Spacing and Support Space between plants varies from country to country and is mainly based on the need to have enough room to allow tractors to get between the rows. In the United States, hops are grown on 7' by 7' grid with an 18 foot tall trellis. In a home garden, the main concern is just to get the vines off the ground and possible to keep different varieties from getting tangled up with each other. Plant mixed varieties at least 5 ft. apart. Identical varieties can be as close as 3 ft. if you don't have much room.
Hops mainly grow up if they can, then lateral siderarms extend off of the main vine.
Hops don't have to be grown on an 18' trellis. Some of the less vigorous varieties will yield more if they are limited to 10' - 15'. Actually just about anything over 6 feet will work, the vine will just become bushier. The vines are easiest to grow and deal with if they are trained onto strong twine. This twine can be supported by a trellis wire, pole, tree branch or building.