Repotting guide

When & how to repot Centennial Hops (Humulus lupulus 'Centennial')

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.

Mature size: Bines climb 4-6 m per season from a crown spreading to about 1-1.5 m wide.

Watch for — Downy and powdery mildew: Crowded, humid growth shows yellow spotting, twisted shoots and browning cones. Strip the lower bine, increase spacing and airflow, water at the base, and cut out infected tissue early.

How to tell centennial hops needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For centennial hops, watch for these signs:

Roots circling the bottom of the module or pot, or poking out of the drainage holes.
The seedling dries out within a day and growth has visibly stalled.
Roots are white and matted in a tight spiral when you tip the plant out.
It has outgrown its current container for the stage of the season — pot centennial hops on before it becomes hard root-bound.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot centennial hops

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Centennial Hopsis grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. 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 size pot to step centennial hops up to

Pot centennial hops on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot centennial hops

Pot centennial hops on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Step-by-step: repotting centennial hops

Pot on before it is root-bound. Check centennial hops regularly; move it up as soon as roots reach the edge of the cell or pot, not after they have circled.
Step up one or two sizes. Choose the next container up — not a giant one. Cold, wet, unused soil around a small root system stalls seedlings.
Knock it out gently. Support the stem, tip the pot, and ease the rootball out without breaking it. A little teasing of circled roots at the base is fine.
Pot into rich mix. Set it into fresh deep, fertile, free-draining loam at the same depth (tomatoes are the exception — they can go deeper to root along the stem).
Water in and grow on. Water well, keep it in good light, and resume feeding once it is established and growing again.

Aftercare

Water centennial hops in well and keep it in bright light; a freshly potted-on seedling can wilt for a day while roots settle, so do not overcompensate by drowning it. Do not fertilise for about 1 week — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for centennial hops

Centennial Hops wants deep, fertile, free-draining loam. Likes rich, well-drained soil rich in organic matter, pH 6.0-7.5. Open up heavy ground with grit and compost and plant on a low mound where drainage is marginal to protect the crown. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting centennial hops — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot centennial hops?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for centennial hops. Centennial Hops is a seasonal crop, so you pot it on as a growing plant rather than repotting a perennial. Step seedlings up gradually into deep, fertile, free-draining loam so the roots never circle the cell, ending in a large final container. A root-bound transplant stalls and never fully recovers.

What size pot does centennial hops need?

When is the best time of year to repot centennial hops?

Can you put centennial hops straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing centennial hops should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise centennial hops after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 1 week after repotting centennial hops. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.