How Do You Grow Ginger?

[Bribie G]

It's perfect ginger country here and I've just bought a couple of hand-sized clumps of ginger - pink and fresh and bursting with juice as we get them here in in SEQ. Anyone have clues about growing the stuff?
I have an area next to a patio that's not in full sun ( a bit like rainforest understory ) and have been preparing it for months so the sandy soil is now fairly composty from lawn trimmings and a few spent grain loads.

I guess I should divide the clump into about 12 "fingers" and then what? I was thinking of trying to 'strike' each one in a takeaway container with potting mix then plant when it's rooting or something?

 

[jlm]

I've found them to be pretty hardy, just throw them a few inches down. The only thing to be careful of is that they will rot if soaked. Well drained soil and don't over water. Saw a heap at the local fruit and veg shop the other day that was already sprouting, alreaady well stocked in the garden here though.

 

[Cube]

You have to have a 'node' showing off the fingers mate. That's where it is all going to happen from. Don't over water and leave a year before first harvest. Peel and freeze the harvest. freezes perfectly. Google growing ginger. So much out there. I have heaps in vege foam boxes growing.

If you are buying from a supermarket to grow pick the freshest you can and one with most nodes for most harvest later.

 

[Bribie G]

Thanks

In this photo, which of these lumps would be a node?



How deep should I plant them or should they just be depressed slightly into the suface of the soil?

Cheers

 

[Phoney]

Dunno about how to find your nodes, but if you keep those knobs of ginger for long enough, they will start sprouting.

Once they do this, as above, just bury them 10cm deep in soil (with the sprouty bits pointing up) and eventually they'll rise to the surface...

 

[Cube]

Yeah Mike a and d are great examples of the nodes I was referring to. Try and pot them into something that they will stay in. Transplanting ginger is a pain in the ass big time. and the spindly green growth is weak and can break off right back to a node and it will be hard to grow from that node again. My experience is that but now I never transplant and great success.

 

[Fourstar]

maybe some young ginger from the asian grocer might be a better option?

 

[Gormand]

How much room does ginger need? IE If I was trying it in pots how big would they need to be?

 

[Cube]

How much room does ginger need? IE If I was trying it in pots how big would they need to be?

Those green grocer polystyrene eskys are a good size. Some butchers and seafood places have similar.

 

[Bizier]

maybe some young ginger from the asian grocer might be a better option?

Like this?

Sorry Bribie

 

[Eggs]

here in melbourne i was digging over my compost heap that had been over run by self seeded tomatoes and pumpkins. i was surprised to find a few scraps of ginger from the kitchen have grown into fully fledged plants. they've had no care, little light as the heap was in a wooden box and nothing but rainwater all summer. I dont know if they'll survive the winter though.

 

[chrisherberte]

I've been getting about 10kg per harvest growing in tractor tyres. Best results from 1/2 soil, heavy in organic matter or quality potting mix and 1/2 cow shit. Needs to be mixed in well and fairly loose. The other thing to remember is that ginger does not like competition - planing in the ground is not the best. At the end of each season, after harvest top up with more cow shit. Keep the largest roots to re-plant.

One year I accidentally left a bucket of chook shit in the bed and it rained, the whole lot went onto the ginger and I thought it would be gone for sure but was the biggest harvest ever, so liberal amounts of fertiliser is a good thing. Also when planting, I've been told to and have always planted so it's just showing. Seems to work well.

It's probably too late to expect any growth this time of year, the foliage part generally dies over winter / dry season. Hope this helps.

PS - this is my first post. Hi all.

 

[chrisherberte]

> In this photo, which of these lumps would be a node?
As for nodes, A, B, D and F are nodes, but should be yellow/green on a healthy root. If you can. try source one from someone already growing it, with some hair roots on it.

 

[Howlingdog]

It's perfect ginger country here and I've just bought a couple of hand-sized clumps of ginger - pink and fresh and bursting with juice as we get them here in in SEQ. Anyone have clues about growing the stuff?
I have an area next to a patio that's not in full sun ( a bit like rainforest understory ) and have been preparing it for months so the sandy soil is now fairly composty from lawn trimmings and a few spent grain loads.

I guess I should divide the clump into about 12 "fingers" and then what? I was thinking of trying to 'strike' each one in a takeaway container with potting mix then plant when it's rooting or something?

when we lived on Buderim (79-85) we used to plant them in saw dust in a styrofoam box.

 

[manticle]

Like this?

Sorry Bribie

Both of those ladies need some ginger and bacon hamburgers.