Spent hops

[caroline7758]

I've been using spent hops on my plot for years. Today i picked up a few bags from my local brewery but a few of them were just a sand-like  "slop" like you sometimes get in with the hops. Can anyone tell me , is this still ok to use, and would it be better dug in to the soil rather than used as a mulch?

[caroline7758]

[Pescador]

It sounds like the spent barley, I collect both from my local micro-brewery.
Sometimes I compost them, but also frequently use as a mulch or just onto bare soil for digging in later. Either way they are a fantastic combination.
Seasonal tip..... great way to earth up spuds, just spread thickly between the rows and then rake into ridges.
Also makes the plot smell fantastic!!

[BarriedaleNick]

As Pescador says it is probably the remains of the wort - the malted, boiled barley grain.  We get lots from our local brewery but I prefer the hops as it really helps with the clay.  Having said that we have got through literally tons of barley.  It rots down very quickly due to the large surface area of the grain so it goes everywhere on our site - so much that the smell can be a little overpowering at times.  We use it to mulch, on the compost heap, just dug directly in or layered up on the raised beds. It is good organic stuff!

[caroline7758]

Thanks for your answers. I wondered if it might be malt (since the hops always come in malt sacks)- didn't think about barley (I'm not a beer drinker!).

[Hector]

You are lucky :) The lovely chap that gives us spent hops keeps the spent barley for pigs :) so we don't get " worts and all"