Growing Ginger

Zingiber Officinale : Zingiberaceae / the ginger family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec

Not recommended for growing in USA - Zone 5a regions

  • Plant pieces of fresh root showing signs of shoots. Best planted at soil temperatures between 68°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 6 inches apart
  • Harvest in approximately 25 weeks. Reduce water as plant dies back to encourage rhizome growth.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Grow in separate bed

Your comments and tips

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19 Jun 17, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
"Ginger is a warm climate plant. It can be grown indoors in cool/temperate areas. To grow well it needs lots of water and nutrients. Prepare the soil by adding compost which will retain some moisture but not get saturated. Add a small amount of sand to ensure drainage. Water regularly in summer to keep moist". I would suggest a raised bed - even just a bed that is higher than the surrounding area. Doesn't have to be a constructed bed. Put plenty of compost and sand as suggested. A sandy soil rather than a clay soil - a good loamy soil. The trick is to keep it moist but not have it wet all the time.
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06 Jun 17, Makhosi Kunene (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
im addicted to ginger and i want to start my very own garden of ginger, tired of buying
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09 Jun 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Ginger needs a frost-free warm climate to thrive with good soil. It also needs a good water supply. If you can provide these conditions you could buy some ginger from a green grocer or fruit shop and plant them. refer to the notes on ginger for more advice.
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29 May 17, Garry (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi ,my block is near wakerie south Australia. I would like to grow ginger, what kind of ginger would be appropriate for my farm. Thanks
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30 May 17, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
By the calculation above you probably can't grow ginger there. Look at Veggies and herbs above - pick ginger - put in temperate climate and read about it.
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30 May 17, Ken (Australia - temperate climate)
There are two varieties of ginger available in Australia - 'Canton' and 'Queensland'. Canton is the most common. Just buy some rhizomes from a good fruit shop.
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31 May 17, Ken (Australia - temperate climate)
I have grown ginger in the Latrobe Valley and we get quite a few frosts. I would wait until Spring to plant it when the weather has started to warm up. Use a good sized tub to reduce the chance of big temperature fluctuations in the growing medium. Buy a piece of ginger from a green grocer that has a number of buds on it and is nice and firm. Plant it just below the surface and wait for a couple of weeks for it to emerge. Ginger and Turmeric like plenty of manure and moisture but will not tolerate wet, soggy soil or FROST. Putting a plastic tent or cloche over it in the Spring would help. A piece of silver builders insulation paper fixed to a frame behind it would also help by radiating heat. All the best.
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15 May 17, Gugu Balfour (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Hi, my ginger yields very small rhizomes after the whole year on ground. What should I do to increase size of rhizome?
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23 May 17, Chris (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
Hi, have a look at the colour pink is good. Dynamite comes in small packages. Hope that is the case, busy with pickled ginger , have become addicted addicted addicted addicted.
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15 May 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Adding lots of old, rotted manure and mulch will help. The manure will provide nutrients and the mulch will help save water. Ginger also needs a good supply of water to ensure good, plump roots.
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We live in the Spencer Gulf area of South Australia, we have been growing Jarvanese Ginger for 5 years in a large 50ltre pot, in an acid potting mix. The ginger family has a large range, the familiar variety that is at the store when grown has a narrow leaf, where the curcumin, types have a broader leaf. The variety we have grown is known as SPECIES- Curcuma-Zanthorrhiza, FAMILY-Zingiberates,GENUS-Curcuma: Known as "Temulawak"-Jarvanese ginger it has broad leaves and grows 2 to 3 mitre in a pot, has a beautiful lavender flower when it blooms, requires high humidity and well shaded. We have it underneath banana palms in a pond area, plenty of water in the growing period, in a well draining pot. It has been in bloom since beginning of december. Once you have it growing well do not disturb it for at least 4 years, once the ginger plant dies down just keep the pot slightly moist until the shoots come through again at the begining of summer it is usually the last ginger plant to come through. To harvest just move the mulch to show the root and gently remove a piece, do not dig it up they do not like being disturbed, they live just below the surface under the top of the soil, they really are a pampered pet for us, as we live in a dry arid area, we keep it for its beauty not for eating it is too delicate. I hope thus helps you in your quest.

- Brenda Groffen

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