Thinking to grow and care ginger plant in your home? Don’t know where to start from? Don’t worry, you are at the right place. This guide will help you learn how to grow and care ginger plant with ease. 

You must be wondering if growing ginger is a tedious job. In actuality, growing ginger is a lot more rewarding than you think. Ginger has been practiced for ages as a spicy rhizome and aromatic compound. This perennial herb grows in hot and humid climates under partial sunlight. 

This plant can grow as an indoor plant, and harvesting is super easy. So, if you’re planning to grow and care ginger plant, this guide is a must to follow. Here we’ll explain how to plant ginger, care for the plant and harvest it. So, let’s take a look. 

Btw, do you fancy growing garlic at home? If yes, do check our article showcasing how to grow, care and harvest garlic with ease.

Also Read: Is Garlic A Vegetable? [Answered]

How to Grow and Care Ginger Plant

Growing ginger plants can be divided into a few parts which make the task easy. We will be jotting down all those steps below. Follow these steps for planting a ginger plant. 

Step1: Planting Ginger Plant

First on our list of growing and caring for ginger plants is the planting process. It could be further divided into a few parts. Let’s check those: 

1. Start Planting During Early Spring

Since ginger is a tropical plant, so it doesn’t survive during frost. Therefore, if you’re thinking of planting ginger, try to start during the early spring season. You can also wait and let the frost pass away. If you’re living in a short growing season zone, grow your ginger as an indoor plant. 

2. Select Ginger Plant Wisely

There are different varieties of ginger available. But if you are thinking of growing edible ginger variety, consider Zingiber officinale. However, there are some ginger species available that have ornamental value. So you can choose them also. To grow ginger, you must collect the ginger root from the vegetable store. 

• Select ginger roots, or rhizomes as they are more properly known, that are plump, wrinkle-free, and have discernible eyeballs at the ends of the “fingers.” Ideal but not necessary are eyes that have begun to turn green. 
• If you can have the option of organic ginger, then purchases organic ginger. Ginger that wasn’t organic may have had a growth inhibitor treatment. 
• Some gardeners discover that soaking in warm water overnight will aid in reviving plants that have been hindered. 

3. Cut Ginger Roots Into Small Pieces 

If you want to plant more than one ginger tree, cut ginger roots into small pieces with a sterile knife. Be sure to have at least 1 inch wider roots with one or two eyes. After cutting roots, let them dry for a few days. It helps to form a callus covering on the outer surface and reduces the risk of infection. 

Also Read: Are Pumpkin Leaves Edible? [Answered]

4. Prepare the Soil

Ginger does best on nutrient-rich, freely flowing soil. It should work if you combine garden soil with compost proportionally. Buy a rich potting medium if the soil is of low quality or contains a lot of clay.

• Start with a heaping plate of sphagnum moss or coir fiber if you wish to maintain a closer check on the ginger. These materials drain incredibly effectively, protecting young plants from rot. 
• Once the ginger plant develops leaves and roots, you will need to transfer them; this might be stressful for the plant. In addition, you might need to use a heating pad or another heat source to maintain the soil at the proper temperature since 70 ° F is the optimum temperature for blooming ginger.

5. Select the Ideal Location 

Ginger enjoys spots with morning sunlight only or light shade, away from thick roots. The growing area has to be wind-protected and damp but not marshy. Soil has to be warm for the ginger plant to sprout, ideally between 71 and 77 °F (22-25 °C).

• Pick a minimum 12 inches deep pot if you plan to cultivate ginger in containers. As long as you drill several holes for drainage in the bottom of the base, a plastic pot is preferable to a terra cotta one. 
• In the tropics, ginger can thrive in complete shade, although the same environments could be too chilly in other latitudes. 
• Make an effort to arrange the ginger where it will receive two to five hrs of direct sunshine each day. 

6. Plant Your Ginger 

Finally, you have the plant each ginger cutting under the loose soil with an eye pointing in the upward direction. If you’re planting ginger in rows, then make sure to keep ginger at least 8 inches apart from each other. But if you are planting into the pot, plant only one ginger cutting in one pot. 

Step 2: Care for Ginger Plant 

During the growing season, you must be extra careful while planting your ginger and after planting. So, here are some caring tips you can follow to care for your growing plant. 

1. Keep The Soil Moist and Damp

After planting, softly water the new plant. Every day, inspect the soil timely and hydrate soil just before it becomes entirely dry. If water does not flow fast, limit watering or drain the water to prevent soggy soil from quickly rotting your plants.

2. Keep Your Eyes on Germination 

Ginger takes a while to grow, particularly outside the tropical climate. If you’re fortunate, a sprout may grow within a few weeks, but if not, keep watering the plant for a few weeks without giving up. Then, after germination, continue to water the plants similarly.

3. Add Fertilizers Once a Month 

Fertilization is unnecessary if the ginger is planted in rich soil, particularly if compost has been added. First, get the soil analyzed, then fertilize as necessary. Fertilize with a modest amount of full liquid fertilizer once a month if the soil is weak or you want to increase production.

4. Mulching for Outdoor Plant 

Mulch helps to keep your ginger plant warm once it’s grown and helps control wildflowers, which can quickly outcompete the ginger’s sluggish growth. If soil temperatures drop below 50°F (10°C) throughout the growing season, a heavy covering of mulch is required.

5. Let the Soil Dry Once The Stem Died 

As temperatures dip in the autumn or late fall, the branches of the ginger plant will become yellow. As this occurs, waterless and completely cease watering after the stems have died. Therefore, during the first year or three after seeding, or if the growing season is brief, the ginger plant could not bloom.

Also Read: How to Grow Microgreens at Home

6. Let The Ginger Plant Mature Successfully Before you Proceed for Harvesting.

If ginger is allowed to grow in the ground, its flavor becomes considerably more intense. Start digging up the ginger root once the stalks have died and at least eight months after planting. Leave some eyes left while cutting off parts for cooking; the bush will not perish. 

• Approximately three to four months after planting, immature ginger is occasionally collected for pickling. Younger ginger should be carefully plucked because of its more delicate, easily damaged skin.
• The plant should be chopped using a clean knife.

7. Be Ready for Cold Weather 

It is advised to bring the ginger inside for the winter unless you reside in a tropical climate. Keep the items dry and warm. If you leave the ginger outside immediately after it falls below 50°F (10°C), cover it with a heavy layer of mulch. In warm areas, ginger is a perennial herb, although it seldom survives frost.

That is the what we have for you today when it comes to grow and care ginger plant. Next in the article, we will going to discuss when you should harvest the ginger from the plant. Keep on scrolling!

One thing that you can grow in winters is Spinach. You can read our guide on how to grow spinach at home.

What is the Right Time to Pick Ginger

When the ginger plant completely blossoms and rhizomes are matured within 10-12 months after sprouting. At this junction gap timing, leaves become dries and yellow, and the stems start falling over. When handled and washed, the rhizomes’ skin will be firmer and less prone to bruising. 

Harvesting can start at 4-6 months after sprouting if you desire Young ginger root; the variety is typically pickled with a mild flavor, sensitive flesh, and no peel or stringy fiber. The rhizomes will have delicate pink scales and a cream hue.

Also Read: How to Plant, Grow and Care Curry Leaf Plant

How to Harvest Ginger Roots

If you want to pick up the mature ginger, wait for the plant to mature completely. However, if you want to pick up young roots, you can start harvesting before the actual period of harvesting. Make sure to pluck out roots 2-3 weeks before harvesting. 

You can harvest the whole plant or use your hands to remove the outer ginger roots without carefully damaging the others. The plant will keep growing if some rhizomes are left on the ground. Rhizomes can also be stored over 55 degrees Fahrenheit over the winter.

After harvesting, clean the rhizomes and tap dry them before storing them. Also, make sure to store them in cool and dry places. It would be great to store them in the freezer to use later. 

Wish to grow more vegetables at home? You can read beginners guide to grow vegetables at home.

Grow and Care Ginger Plant

The ginger plant is one of the easiest growing plants in outdoor and indoor spaces. It acts as a versatile root used to increase the aroma of the food and has various anti-inflammatory properties. So, with the help of this guide to grow and care ginger plant, you can grown them as an ornamental plant or for rhizomes. 

You must be careful and promptly add water into the soil during the growing season. Make sure the soil is damp and well-drained. It should not hold water for longer as it may damage the roots. In addition, add fertilizers once a month to support the growth of the plant. Harvest carefully and do not damage the root system. 

That is it for today. Do let us know what techniques you are using to grow and care ginger plant. Also, if you know any other way that let you grow ginger plant easily, let us know in the comments section below. 

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