Fertilising guide

How to fertilise Centennial Hops (Humulus lupulus 'Centennial')— schedule & NPK

Also called Centennial hops, Super Cascade.

More about centennial hops

About Centennial Hops

Humulus lupulus 'Centennial' · also called Centennial hops, Super Cascade · edible

Centennial, nicknamed 'Super Cascade', is a dual-purpose American hop with higher alpha acids and an intense citrus-floral aroma. It is a vigorous twining perennial bine that dies back each winter and climbs 4-6 m up support strings the following spring. Grow it in full sun with deep, fertile, free-draining soil and tall vertical support.

Growth habit: Herbaceous twining perennial with a persistent rootstock throwing up annual rough bines that wind clockwise up strings to full height, then die back to the crown over winter.

What fertiliser centennial hops actually wants — and why

Centennial Hops feeds in two distinct phases — balanced to build the plant, then high-potassium the moment flowering starts to set and fill a heavy crop.

For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for centennial hops: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.

How often to feed centennial hops, and which months

Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For centennial hops:

Hungry feeder. Mulch with compost or manure in spring, supply nitrogen-rich feed during rapid climbing, then switch to a balanced fertiliser as cones set. Stop heavy nitrogen late in the season to encourage coning over leaf. So: a balanced feed or compost at planting, then a high-potash liquid every 1-2 weeks from first flower through harvest across the main season (spring through early autumn).

The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when centennial hops is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.

What strength to mix for centennial hops

Follow the crop-feed label rate for centennial hops — these are calibrated for hungry vegetables. Consistency through fruiting matters more than strength; erratic feeding causes problems like blossom-end rot.

Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water centennial hops first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the centennial hops watering schedule.

Signs you are over-feeding centennial hops

Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for centennial hops:

Vigorous dark-green leafy growth but few flowers or fruit (excess nitrogen).
Lush foliage hiding the crop; soft growth prone to pests and disease.
Salt crust on the soil and scorched leaf edges in containers.

Signs you are under-feeding centennial hops

Pale, yellowing lower leaves and stunted growth.
Small fruit, poor set, and a quickly exhausted plant.
Blossom-end rot and weak cropping from erratic or insufficient feeding.

If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full centennial hops care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.

Flushing and leaching the salts

In containers, fertiliser salts build up fast — water centennial hops thoroughly so excess drains from the base each time, and flush pots with plain water every few weeks to prevent a damaging salt build-up.

Organic vs synthetic feeds for centennial hops

Organic options

Garden compost or well-rotted manure dug in before planting, plus a liquid comfrey or seaweed feed once fruiting starts. UK: comfrey feed or organic Tomorite; US: Espoma Tomato-tone or Neptune's Harvest. Builds soil and feeds in one.

Synthetic / liquid feeds

A balanced feed at planting then a high-potash tomato feed in fruiting — UK: Growmore at planting then Tomorite (Levington) or Phostrogen; US: a balanced 10-10-10 then Miracle-Gro Tomato or a bloom booster.

Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.

Fertilising centennial hops — frequently asked questions

What fertiliser does centennial hops need?

Balanced (even N-P-K) at planting for roots and frame, then switch to a high-potassium ("high-potash") tomato-style feed once the first flowers open — potassium is what sizes and ripens fruit, not nitrogen. Centennial Hops feeds in two distinct phases — balanced to build the plant, then high-potassium the moment flowering starts to set and fill a heavy crop.

How often should I feed centennial hops?

Hungry feeder. Mulch with compost or manure in spring, supply nitrogen-rich feed during rapid climbing, then switch to a balanced fertiliser as cones set. Stop heavy nitrogen late in the season to encourage coning over leaf. Hungry feeder. Mulch with compost or manure in spring, supply nitrogen-rich feed during rapid climbing, then switch to a balanced fertiliser as cones set. Stop heavy nitrogen late in the season to encourage coning over leaf. So: a balanced feed or compost at planting, then a high-potash liquid every 1-2 weeks from first flower through harvest across the main season (spring through early autumn).

What strength of feed for centennial hops?

What does over-feeding centennial hops look like?

Vigorous dark-green leafy growth but few flowers or fruit (excess nitrogen). Lush foliage hiding the crop; soft growth prone to pests and disease. Salt crust on the soil and scorched leaf edges in containers. Staying on a high-nitrogen feed once centennial hops starts flowering is the classic error — you get a huge leafy plant and a disappointing crop. Switch to high-potash the moment flowers appear.

Should I flush the soil of centennial hops?