Ginger is a useful spice that is good for your health and can be used in many ways in the kitchen. I like maintaining dried ginger on hand to make a tea that helps settle my stomach. My local fruit market sells organic fresh ginger and amazing candied ginger made locally, which I want to try to make myself someday. Growing ginger is a wonderful means of reducing expenses on this spice all year and ensuring you never run out since you can pick it up even when it’s not growing.
Ginger Growing Instructions
Ginger is different from most plants in that it grows from the center of the root. The root of a ginger plant is called a rhizome. This is the same part that we eat and use to make medicine. Be careful when you buy ginger roots at the market or grocery store. Like potatoes, ginger roots can be treated to stop them from growing.
If you aren’t sure if the root has been treated, you can ask the farmer. If you want to use ginger for its health benefits, you should buy organic ginger so you don’t add chemicals that could worsen a problem, like nausea.
To start a new ginger plant from the ginger root you buy at the store, you need a small but plump piece at least 1 inch long. This root ought to be new and firm. If it has softened, it is no longer fresh and is more likely to go bad than to grow. At least one pointy part should be on your piece of ginger.
Soak the root piece in clean, room-temperature water overnight. This will let the roots take in all the water they need to start growing. Plant the ginger root so that the pointy end faces up. Even if you want to grow ginger in the ground, start it in a pot with potting soil that drains well and has a lot of peat moss and compost blended in.
This way, the ginger root will get the nutrients and the right amount of drainage. Every day, gently add water to the soil. To do this, clean water can be sprayed into the spray bottle. Then, water can be spread evenly over the soil to keep it moist but not soaked.
While you wait for the ginger plant to grow, water the soil twice a day. Your spout takes 6 to 8 weeks to come out, so you must be patient. Your ginger plants in their home or garden will give you the freshest ginger you can get.
Ginger can be grown in a regular garden or flower bed between zones 7 and 10. Ginger is a perennial, so you should give it its own space so you don’t disturb it when you add other plants or other perennials when you harvest your ginger. Before you plant your ginger in the ground, add a lot of organic matter, such as fresh compost, to help it grow.
Once your ginger plant is well-rooted, you must take good care of it. Ginger has a big appetite, so it needs rich soil and a lot of clean water. The best time to prune is from late fall to early spring when the tree is asleep. So, the rhizome will have new leaves and more roots by the next growing season.
Ginger Growing In Pots
Ginger grows broad rather than deep, so the pot you choose for your new plant should be big but not too deep. If you want to grow several ginger plants, a storage bin that fits under your bed is a great choice. You can trim and store the plants by putting the lid on the bin.
Due to harvesting, this is probably the last pot your plant will ever need. Ginger can be grown in a pot and brought inside in winter to keep it safe. Ginger goes to sleep in the late fall, so you don’t need to worry about giving it a grow light. Instead, bring it inside and put it where it won’t be disturbed. If your basement stays at least 60 degrees all winter, you might want to keep your ginger plant in a pot.
Why Should You Cultivate Ginger?
- Makes cookies, pies, and cakes, among other sweets.
- Pickled ginger root can be used in sushi or salads.
- A hard candy can be made from the root.
- A soothing herbal tea can be made from ginger root.
- Ginger oil can also make drinks like ginger ale at home.
- This “magic” herb contains good nutrients that help the heart, blood flow, digestion, and immune system.
Ginger Harvesting
Ginger is a great plant that can be picked at any time of year. It would help if you didn’t take more than one-third of the plant at a time when you harvest your ginger. This is called the 1/3 rule. You can use this method to ensure your plant has enough food to grow and not die.
Ginger should be taken from the plant by gently pulling it up from its base. So, the rhizome and plant will be taken out of the ground. Ginger is taken from the plant by breaking off a small piece and trying to put it back into the ground.
Now is the perfect time if you haven’t added compost in a while. If you pick fresh roots from your garden in the winter when humidity is low, ensure they stay moist until you are ready to cook or bake with them by wrapping them loosely in wet paper towels.
Many Types Of Ginger
- Common ginger. The leaves are glossy and dark green. They grow on two to four feet tall stems and come from edible rhizomes. He rarely makes flowers. Rarely can you buy plants, but it’s easy to grow your own from fresh, plump rhizomes at your local grocery store or farmers’ market.
- Zingiber ‘Midnight.’ It has brownish-black leaves that look great in a tropical garden bed. This plant grows two feet tall and one and a half feet wide.
- Myoga ginger. It gets about two feet tall and has light yellow flowers in late summer and fall. The leaves can be all green or have different colors. It is a hardy species that can live outside all winter in USDA Zone 7 and even some parts of USDA Zone 6.
- Beehive ginger. This species can grow up to 6 to 8 feet tall and has green leaves. It is best known for its dense blooms, 3-foot-tall clusters of yellow bracts that turn red as they age from midsummer to fall.
- Shampoo or pinecone ginger. Straight stems with green leaves that are eight feet tall and shorter stems with flowers. The mature, cone-shaped inflorescence starts green and turns red over time. It also releases a clear liquid that can be used as shampoo for an eco-friendly option.
