How to Grow Tumeric

If you want to experience the taste of tumeric at its best, you need to have access to fresh rhizomes. When tumeric is dried it loses many of its essentials oils that add flavor. If you want it fresh, the best way is to grow tumeric in your greenhouse or garden. Here's how.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Tumeric grows well only in moist, humid climates. If you live in a cooler area, you'll need access to a greenhouse. You can also grow it indoors during the cooler parts of the year and transport it outside during the warm summer months.

2. Purchase fresh tumeric roots from your local Asian market. Select ones that have fat fingers for planting.

3. Remove the fingers from the tumeric roots and plant them in well drained, fertile soil so that they have access to direct sunlight.

4. Keep the soil moist but not wet.

5. During the growing season, feed the plants with a general purpose fertilizer.

6. Harvest eight to ten months after planting when the leaves and stems become dry. To do this, carefully dig out the plants after removing the leaves. Manually remove the dirt from the tumeric clumps and soak them in water.

7. Allow the tumeric clumps to dry before storing them in a cool, dry place. They can be replanted in the spring.

Tips & Warnings

• Tumeric can be grown in a greenhouse by planting the roots in a pot with well drained potting soil.