Homebrewing - Beer, Mead, Wine, Cider

I'm outside Chicago and yeah, they're dead simple to grow.

Get a big rhizome shipped in early March - February is often too cold. If you can find an old barrel or large (very large) planter, it is probably best. You want tons of drainage, but you also want tons of water. Fertilizer - anything. Milorganite, fish heads, compost, Miracle-Gro, doesn't matter.

You want southern exposure, full sun, likely on the south side of a building. First year it'll go up a few feet. Second year you should plan for it to go up 18 feet.

First year is all about establishing roots. Don't trim it or anything, let it do it's thing, give plenty of water but don't let it sit in wet soil. Second year you can get cones if you get it big enough.

Third year you should focus on getting a harvest by only allowing four stems to grow along your twine and trimming the rest off.