Salty soil or soil with poor drainage is undesirable. Add sand to the soil to improve drainage and try deep irrigation to reduce saltiness. The pH can be adjusted with lime to reduce acidity or sulfur to reduce alkalinity. Try to make pH adjustments in the fall, because the lime will interfere with nutrient uptake for about a month after its addition. The soil should contain 20 to 30 percent organic matter such as compost or dehydrated cow manure.
Organic material plays an important role in making the soil nutrients available to the roots.
Nutrients Hops have a very big appetite and need lots of nutrients. Watering Hops are very thirsty plants, but their roots will rot if allowed to stand in water. This is why well-drained soil is so important. During their initial growth, frequent light waterings will be sufficient. Once the plant is established, deep, relatively infrequent waterings will encourage a strong, deep root structure and high drought tolerance.