If you grow ginger at your home, then you will save money because it is a rather expensive commodity. The aromatic rhizomes of Ginger are used both as a spice or for medicinal purposes.
It can be used in different forms such as raw ginger, dry ginger, bleached dry ginger, ginger oil, ginger powder, ginger squash, and ginger flakes, etc. The best way of propagating ginger is through rhizomes.
The height of the leafy stem can reach 30-90 cm. You will see the base of the leaves wrap the stem. The color of the leaves is dark green and the size is narrow with midrib.
The color of the flowers is yellow and the size is very small. After 9 months, the green leaves will turn yellow and rhizomes are ready for harvest.
When To Plant Ginger?
Ginger is an underground plant the roots of this plant can be eaten fresh or powdered or dried form. You can add the roots to your smoothie or juice. Ginger has many benefits but here we are going to tell you when to plant ginger.
The best time for planting ginger is the early spring as most of the plants are planted in spring after the last frost. After the passing of the danger of the last frost, you can start crops of ginger outside in your garden.
You will get all the information about planting ginger from your local nursery or gardening store. They provide you with all the information about growing and the best time of planting in your area.
For outdoor growing, you should consider all the essential requirements, and make sure you are fulfilling all the basic needs of your plants.
As in this article, we are talking about growing ginger in the winter season. But we are telling you the best time for planting ginger is spring. Don’t be confused, you can plant ginger in the winter season but you should plant the rhizomes of ginger indoors, not outdoors.
In this way, your plant can survive in harsh winter weather. Outdoor growing for ginger is the best option but indoor planting makes it possible to start the growing season in late Winter.
Ginger plants can’t tolerate the temperature below -10°C or 14°F. If you are growing ginger plants outside then grow them in the container and at the start of fall, bring the container or pot inside your home.
Best Varieties Of Ginger
Ginger is a versatile plant that is grown by gardeners for many purposes. The health benefits of ginger are many. But Ginger can be grown for ornamental purposes because they have vividly colored flowers that will add beauty to the growing area.
If you are growing ginger plants indoors it means it will enhance the beauty of your living area. Here we are going to give you some common varieties of ginger that you can grow easily. Organic ginger is 100% natural and safe for your health.
1- COMMON GINGER
This type of Ginger can grow well and is widely used in curries, stews, and soups. You can also use this type of ginger for medicinal purposes such as in muscle pain, nausea, indigestion, and cold and flu.
2- GROCERY STORE GINGER
This variety has large rhizomes which have a subtle flavor. The plant of this variety can grow up to 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide. The plant of this variety is not attractive because it has no ornamental flowers.
3- SMALL RHIZOME GINGER
This variety is also known as Japanese ginger. You will get an intense flavor from this variety. The size of rhizomes is very small with a strong flavor.
4- KAEMPFERIA GINGER
This variety is also known as peacock ginger. They have oval-shaped leaves which can grow up to 8 inches long and 6 inches wide. The color of the leaves is green and the color of the flowers is purple with four separate petals. Well-drained and moist soil is needed for the growth of peacock ginger.
5- HEDYCHIUM GINGER
This variety is an ornamental type of Ginger that can grow 7 feet tall. This variety has pointed leaves with beautiful flowers. The color of flowers is usually white and the shape is just like butterflies that’s why it is also called White Butterfly Ginger Lily. They will grow best if they get full sun exposure but they can also thrive in partial shade with moist soil.
6- GLOBBA GINGER
The other name of this variety is dancing ladies. The height of this Ginger plant can grow up to 2 feet tall. The long leaves of this variety have seeds. The beautiful flowers have a whitish-yellow color. Well-drained soil is suggested for the healthy growth of the plant.
How To Grow Ginger In A Cold Weather In A Container?
In the winter season, you should grow ginger in the container because it is the best option for growing Ginger at home. Ginger is one of the spices that can grow well in containers.
In Asian dishes, Ginger is an essential ingredient. It adds flavor to your favorite dishes. After growing ginger at home, you will get fresh ginger for your recipes.
Before starting growing ginger you should select a variety which you like most. We have already given you some options. You can also select one of them.
Ginger is a perennial plant that grows underground. The interesting thing about ginger is that it can not produce seeds due to which you need fresh rhizomes with eyes on them for growing purposes.
If the rhizomes have growth points then the shoots will emerge easily. Ginger rhizomes are quite larger than turmeric so it is better to break the rhizome es into pieces that have at least three or four eyes on them.
Things You Need
- Container
- High-quality potting mix
- Store-bought rhizomes
PLANTING
Step 1: Container Selection
For growing ginger in a container, you should select a wide flat container to plant. As you know the roots of the ginger grow horizontally that’s why the width of the container matters a lot.
The width of the container is more important than depth. So choose a wide container for better yield. If you use movable containers which have small size then you can easily move them inside and out this type of container are the best rice for Ginger growing
Step 2: Filling Of Container
As it is mentioned above you need a high-quality potting mix for filling the container because Garden soil will not work well in the container. Potting mix is the best option for getting better production of ginger.
Step 3: Planting
You can buy roots of Ginger from any local grocery store but these roots are coated with a growth inhibitor. The reason is that it will prevent these roots from sprouting in the grocery store.
Sometimes grocery ginger roots may also be treated with fungicide or pesticide. So before using these roots, first soak them for 24 hours in water before slicing them.
Slice the knob of the ginger with the help of the knife into thin pieces. Select those pieces that have eyes. these eyes for the growth points where the roots will emerge.
Now place the pieces with the eyes facing up into the soil in the container. After that, cover the pieces with -inch 1-inch layer of soil.
Step 4: Location Of The Pot
Normally the ginger roots take 2 to 4 weeks for sprouting in optimal conditions. For best results, you should keep the pot in a warm area where the temperature should be 75 to 80 degrees, at the start it needs light water. Under suitable conditions, your ginger rhizomes will sprout quickly.
TIP FOR COLD CLIMATE
If you are living in a cold climate and can’t manage the temperature of your house. As mentioned above ginger needs a warm environment for proper growth. In that case, you can use a Seedling Heat Mat to keep the soil temperature just for sprouting.
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How To Care For Ginger Plants?
Here are some useful tips which will help you to care for your ginger plants.
- At an early stage, your ginger plants need regular water but avoid overwatering because for ginger plants moist soil is needed, not soggy. Ginger plants take several weeks to sprout, that’s why you should show patients.
- In cold weather, you can grow Ginger plants inside your home. As you are growing your ginger plants in a container, you can move plants outdoors when the weather is hot. Frost is not good for ginger plants as it will become the reason for the death of your plants.
- Ginger plants will burn if you provide them with too much fertilizer. The leaves of the plants grow more than the rhizomes due to the excess amount of nitrogen present in the fertilizers. As you need robust rhizomes rather than large green leaves.
- It is suggested that the ginger plants are in good quality soil where it gets all the nutrients and no need of adding fertilizers to the soil you can add composed for the healthier rhizomes of ginger.
CULTIVATION IN COLDER CLIMATES
If you want to grow ginger in a cold climate then you should not worry because a greenhouse is a good option. It provides warmth to ginger plants and when the weather conditions are favorable then you can plant them outside after the danger of the last frost.
This is the best way of growing ginger well even in the freezing weather. Greenhouse provides a better environment for your ginger plants.
How To Harvest Ginger?
Here are some signs through which you will come to know that this is the time to pick ginger for your kitchen.
- When the leaves of the ginger plants turn yellow and start to dry, at the same time you will see the stems are falling over. It means this is the time to pick ginger.
- The other clear sign of maturity of rhizomes is that the skin of the rhizomes will be firmed enough. It will bruise less easily when you wash it with your hands.
- Usually, after 10 to 12 months of sprouting, you can harvest rhizomes of ginger.
- If you want a baby ginger root then you can harvest the ginger for about 4 to 6 months from sprouting. This type of ginger has tender flesh, mild flavor, and no skin.
For harvesting the rhizomes you should trim the tops of the plant 2 to 3 weeks before picking the mature ginger. You can use your hands gently without disturbing the other rhizomes. During harvesting, you should be gentle with rhizomes because they are delicate because of the new growth.
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