How to Grow Organic Ginger Root
Ginger is a flavorful and versatile root. Not only is it a tasty accent to a variety of dishes, but it also has myriad medicinal applications. With so many uses, it is sure to feature a central place in your diet once it's growing in your garden. Thankfully, ginger is exceedingly easy to grow. When you grow organic ginger root in the warmth and humidity of tropical growing zones, you can nearly plant it, water it and forget about it as it grows on its own. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Purchase an organic (locally grown if possible), whole ginger root from an herbalist or health food store. The best time to look for fresh ginger root is in early spring just before you plant. The ginger that you select should be healthy-looking, shiny and plump--not dried out. Whole ginger is called a "hand," and this hand contains branches called "fingers." Choose hands that have lots of fingers. On those fingers should be several (two at the least) well-formed growth buds that resemble the eyes on a potato.
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Soak the ginger in water overnight.
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Find the right spot for your ginger to grow. Almost anywhere will do as ginger is not a picky plant. Its primary needs are plenty of indirect sunlight and shelter from the wind.
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Amend the soil if necessary. Ginger is happy to grow in a small patch of moist, nutritious, well-draining soil. Simply turn the soil with two inches of organic compost (home-grown is best) and two inches of sandy loam gardening soil.
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Plant individual fingers of ginger in late winter or early spring. Break off the fingers with the most eyes to use for planting. Allow the broken edges to dry completely before planting them. Bury them four inches deep and seven inches apart with their eyes facing upward.
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Spread a three-inch layer of mulch around but not on top of your planted ginger.
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Water your ginger. Ginger loves moist soil, and it should never be allowed to dry out. Water your ginger lightly but frequently while it is establishing itself. Once established, it prefers infrequent, thorough watering as opposed to frequent, light watering. However, in fall and winter, you should rarely water ginger. Allowing the soil to remain dry will encourage the ginger root to form during that time.
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Harvest the ginger. Once the leaves have died (around eight to 10 months after planting), it is harvest time. Dig up a few roots or break off desirable fingers. Replant the rest.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are growing your ginger in an arid climate, you will need to periodically mist your ginger plant's leaves. Conversely, if your area receives torrential rain, you will have to periodically fertilize your ginger plants with a liquid fertilizer every few weeks during the rainy season.
If you want a hearty crop of ginger, let the plant establish itself and refrain from harvesting it the first year of its growth in your garden.
Unless you live in USDA planting zone nine or higher, you will have to start your ginger indoors. Plant your ginger in a 15-inch pot filled three-quarters of the way up with a mixture that is equal parts peat moss, perlite and coarse sand. Place the pot in a warm spot (around 65 degrees) and fertilize it once a month with a 10-10-10 fertilizer. Transplant your ginger outside when daytime temperatures reach 75 degrees or higher.
