Growing Ginger

Growing ginger plants is not as difficult as some might think.  Rather, when grown in the right climate and environment it’s quite possible to get them to thrive with a little bit of effort.  While different varieties of ginger plants have slightly different ideal growing conditions they all grow best in hot tropical climates.

Like flower bulbs, ginger roots are the starting point to growing any new ginger plant.  Depending on variety, ginger roots can be purchased from certain garden nurseries or specialty stores.  Edible varieties of root ginger can even be purchased in most grocery stores to be planted in the ground.  Ideally a whole healthy piece of ginger that is about 4 to 5 inches in length and has not been treated in any way is a good starting point.  Finding a root that is still green at the tips of the “fingers” is even better.

Ginger will take awhile to mature, often as much as 10 months depending on the variety.  Ginger plants will need a warm environment that stays consistently above 70 to 80 degrees year round, otherwise the leaves will die off in the wintertime, and the root will go dormant. The soil that the ginger root will be growing in should ideally be loose and rich in nutrients. Using composted soil or mixing in manure will help. Potting soil is a must if the ginger is to be grown in a pot.

Try to plant the ginger in the spring once you are confident that there is little risk of another cold snap that could adversely affect the growth and survival of the ginger plant. Cut each of the extruding points of the ginger off from the main body of the plant; let them dry for a day before planting them. Plant each of the cut sections in a shallow hole, so that the root is no deeper than one inch below the surface. To ensure the roots have plenty of space to expand, you should also space each hole 1 foot apart from each other. The stem and leaves should start to break through the soil after a few weeks after planting. Be sure to regularly water the ginger roots and prevent the soil from drying out.