MARCH 28, 2012
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This is a plant worth growing: hops. Spread by rhizomes (underground stems, like ginger root), a lanky climber with a gorgeous leaf, and eventually a fragrant, rewarding base crop for beer, hops are a winner for any garden with enough space and sunshine. Pictured here are the dried, compressed cones from the female plant, alongside their companion in a good beer–malted barley.
Thanks to a new initiative by the Bronx Brewery, community gardeners in our northernmost borough will be growing hops in their plots to make a signature New York City brew.