How to Grow Ginger Root Indoors

Ginger plants grow from shoots that come out the tips of of the "fingers".

Fresh ginger root adds flavor to any dish you use it in. Unfortunately, since it is a tropical plant, it doesn't grow well outside unless you live in a tropical climate. Luckily, growing it indoors is less difficult than you might think. Like other tropical plants, ginger prefers rich, moist soil, indirect sunlight, and warmth. These features, when combined with its beautiful green and fragrant foliage, make ginger root a prime candidate for growing indoors.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh ginger root
• Potting soil
• Hand trowel
• Slow-release fertilizer
• Seaweed or fish emulsion
• Large pot
• Mister bottle (optional)
• Humidifier (optional)

Instructions

1. Fill your pot with potting soil. Leave an inch or two of space at the top, so that you have room to plant the ginger and move soil around. Mix in some slow-release fertilizer according to package instructions.

2. Dig a hole big enough for the ginger root, and plant it so the little finger-shaped pieces of the root point up. Plant at a depth of about 2 inches.

3. Water it over your sink, until you see the water run out the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. Place in a warm room, in indirect sunlight, such as through blinds, a window shade or curtains.

4. Check the moisture level of the soil every day until you know how quickly it dries out. Insert your finger about 2 inches down into the soil. Water if the soil feels dry, and never allow the soil to dry out completely.

5. Spray the soil around plant with seaweed or fish emulsion every few weeks, according to package or recipe instructions regarding application rate.

6. Harvest ginger by tipping the plant out of the pot and looking at the rhizomes, which are the part you eat -- not roots, even though people refer to them that way. Wait at least a year before harvesting for the first time, so your plant has time to establish itself. When the leaves start to die, harvest your ginger for eating.

Tips & Warnings

• Ginger plants can grow to between 2 and 3 feet in height. If you do not want to spend a lot of time transplanting your ginger from smaller pots into larger ones, plant it in a large pot right away.

• If the air gets very dry in your house, consider misting the leaves of your ginger plant, or else placing a humidifier nearby. Tropical Permaculture notes ginger plants, like other tropical plants, prefer a slightly humid environment.

References

• "McGee and Stuckey's The Bountiful Container"; Rose Marie Nichols McGee and Maggie Stuckey; 2002
• Tropical Permaculture: Growing Ginger Root