This short post shows with lots of pictures the progression of growing a hop plant, harvesting hops and drying them out.
Remember!!! – Hops are deadly to Dogs, so keep them away from your pets at all times, through all phases of dealing with them once you pick them off the plants, and even while on plants, isolate them with some fencing, just to be on the safe side.
Also, you probably won’t get much if any hops the first year after planting from root, the first year is all about the plant establishing it self (this is normal). If you plant a hop plant from a plant (not a root) early enough in the season, you might get some hops the first year.
Hops peaking out from a fresh root.
Hops growing up and climbing the trellis (made from cow fencing) on it’s side.
Hop plants climbing the top of the trellis and transitioning to a grow rope.
Hops are starting to flower, buds are visible.
Buds are almost mature and ready for Harvest.
Dried hops after harvest.
Bottom of the dry box, loose yellow lupulin clearly visible.
For more information on Hops see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hops
Also, this is a really good resource with lots of details and identifying pictures to help you id which hops you might have, if you don’t know:
Thanks for reading and Cheers!