Good thing I'm growing Ginger in a container this year

[applestar]

This looks promising. I'm growing some to add to tea blends for winter, but I just came across this article:
Better than Advil? Try Ginger for Sore Muscle Relief
https://www.rodale.com/sore-muscle-relief?page=0%2C0

[thanrose]

I use ginger all the time. Aside from liking the scent and flavor, it aids digestion, soothes nausea, and warms you.

One of the more arcane uses of it demonstrates the warming effect. Put a piece of raw ginger in your cheek and leave it there. You will have to remove it because you'll think you've burnt a hole through your face after a few minutes. But there is no harm done to the skin afterall.

Understand that you probably won't have a sizable hand of new ginger from just one season of growth. Mine is going gangbusters, but I still haven't seen any flowers yet this year. Looks like I'll have a fat thumb and two fingers, tops. I notice it's off the squirrel's radar after a few attempts at digging it up. Probably gave them tingly noses.

[applestar]

I know -- I think you get maybe one finger ... or thumb like you said, after one season. If you plant a lot, you can harvest those to make pickles with a bit of green stem attached (I didn't plant anywhere near that though )

But I had to start somewhere. I'm hoping to keep these -- started from 3 or 4 "finger tips" in a big container (right now, it's sharing with a yellow bell pepper plant) -- going through the winter and over the years. We'll see.

[TZ -OH6]

Thats good news. I eat a lot of ginger and get a lot of sore muscles from digging, so maybe I should coordinate my intake.

Mostly I make candied ginger in order to get the syrup, which I use in milk as low cal/fat egg nog substitute (I love egg nog).

I wish the season was long enough here, but it takes like a bazillion days for ginger to start getting gingery.

[lorax]

AS, if it's Zingiber oficianalis you're growing (IE if you planted sprouting fingers of ginger from the store), you can also chop the young green aboveground shoots into stirfries, like you would any other veggie. It's got a mild, sweeter gingery flavour this way.

Older stems can be juiced like wheatgrass and added to soda water for a quick, easy homemade gingerale.

[Troppofoodgardener]

I've tried growing ginger from bits of ginger bought at the store, without success. I found out later they'd been sterilised, which is why they didn't grow!

What's the best way to grow ginger? Can it be grown from seed? What varieties do best in a tropical climate?

[applestar]

I don't know if this should make a difference but I always buy organic Ginger and they always start to grow if I don't eat them quickly enough. I keep them in perforated a plastic bag in a cupboard where I keep potatoes, onions, and garlic -- not in the refrigerator.

[thanrose]

And I read somewhere this last year that grocery acquired starts need to be soaked in water overnight to remove whatever treated them to retard growth. Plus, bigger rather than smaller chunks.

I don't have a problem growing it even though I'm not quite tropical here. My ginger leaves and stems are still green and not showing stress from the few chilly nights we've had. Generally, Zingiber officinale will be the earliest to succumb to shorter daylight and colder temps in my yard. Still doesn't look like I'll have a full hand though. Mutant toes maybe. Probably a few weeks before the foliage starts to yellow and I can harvest most of it.

[Troppofoodgardener]

thanrose.. Now that you mention it, I do remember soaking my ginger chunks in water before burying them in a container. They were sizeable chunks too.. probably 3-4 inches wide.

Zingiber species should grow well here in the tropics. From the research I've done, their preferred climate is tropical monsoon forests. They don't like frost that's for sure.

I shall try the organic ginger as suggested, applestar. Thanks again

[applestar]

Lorax, you were right! (not that I ever doubted you ) Gingier foliage is the tops!

I trimmed the ginger leaves a bit because the shoots were getting long and unwieldy. I left them to dry and just now, cut them in small pieces to add to an herbal tea mix -- OOOHHH do they smell wonderful!

Definitely going to continue to grow ginger year-round. I recommend it to everyone else who like mixing herbs for tea and other uses. (Are you listening, Rainbowgardener?)

[rainbowgardener]

I'm listening! I've never grown ginger, but I am now definitely inspired to try it, when I get home. Currently out of town for Christmas holidays.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE!!

[rainbowgardener]

Guess what. This thread was LAST year at Christmas time. By the time I got home, I never thought about the ginger again. I bumped in to this thread in a Forum search and thought I really should do that. Bought myself a nice chunk of ginger at the grocery store with a few nodes on it and dumped it in a glass of water. I ended up soaking it for 36 hours. When I pulled it out, I could already see some little roots starting! Too cool! So I stuck it in a planter of potting soil (indoors of course). It will be fun to see what happens.

[applestar]

I think you'll love it! See if you don't.

I accidentally let my pot of ginger go dormant and bunch of shoots/leaves turned brown(tan) and dried up. But even those smell wonderful. Not sure about using them in tea but I would definitely use them in an herbal bath sachet. (Lorax if you're listening in, let me know what you think)

[Susan W]

Why did you do this??!! I read through the thread, and googled growing ginger. Of course I'm trying to figure logistics. It's all your fault!!

From what I can gather here and the how-to tips, I could start some roots, well rhizomes any time, perhaps after this holiday stuff. I can get organic ones (?) at whole foods, soak, plant in pots. I have a basement area they has some window light (no direct sun), stays 55 -60. Then if and when shoots sprout up, could move to main part slightly warmer, light not sun. Come spring put out in dappled shade area.

For those of you who have grown ginger, and had outside pots (summer) how cold did you let it go? frost? 40?

[rainbowgardener]

So that was 8 days ago that I put the ginger in the pot. No signs of any green shoots yet. How long should it take?

[Tilde]

put me in the ginger bandwagon this year - I'll start soaking mine on boxing day

[rainbowgardener]

No one answered my question before. It's now been two weeks and no sign of any ginger sprouts. How long should it take?

[applestar]

What a let down, huh?

hmm... Not sure but I recommend keeping it in a warmest location you can. possibly even put the whole thing, container and all, in a plastic bag and putting it in a sunny window but away from direct sun (like behind some other plants to get dappled sunlight) for solar heated mini greenhouse effect. -- I'm thinking they want to be 70° or above.

May want to examine and make sure the roots are still OK... And make sure you didn't plant it too deep? (Memory's a bit vague on this but I think I planted my "hands" like iris...)

When I bring the mature plants inside in fall, I normally do it when temps fall in the 50's and the plant stays green and continues to grow in upstairs south-facing room somewhat farther inside (not near the window). This year, I waited too long and left the container outside until 40's and the foliage gradually yellowed and dried up when I brought it in but left it near the back door.

I've re-located it to its usual winter room and some shoots are starting to grow.

[rainbowgardener]

Thanks very much. It probably isn't warm enough for it, since we keep our house a bit chilly. Once the Christmas tree is out of the way, I will try the mini-greenhouse. Thanks!

[Susan W]

I'm all ears, or eyes (rhizome?!) on starting ginger. I figure next week to go on a more serious scout for ginger. What I have seen in the last 2 wks. Veg/fruit store has some looking pretty and fresh $2/#, US. Kroger had $5 ish/#, Peru, looked sad. Another grocery $5-6, sad looking, China. Next is to check Whole foods, and a couple of Asian markets not far. Dummy me, my son clued me into that connection!

I have scoured the How-to Grow Ginger, and not all consistent. Given this, how deep did you plant? what temps?

[rainbowgardener]

I have no idea if I did it right, but I just buried it a little below the surface, about half inch. The temp is just the temp of my house which is between 60 - 67. My best sunny spot has the Christmas tree in it right now. Once that is gone, I will move the ginger pot and try Applestar's mini-greenhouse idea.

[lorax]

I think you'll love it! See if you don't.

I accidentally let my pot of ginger go dormant and bunch of shoots/leaves turned brown(tan) and dried up. But even those smell wonderful. Not sure about using them in tea but I would definitely use them in an herbal bath sachet. (Lorax if you're listening in, let me know what you think)

I'm here, I'm here!

Absolutely in herbal sachets, and you can also easily use them in tea, no ill effects. They won't be quite as strong as fresh, though, and if I recall correctly they will have developed that slightly sweet dried-ginger flavour....

[lorax]

No one answered my question before. It's now been two weeks and no sign of any ginger sprouts. How long should it take?

Up to a month before you can start worrying, RBG. How deep did you plant your rhizome? Ginger is by nature very shallow growing, and if it's more than 1" under the soil it will take quite a bit longer to get going.

I second Applestar's reccomendation for a warm place, and maybe try focussing a desk lamp with a full-spectrum CF bulb in it over the soil (to simulate tropical sunlight).

[lorax]

For those of you who have grown ginger, and had outside pots (summer) how cold did you let it go? frost? 40?

Technically hardy to 40 F, best kept above that temperature. Ginger doesn't particularly like cold tootsies, although it's fairly hardy as members of its family go.

What you're looking for in a starter chunk is that it be very plump and firm with no wrinkles, no squishy spots, and no mold on the break surfaces (rarely if ever do entire rhizomes make it to market in the US). It should have a pleasant and mild ginger scent when sniffed - if it's at all musty, it's been artificially plumped and should be avoided.

It will sprout anywhere from immediately to a month, no deeper than 1" and preferably about 3/4" under in frank soil with very fast drainage (cactus soil 50-50 with potting is a great blend for any ginger or relative). Sprouting range seems to be 60-75 degrees, and after it's up as long as you keep it watered and in good light it will keep growing.

Up pot after about a year (divide your rhizomes) to keep it happy - it will easily and effortlessly crowd itself out of the pot you've got it in, and division is key (as well as giving you a modest harvest of tasty ginger, of course ).

[lorax]

And when you do divide and up-pot, Apple - try this! It's dead easy and there's really nothing that comes close to it. Store-bought is stale and has been over-sugared.

Candied Ginger!

3 C panela / raw sugar / turbinado / demerrerra / NOT WHITE
3 C water
1 lb of ginger, peeled and cut into small cubes (1/4" each side, +-)
White sugar for dusting

Make a simple syrup of the sugar and water (combine, bring to a boil). Once boiling, add the ginger and keep on a low boil until the syrup is the consistency of maple syrup or thin honey.

Remove the ginger chunks with a slotted spoon (to allow the syrup to drain away), and plop them onto a tray liberally filled with white sugar. Toss with a fork to cover. Allow to stand for 24 hours (to finish drying properly) then pack into glass jars. Does not go off.

The syrup, on the other hand, should be strained of any remaining chunks and put up in bottles. Enough to cover the bottom of a drinking glass, topped up with tonic water, makes the best ginger ale in the world. It's also faboo in place of sugar in hot toddies, and 1 oz of the syrup in hot water with 2 oz of brandy with the juice of a lime is Gran's cure for the flu.

[rainbowgardener]

I got impatient and so I dug it up to see what was going on. It was rotten at both ends and all the little root nubs it had when I planted it had disappeared, so I pitched it. I will try it again when the weather is warm enough to start it outside.

[Susan W]

Things happen! I got some ginger root at the store, looked OK, not super. Cut one root (rhizome) into several large pieces, potted in loose fairly rich soil, watered. 12" pot, inside. This was end of Feb. I watered now and again. Was checking a few days ago, mainly to move and dump pot. Lo and Behold! Green!! 8 wks after planting. I watered. A day or so later moved to an area with light shade, may move to more dappled as it adjusts to its new digs. A 2nd green is showing, close to 1st so I am sure same chunk of root.

[rainbowgardener]

Very nice! Interesting you brought this back. I had just decided it is warm enough to try again. So I now have a chunk of ginger soaking in water again.

[applestar]

The shoot that I thought was going to grow in winter decided not to. My ginger stayed dormant all winter even when I flooded it by accident. They woke up after a couple of heat waves and now are going strong.

I really want to put them outside for better light, but we're expecting a couple of mid-40's this week. I'll send them outside when I plant peppers and harden off eggplants. That's when the last of the container plants go out (I wanted to put the Norfork Island Pine out yesterday but had to postpone that one as well.). Coffee and orchids get to stay out during spring but have to come back in when the really hot, dry weather arrives.

[TheWaterbug]

I was visiting my Mom and saw this guy on the windowsill:

[img]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3552590/GingerShoot.jpg[/img]

I'm going to put it in some dirt sometime this week, if I can drag my lazy butt out of bed in the mornings. Otherwise it will go in this weekend.

I have a spot that's semi-shaded, and it gets sprinklered quite a bit. In fact, I probably need to turn the sprinklers down a bit.

What type of dirts does a ginger plant like?

[applestar]

Hey Waterbug, sorry you didn't get a reply. How is your little ginger doing?

Here's my ginger container after bringing it in for the fall. I trimmed the leaves to 12" - 18" of stems to make things more manageable and saved them to dry. Does that sound like a good idea?

[img]https://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll272/applesbucket/F13AD532-777E-4D4C-AB2B-2D69340A5D1F-132-0000001AF3F73343.jpg[/img]

I've been breaking off nubs as I need them rather than digging up the entire hand.

[rainbowgardener]

Looks great, applestar! I'm a total failure at ginger. I did plant some in an outdoor container in May after it was warm. It also just sat there and died. I'm not going to try again for winter ginger, but I will try one more time next spring....

[kimbledawn]

Getting in on the ginger growing! I put ginger out about a week ago and I also put out turmeric to see what happens. Thanks for the info, I never thought of eating ginger greens.

[PunkRotten]

I think Ginger and Turmeric are better attempted in the Spring. From what I have read they need a good 8-10 months to mature.

[applestar]

It seems like most tropicals need to stay above 60°F to keep from going dormant. Something like extended days at 50-55°F would shut them down.

But "cool" time of the year is when most plants put more effort into growing roots, so if you can keep them alive, I think they will get a head start and grow stronger shoots when it becomes warm enough for them to begin active top growth.

Partly, when to start this kind of experiment depends on when you can get the freshest roots.

[PunkRotten]

I can get fresh roots anytime but I feel it is better to start in Spring. But maybe not? I am planning to grow mine in the ground though. To be honest I have been trying to gather as much info about growing them as possible. If anyone knows, what is the procedure in harvesting ginger and turmeric? Do you wash them off or not, do they need some time to cure, what is the proper storage etc?

[jlpanecki]

I planted ginger in a pot on my kitchen window sill- it took over a month, but then sprouted, and before I knew it, it had several nice green glossy leaves and it looked like it was happy.

I often put plants outside - hanging ones get put in low branches of the dogwood or red maple, and others in the middle of the patio table - it's relatively shady there.

The late Soring weather was warm and hazy, so several plants went outside for the day, they stayed out overnight, as it was supposed to rain early in the morning and I thought they'd all like a shower.

When I went to see how they were the next day, the ginger was completly missing - nothing was left but the overturned pot, and a few crumbs of potting soil.
Thpse darned squirrels must like ginger too!

[applestar]

Last year, I didn't bring my ginger in until after temps fell into the 40's and the ginger foliage all died down and the roots refused to come back to life until after new years -- a little sign of life around Christmas time but no real growth for another month or so -- I think I mentioned before.

This year, I brought it in before dormancy kicked in so the leaves are still green and the plant is continuing to grow.

But I just take a sharp paring knife and cut into the soil to take off as much root as I need. If I happened to get too much -- you really don't need a whole lot in a recipe -- then I wrap the washed root with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge. I used to put them in the veg bin, but I found it to be overly humid and/or the little piece would get lost and mold. So I keep my bit of ginger where I can spot it easily.

--
Squirrels are curious and dig in newly planted containers to see if someone might have buried something edible in there. If it found the ginger root and bit into it, it must've gotten a big surprise!

[PunkRotten]

Getting in on the ginger growing! I put ginger out about a week ago and I also put out turmeric to see what happens. Thanks for the info, I never thought of eating ginger greens.

How did it go? Did anything sprout?

[Tonio]

Guess I missed this thread
I planted a small ginger root " organic" from a health food store abut 2 months ago. Its doing great !! about 10 or so sprouts of 10" shoots with about 12 sets of leaves. I keep it in the shade and really moist.

Currently in a shallow round 8" plastic pot with a good organic soil amended drainable mix(some turface and perlite and fur bark fines). Appears to love compost and diluted Neptunes Harvest fish/kelp occasionally.

I should take a picture.