How to grow ginger at home—get harvest from a store-bought ginger root
Planting ginger root is a fun project for the mid-winter! You can start by planting a piece of organic ginger root from the grocery store on your windowsill. For outdoors and greenhouses, it’s better to get a starter plant intended for cultivation. You can also grow ginger for its leaves; their mild flavor works well in drinks and dishes.
How to plant ginger root at home
GET firm organic ginger with visible bumps for indoor cultivation. The nodules are buds from which new shoots will grow. If the ginger has freshly cut surfaces, allow them to dry for a couple of days before planting.
Plant the rhizome pieces in February or March in a pot using with flower or houseplant soil. Do not cut the rhizome yourself, as this exposes the plant to rot.
Place the rhizome piece on top of the soil with the buds facing upward. Add soil so that half of the rhizome remains visible. Move the pot to a warm place, preferably 25–30°C. Water lightly and carefully at first.
Keep the ginger in a warm and bright place, away from harsh direct sunlight. Mist the foliage. Low humidity will cause the leaves to curl.
As a tropical plant, ginger requires plenty of light, warmth, water, and nutrients.
Start additional fertilization with a fertilizer meant for edible plants when the ginger is growing well. Move the plant to a larger pot when the old one is filled with roots.
Reduce watering in August or September. When the foliage starts to look shabby, it’s time for harvest. If successful, growing ginger yields a juicy rhizome piece a few centimeters in size.
Did you know this about planting ginger root?
- Ginger sold as a food product (Zingiber officinale) is only suitable for indoor cultivation. Due to the risk of plant diseases and pests, it is not recommended to plant it outdoors.
- For greenhouses and outdoors, it’s best to get a rhizome piece intended for cultivation. You can get these at garden shops in spring. If you live in the EU, ordering from outside the EU requires a phytosanitary certificate.
Growing ginger in a greenhouse
Try growing ginger intended for cultivation in a greenhouse, either in a pot or in a bed.
Pre-grow the ginger indoors and gradually acclimate it to greenhouse conditions. Use horticultural fleece when hardening off the plant.
Plant the ginger root when the temperature stays above 10–15°C. The growing medium must be warm and loose, as ginger easily rots in cold and wet soil. Also remember that the plant needs plenty of nutrients.
Protect your ginger from the midday sun, especially if you grow it in a glass greenhouse. Mist the foliage in summer. In intense heat, the plant can easily become infested with spider mites and other pests.
Harvest can be expected six months after planting at the earliest. Use the harvest within a couple of weeks, when its flavor and texture are at their best.
