How to Grow Wild Ginger (Asarum)

Wild ginger is a woodland ground cover perennial with heart-shaped leaves that sometimes have silver markings.

Things You'll Need

• Bypass Pruners
• Compost Makers
• Fertilizers
• Garden Spades
• Garden Trowels
• Mulch
• Plants

Instructions

Choosing Wild Ginger

1. Look for plants at nurseries in spring and summer.

2. Buy wild ginger in 4-inch to 1-gallon containers.

3. Choose healthy-looking plants with signs of new growth in leaf and flower bud.

Caring for Wild Ginger

1. Remove old foliage using bypass pruners in early spring.

2. Apply a light application of organic fertilizer on top of the soil in early spring (follow package directions).

3. Mulch around but not on top of the plants with 3 inches of organic compost in spring.

4. Water well (until soil is completely moist) weekly in summers with no rainfall.

Planting Wild Ginger

1. Plant wild ginger in shade in well-drained soil.

2. Add a light application of organic fertilizer to the planting hole.

3. Place the plants no deeper than they were in their containers.

4. Set the plants 6 inches apart.

5. Mulch around but not on top of the plants with 3 inches of organic compost.

6. Water until soil is completely moist.