How to Harvest Ginger

Once sliced, the tuberous roots of ginger emit a strong fragrance.

Ginger root is a tough, knotty and fibrous rhizome that is a bit odd-looking, but is filled with spicy sweetness. It can be harvested early, as baby ginger, or when the root is fully mature and the tops are tall and yellowing. Ginger is a creeping perennial that will grow 3 to 4 feet tall when it is mature. Once it is harvested and dried, it can be sliced and grated for use in soups, stir-fries, cakes, cookies and many other recipes. It also offers a number of medicinal benefits, including the ability to soothe colds and sore throats.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Bucket
• Screen (optional)

Instructions

1. Cut the top growth of the plants down to 1 inch above the soil, using scissors. Ginger harvest generally takes place during fall. The top growth will be yellowing or dying back at this point, signalling that the rhizomes are fully mature.

2. Using a shovel, dig up the plants and root system, allowing a few inches around and below each plant. Pull up ginger plants one by one, making sure to avoid breaking the rhizome system, and put them in a bucket. If you are growing the herb in containers, simply dump the whole container into a bucket or large plastic tray.

3. Wash the ginger thoroughly in fresh water, rubbing off any dirt that might be stuck to the thick rhizomes. Drain excess water from the bucket or container.

4. Place the ginger on mesh screens to dry for four days. If you have a large harvest or the sun is harsh, cover the rhizomes with a polypropylene row cover when sun-drying.

5. Store dried ginger root in plastic bags in a refrigerator to keep them fresh for weeks.

Tips & Warnings

• You can harvest ginger at any point; root size does not affect taste. For baby or green ginger that is harvested young, pickle or preserve the roots in syrup.

• Peel ginger root before use. Slice, dice or grind it to powder before using ginger in recipes.

• Ideal ginger roots are free from bruises and light-brown to cream-colored.

• Avoid planting ginger in full sun or overwatering, though the root does prefer a humid environment.

• A shorter growing season (less than 10 months in some places) may reduce yield, but will result in tender baby ginger that is highly valued in the market.

References

• Pennsylvania State University; Production and Marketing of Specialty or Novel Vegetables; M.D. Orzolek, et al.; 2010
• Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension; Ginger; Joe Masabni, et al.