Not recommended for growing in USA - Zone 5a regions
Ginger is a warm climate plant. It can be grown indoors in cool/temperate areas. To grow well it needs lots of water and nutrients. Prepare the soil by adding compost which will retain some moisture but not get saturated. Add a small amount of sand to ensure drainage. Water regularly in summer to keep moist. In a pot, in addition to watering to keep moist, water ginger about once a fortnight with a seaweed or other liquid fertilizer. This perennial will die down in autumn. Remove the dead leaves. In spring lift the root clumps and break them up into smaller pieces to replant.
You can harvest ginger root after the plant dies down in winter, digging around the plant to cut off a piece of the older root. The young root with shoots is the actively growing plant and should be left to resprout.
You can also carefully dig down under the plant through the growing season to cut off bits of the older root for use, just be careful not to disturb the rest of the plant too much.
Let plants become well established before harvesting - it is often best to wait until the second growing season.
Make sure that you have edible ginger. Ginger plants sold in nurseries are usually decorative varieties and not suitable for eating. # Ginger can be grown in large pots indoors. Ambient temperature needs to be 25 - 30C (75-85F)
Use in any recipes requiring fresh ginger. Widely used in Asian cooking, it is hot without the 'burn' of chilli.
Ginger root freezes well either whole or grated, and can be used direct from the freezer in most recipes requiring fresh ginger.
This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department.
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