Ginger is one of the most common spices in our families, but it is not found so often in our gardens. Actually ginger can grow in gardens, containers or indoors, and it is not hard to plant and harvest ginger as long as you acquire some basic skills. These skills help you enjoy ginger successfully.
1) Buy ginger rhizomes
Ginger grows from rhizome cuttings instead of seed. If you hope to get fresh and disease-free ginger, you should buy rhizomes from a renowned seed company. If you intend to buy them from a grocery store, check if there is new growth emerging on them. Don’t choose dry, soft or moldy rhizomes. You can find some ginger plants that can be planted directly in spring.
2) Pre-sprout ginger in the pot
Ginger matures from spring to autumn, which is a long period of time, so it is best if you can pre-sprout ginger in the house since late winter. First soak your rhizomes in water. When they become pale with tender eyes, cut them into pieces and plant them in containers.
Get a wide, shallow pot and put some moist coconut coir in the pot. Then put rhizomes into the coir and cover them with a thin layer of moist coconut coir. Put the pot on a heat mat and wait in patience. Days later, you will find bright green shoots grow out of the eyes. As soon as there are shoots throughout the pot, move it under grow lights. Divide each rhizome in the pot and water them a little to keep moist until they become hard and transplant.
3) Prepare soil for ginger
Ginger grows well on condition that there is fertile soil and good drainage. If you intend to grow ginger in your garden, loosen the soil in the garden and amend it with enough compost and fertilizer. If you grow ginger in containers, get an organic potting mix or create a soilless mix with coconut coir and compost.
4) Plant ginger in the garden
When it is between 10-20℃ in temperature, you can plant ginger in your garden. Note that you should keep each rhizome 15-20 cm apart and about 15 cm deep. The eyes should face upward. Then cover the rhizomes with about 5 cm of soil.
It will be ideal if you plant ginger under taller crops, whose leaves can protect the ginger from the sun.