Growing Ginger at Home

Introduction:

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a versatile plant known for its aromatic, pungent, and spicy rhizomes. It has numerous health benefits, including anti-inflammatory properties and the ability to alleviate gastrointestinal distress. It is one of the most important and sought-after culinary and medicinal spices. 

Ginger is a tropical plant originating from Southeast Asia, and it can grow up to 5 feet tall.  Ginger thrives in warm, humid climates.  In its native range, giner is considered an herbaceous perennial, but people grow it as an annual crop all over the world for its underground stem or rhizome (ginger) which is used for food, as a spice, and to add flavoring.  Rhizomes are not botanically roots but are underground stems that are able to produce roots and shoots from nodes.

The ginger rhizome can have yellow, white or blue (or with just a ring of blue) flesh, and is thus called yellow, white or blue ginger. If you happen to see blue ginger, do not be alarmed--it is just a type of ginger and there is nothing wrong with it.

The main active phytochemical in fresh ginger is called gingerol. Gingerols become shogols, shuntha or paradol after dehydration or heating. All these chemicals can provide the health benefits of ginger.  Ginger is also rich in copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and vitamin B6.

In Virginia's short growing season, ginger rarely flowers when left outside as a summer annual. Ginger can flower in Virginia when grown in a multi-year container and/or grown in a hoop house/greenhouse. If it does bloom, ginger flowers are often short-lived, infertile and will not produce seeds. 

Culture

For home growing, purchase fresh ginger rhizomes from a plant nursery or seed company. If using ginger from a grocery store, which is an easy, convenient source, make sure the ginger was not treated (for example, radiated) for long storage, because they may never sprout. It can be hard to determine this (even when consulting a store's manager); therefore, consider purchasing organic ginger that is not treated or purchase rhizomes that already show swelling or sprouted buds. It is okay to use somewhat shrinking rhizomes if buds are swelling.  

Cut rhizomes into 1-1.5 inch pieces with at least two “eyes” and let the cut ends heal before planting. Healing is the process where the cut surface forms a callus.  This usually takes a couple of days.  Formation of the callus will help prevent the rhizome from taking on too much moisture and rotting while it is sprouting.  

Plant in early spring outside after the threat of the last frost when the soil temperatures begin to warm. Soil temperature needs to be above 55 °F.  If planting in a garden bed, plant in loose, loamy soil rich in organic matter with good drainage.  Plant 6-8 inches apart, 4-6 inches deep depending on the size of seeds, with the growth buds pointing upward.  If planting in containers, plant in a well-drained media.  Typically, a 12 inch or larger size container is needed for a single rhizome piece.  Larger containers allow you to grow multiple rhizomes.  

Ginger is a shade-tolerant species. Grow your plants in partial sun for the best growth.  If possible, avoid late afternoon direct sunlight. Too much or intense sunlight may cause the foliage tips to brown, in this case make sure your plants are well watered. 

It may take several weeks before you begin to see growth from the rhizome.  It takes up to fifty or more days for ginger to sprout! During that time, the rhizome does not need water or light to sprout. Therefore, alternatively, you could start your ginger indoor a month to several weeks before planting outside in a bed or a container.  You can spread the seed rhizomes in a container and place them inside your house, and wait! They will sprout between 60-86 °F, optimally at 70-78 °F.

Or you can plant your callused rhizome in a much smaller pot, such as a 6 inch pot, and allow it to sprout and begin to grow inside with the warmer temperatures.  After seeing green tips, place pots in a warm, sunny location inside the house.  To avoid root rot, allow the media to dry slightly before watering.  After the danger of last spring frost you can transplant them outside after a few days of hardening-off.

In Virginia, ginger has no significant insect or disease problem other than root rot if overwatered or grown in poorly drained soils. 

Fertilization

Use slow-release fertilizer or compost at planting to help provide season-long fertility.  Also apply a general-purpose type liquid fertilizer every few weeks, especially in periods with heavy rainfall and in containers. 

Watering

Keep the soil moist but avoid over-watering.  Reduce watering as the weather cools to encourage rhizome development, but do not allow the plant to completely dry out. 

Mounding or Hilling

One practice specific to ginger production is mounding or hilling. The ginger rhizome can grow upward, so mounding plant base with soil or adding soil to the container is needed. Depending on how deep you planted the rhizomes and the height of your raised beds, you may need to mound around the plant one to three times throughout the growing season. Mound when rhizomes are visible to the soil surface. Please note that green ginger rhizomes are edible.

Harvesting

Virginia's growing season is short for ginger, so we typically harvest what is called "baby ginger."  Baby ginger has usually not developed a thick skin; thus, peeling is not needed for use.  If your ginger is grown in containers and you move it into a heated greenhouse or inside when temperatures begin to drop, you can harvest mature ginger when it is eight to ten months old. 

Carefully dig up your plants while avoiding damaging the rhizomes.  Since ginger is a rhizome, the plant is very shallow.  Cut the stems off the rhizomes.  Cut the larger plant up into smaller “hands” of ginger.  Thow away the mother or original rhizome, if rotten, but keep them if they are intact because seed ginger is spicier and edible.  Allow the rhizomes to air-dry for one to two weeks to allow the cuts and any skin bruises to callus over (called curing) and to allow the growing media to dry on the rhizomes.  When the media is dry, you can gently remove the media by hand or with a soft brush to avoid damaging the thin skin on the rhizomes.  

Don’t worry about having too much ginger at harvest.  Store fresh ginger in the refrigerator, unpeeled, for up to three weeks or in the freezer for up to six months. 

If you want to use your own rhizomes for replanting the following year, store these clean rhizomes in a brown paper bag in a cool, relatively dry location (55 to 60 °F, with 85 to 90% relative humidity).  You may notice some shriveling of the rhizome when you go to plant.  If so, soak the rhizome overnight before planting or do not worry about it they already have (swelling) buds.    

Alternative harvest method

If you are growing ginger in a container, you can carefully harvest some of the rhizomes off the outer edge of the planting as the plant begins to go dormant in fall.  Then allow the rest of the container to go completely dormant (while being careful to keep the container above 55 °F) and remove all the foliage.  Next spring, as the temperatures and light levels increase, begin watering once the rhizomes begin to sprout. 

Recipes and Use

Ginger can be sliced, minced, or julienned for cooking, with flavor intensity depending on when it is added during the cooking process. It can be used frozen, dried or fresh. 

Virginia State University has done extensive research on commercial production of ginger and has developed several recipes for its use. 

Ginger Lemonade

Carrot, Ginger, & Coconut Milk Soup

Green Papaya Salad with Ginger Dressing