tiny pores of the scalp and reduce hair loss. The oils in this herb help to cure the dead skin on the scalp and remove dandruff ...
I must admit, over the past five years we have not given them the care they need to thrive.😢
...Hops are also used to treat insomnia. As they are related to the “cannabis” family, they are used as a drug for relaxing muscles and treating people suffering from anxiety...
Living here fulltime for the past three and a half years, we have been able to finish the interior of our home, which has allowed us some time to do other things. Now that we are settled in, the hop gardens have moved nearer to the top of the to-do list. We plan on restoring the hop beds back to their glory days.
This pic was taken last year and despite our efforts to stay on top of the growing mass of vines shooting out from the rhizomes, we realized that we were already behind the eightball. Once these vines start to reach for the sky, there is no stopping them.
With this much growth, last year it made covering them with hay that much more difficult.
Last year, we did make some progress in restoring the hop beds, but this year it was going to be game on.
... Hops help in relaxing the aching muscles and body pain. ..
With an inch of vine already poking through the soil, as it awakened from its winter slumber, I knew that it was time to get busy. Removing last year's dead vegetation did not take long because I had removed many of the old vines late last fall.
... Another property of this wonder weed is that it is used in the treatment of various types of ulcers ...
Although the vines are dead, it still takes some doing to cut them down. The one I have in my hand in this photo has to be at least 25 feet long.
...Hops improve the digestive system, hops fasten the metabolism of the body...
In less than eight weeks from now, the hop vines will have reached the summit of the canopy, once again.
...The anti-inflammatory property of hops provides relief from a toothache and other oral diseases...
Oh, what a tangled web we weave!
...Anxiety is one of the biggest problems most people face today. The sedative quality is what makes hops essential oil useful in combating anxiety and mood swings. It helps calm the mind and body...
With the hop vines barely making it to the surface, covering the beds was much easier than last year when the vines had already grown several feet.
...hops essential oil exhibits sedative and soothing qualities. It is a perfect treatment for sleeplessness or insomnia...
Due to neglecting the vines on the one side of the canopy for several years, most of them had died. Last year, when thinning the rhizomes on the side of the canopy that was still doing very well, I was able to unearth some very healthy roots.
...hops can help you naturally overcome the discomfort during menstruation...
Transplanting any plant always shocks them. I didn't expect them to grow that much last year, I was only hoping that hey would make it through the winter.
...Hops essential oil helps men enhance their sexual prowess. Hops essential oil helps extend your performance...
Five days after covering the hop bed with hay I realized I had gotten them covered just in time.
Many of the vines that were just breaking through the soil had already grown a foot or more.
...alleviates coughs and congestion when used as aromatherapy...
The entire hop bed was coming to life.
...One of the most popular uses of hops essential oil is to ease tension and the symptoms of headaches...
Last year's transplanted rhizomes were also looking really healthy! 😀
...hops contain various essential oils, vitamins, and minerals, which make it suitable for different uses. Some of the essential oils derived from hops are...
Myrcene, Caryophyllene, Farnesene, Humulene
The transplant was successful.
...These oils have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory characteristics, which make them perfect for relaxing the body...
If I stay on top of caring for these prolific vines for the remainder of the growing season,
...Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin C have antioxidant properties, which makes the immune system more active and less prone to diseases...
it may be possible to create the hop canopy once again.
It could also be time to
make some beer.