How to Grow Edible Ginger Root

Edible ginger grows in tropical and subtropical regions.

Although there are over 1,000 species of ginger (Zingiberaceae family), only a few of them are edible. The ginger root you buy at the supermarket is the rhizome of the species Zingiber officinale, a herbaceous perennial that grows in tropical and subtropical regions. Its foliage reaches 4 feet in height. Grow a ginger plant from a plump and firm rhizome you find at the market or order one from a nursery. Get your new plant started indoors in late winter.

Things You'll Need

• Pot with drainage holes
• Potting soil
• Propagation mat, as needed
• Pickax
• Shovel
• Compost
• 3-1-2 fertilizer
• Knife

Instructions

1. Fill a pot with a diameter twice the length of your ginger root (rhizome) with potting soil. Leave 3/4 inch between the surface and the container's rim.

2. Place your ginger root on the soil surface horizontally. Water the root and the soil thoroughly until excess runs out of the pot's drainage holes. Keep the rhizome and the soil under it always hydrated.

3. Place the potted ginger root in a warm area under indirect sunlight. Use a propagation mat to provide bottom heat if necessary, as ginger requires the soil temperature to be at 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Loosen the soil in late spring with a pickax and shovel in a site that provides some sun and some shade. Remove weeds and debris from the area. Incorporate 2 inches of compost into the ground, as ginger requires fertile soil.

5. Make a shallow furrow to accommodate one-third of your ginger rhizome. Place the ginger plant in the furrow. Pack the soil against the sides of the root to hold it in place. Water the ginger at planting and continue to irrigate it regularly to keep the rhizome and the soil from drying.

6. Apply a 3-1-2 fertilizing formula to your ginger plant in spring after it shows new growth. Feed it once more in the summer. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for application rates.

7. Dig up the ginger root to use it when the leaves turn yellow and dry after the plant goes dormant in fall to early winter. Young ginger root is also edible and can be harvested three months after planting. Cut the piece you need and leave the rest of the rhizome in the ground to continue to grow.

References

• Mississippi State University; "Edible Ginger Only a Few of Species"; Kerry Johnson; August 8, 2005
• University of Florida IFAS Extension; "Growing and Using Edible Gingers in North Florida"; Gineen Krafft; July 18, 2004
• Learn2Grow; "Grow Your Own Ginger"; John Buettner; 2006 - 2011