Q&A for How to Grow a Ginger Plant

Return to Full Article

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    What kind of fertilizer should I use for ginger plants?
    Andrew Carberry, MPH
    Food Systems Expert
    Andrew Carberry is a Food Systems Expert and the Senior Program Associate at the Wallace Center at Winrock International in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has worked in food systems since 2008 and has experience working on farm-to-school projects, food safety programs, and working with local and state coalitions in Arkansas. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and holds a Masters degree in public health and nutrition from the University of Tennessee.
    Food Systems Expert
    Expert Answer
    The first step is to know the fertility/needs of your soil. When planting outdoors, you can mix in a slow-release organic fertilizer at initial planting, and either top-dress with compost or use a liquid fertilizer ever few weeks.
  • Question
    I have several ginger lilies planted that are now anywhere from 6" to 3' tall. The leaves are turning yellow on the tips and edges. They get full sun until mid-afternoon, and are watered everyday. Any suggestions?
    Community Answer
    They prefer partial shade. They are likely getting sunburned. They also need moist, but in well-draining soil. Transplant to a location that gets some shade, and make sure you aren't over-watering. Take a small amount of soil and squeeze it in your hand. It should hold its shape when you open your hand, but break easily when poked. If it doesn't hold its shape, the soil it too dry, but if it sticks to your hand like mud, it's too wet.
  • Question
    Can I grow ordinary edible ginger purchased from vegetable shops?
    Community Answer
    Yes, it is possible to grow ginger this way.
  • Question
    It is early September in Greece, and my supermarket rhizomes have happily sprouted as if it were spring. How do I handle them during winter? Will I harvest anything next summer?
    Community Answer
    Yes. Grow indoors during the harsh winter months, then follow instructions above to get the best chance of success.
  • Question
    The article suggests that people should (1) soak non-organic ginger in warm water overnight to help stimulate inhibited plants, but also (2) after cutting, leave the pieces in a dry location for a few days to allow them to form a protective callus. Do we dry or soak first?
    Community Answer
    Soak them first, then cut and dry if you want to. If you do it the other way around, the protective calluses may be softened.
  • Question
    Someone gave me ginger flower stems - is it possible to plant them?
    Community Answer
    Ginger cannot be grow from stems; you have to have the rhizomes (roots).
  • Question
    Is it only grown in cold seasons?
    Community Answer
    It is planted in summer-spring and harvested in winter. It takes 8 to 10 months to mature. In winter when the leaves starts dying, harvest ginger. It can also be grown indoors, where the plant isn't so season dependent.
  • Question
    Is the ginger plant suitable for desert climates like that of the Mojave in the south western US?
    Community Answer
    For a desert climate, ginger will not tolerant the temperature. You will need to provide shade and watering according to the plant and soil.
  • Question
    Can you grow it from a cutting of another plant?
    Community Answer
    You can't from stem cuttings, but the rhizomes can be broken/divided and potted as smaller plants. Be sure to cut with a clean knife, and dust the cut wounds with an organic fungicide prior to planting to prevent rot.
  • Question
    Is it very important to plant ginger under some specific types of trees to give it the required shade? Or, can it grow in an open garden with limited shade? I ask as we live in the tropics.
    Community Answer
    You can intermix ginger plants and okra. They help each other. Plant one ginger eye next to each okra seed/plant, on the opposite side of the sun.
  • Question
    Are ginger leaves edible?
    Community Answer
    Yes. We have chopped leaves into tiny pieces with scissors. The flavor is more mild than the root.
  • Question
    Can I grow ginger in a pot on my balcony in Rome, Italy?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can, provided it is brought inside during the harsher winter months (unless your balcony is enclosed for winter). The only trick is finding organic/unsprayed ginger roots to sprout, as many commercial varieties are sprayed to prevent sprouting. Sprouting can take a while, so be patient and watch those little nubs for signs of green.
  • Question
    Can I grow ginger in Texas?
    Community Answer
    Yes. I live in far north Dallas and put two pieces of ginger in a pot in April or May. I put in a bag of soil which had a 5-1-1 ratio, watered the soil every morning to keep it moist, and by the end of September we had seven stalks, the first is about 3 feet tall.
  • Question
    How long can the ginger crop be kept inside the soil before harvesting? Is it possible to keep the crop inside the soil for 18 months?
    Community Answer
    Yes, a two year growing period works fine and gives a bumper crop. Make sure you bring it indoors during cold months. Apart from keeping the compost moist you can virtually forget about it.
  • Question
    How can I determine what my profit will be after I harvest the ginger?
    Community Answer
    It depends on a number of factors, namely crop yield, overhead costs, labor fees, market price of ginger, and amount of time invested.
  • Question
    Can I plant ginger in a three-foot-deep hole?
    Community Answer
    No. Plant each piece of ginger 2–4 inches (5–10 cm) below loose soil, with the buds pointing upward.
  • Question
    Should I cut back the leaves after cold weather damage?
    Community Answer
    Yes, but try not to damage the main stem/where it is growing from. Also, try not to cut a lot of the leaves.
  • Question
    How long does it take ginger to flower?
    Community Answer
    If all of the plant's needs are met, like well-draining soil, water, sunlight, manures/fertilizers, etc., then a healthy ginger plant would flower in 5 to 12 months.
  • Question
    Can I start a farm indoors in the winter?
    Johnny Pusong
    Community Answer
    Yes, as long as the plant is provided with its requirements (proper temperature, light and nutrients).
  • Question
    What is the best soil to plant ginger?
    Johnny Pusong
    Community Answer
    Ginger thrives on high-quality, well-draining soil. Mixing garden soil with an equal amount of well-rotted compost should do the trick. If your soil is poor quality or heavy in clay, purchase rich potting soil instead.
  • Question
    What climate should ginger be grown in?
    Community Answer
    Ginger is a tropical plant, but you can grow it in a continental climate as long as you reposition the plant indoor or mulch it before frost season.
  • Question
    Can ginger be grown in red soil like in West Bengal, India?
    Community Answer
    Apparently, red soils can have a texture of clay, sand, or loam. Ginger needs to be fertilized and the texture of loam should work. Clay will not. I have no idea about sand. It grows well in compost.
  • Question
    How do I harvest and plant ginger?
    Community Answer
    Feel around the base of the shoots and if there are roots tease the soil around them and pull them up at the same time.
  • Question
    Is ginger a root or a stem, can you please explain?
    Community Answer
    Technically ginger is a rhizome, which is an underground stem. However, it's typically referred to as a root.
  • Question
    What do I need to do for my ginger plant when transplanting it from a greenhouse to outside?
    Community Answer
    You must make sure not to shock the plant; sudden changes in the environment can harm it.
  • Question
    The ginger plant I germinated a few months ago is now about 18" tall. Can they be topped to encourage bushiness or do they only grow linearly?
    Community Answer
    They only grow straight up and down. If you cut off the top of the stem it will not grow back, but die.
  • Question
    How do I grow a ginger plant in a pot?
    Community Answer
    You'll need a deep pot. Soak the ginger root over night, plant it eyes facing up, and put soil on top of it (don't pack it tight). Put it in a shaded area until the shoots come out. My ginger in a pot has grown, but I've never gotten edible sized ginger from it.
  • Question
    If I leave my ginger plant longer than eight months, will it spoil?
    Community Answer
    If you leave it, it will simply re-shoot once more as soon as the weather warms up. So long as the winter is not too cold and wet, as the ginger will rot under those conditions.
  • Question
    Can ginger be grown in a climate that has very hot temperatures in the summer?
    Community Answer
    Yes, I harvest twice a year, I plant in September to harvest in late Feb then plant immediately to harvest in August. I live in the Tropics in Cairns Australia. Right now we are having 38 degree Celsius days and the Ginger is loving it.
  • Question
    Can 1 month old ginger be replanted or transferred?
    Shannon E. Wells-Mongiovi
    Community Answer
    Yes, if it has eyes on the rhizome and it is not dried out and wrinkly. I have even had success with ginger rhizomes that got accidentally left in a pot with old soil for nearly a year. When I took them out, they still had a few of the little green nubs (eyes). You can see if it will start putting out roots by soaking it in a shallow pan of water (do not cover entirely with water, just halfway) in a sunny spot, and watch for it to start growing. Transplant it soon after it starts growing shoots; they don't like their feet wet and eventually it will rot. Some people don't like to start them in a pan of water, but it has worked for me okay.
Ask a Question

      Return to Full Article