pilipphoto / Shutterstock

peppiness is an incredibly utile plant to have in your kitchen . you could grind or grate it and use it to season meats or nitty-gritty backup man for stir - fries and soup . pep tea and peppiness ale are often used to soothe upset venter . you may even make your own ginger beer and ginger candy at home .

While ginger is easy tofind in most foodstuff memory board , it ’s also well-to-do to spring up at house . you could grow ginger hydroponically or in a traditional garden , and can even plant grocery storehouse peppiness ! This guide on how to grow ginger will take the air you through everything you need to know to add this utile plant to your home or garden .

Ginger root on a table

pilipphoto / Shutterstock

Can you grow ginger from a grocery store?

pep plant may or may not be easy to find in your field , but many grocery shop carry ginger rhizomes for preparation . So , in a pinch , can you acquire a ginger plant from storage - purchase rootstalk ? The reply is yes , sometimes . When ginger is harvested for commercial sale at grocery storage , it ’s typically sprayed with a growth inhibitor . This nebulizer maintain them from sprouting during transit or on foodstuff store shelves , but it also makes them difficult to use for regrowing .

If you need to taste mature pep from foodstuff computer storage rootstock , plume them in warm water overnight . This start rid of some of the growth inhibitors and increases the likelihood of it rooting . Another selection is to get ginger rhizomes from a local agriculturalist at a farmer ’s grocery . At farmer ’s markets , you may often interact instantly with the granger or nurseryman and ask if the ginger has been treated with a growing inhibitor . you could also appear for organically grown pep rhizome .

Planting ginger

If you ’re growing peppiness from rhizomes , computer storage - corrupt or otherwise , then you’re able to break them apart into smaller pieces and plant each opus separately . Each piece should have a small-scale round growth point call an eye . If your rhizomes are older or look dried out , you may soak them overnight in warm piddle to liven them up a act . institute each piece shallowly , with the eye face up . If you ’re growing ginger in a container , habituate a wide , shallow pot rather than a magniloquent , narrow-minded one .

powdered ginger can grow outdoors in zones 8 through 12 , but it caneasily grow in containersjust about anywhere . found your gingerroot in full or partial sun . In peculiarly red-hot climates , powdered ginger produce well with good morning sunshine and good afternoon shade . Ginger require fertile , well - draining stain to boom . Addingcompost or foliage mulchto your filth before planting can help significantly . If you ’re spring up your ginger in a container , check that it has drain hole . You may need to place a few rocks or stick in the bottom of the container to help keep the soil from constipate the drain holes as well .

Caring for ginger

Keep the dirt evenly moist , but avoid soaking it completely . powdered ginger can get soft bunk if the soil is left soaking wet for too farsighted or too often . Ginger of course goes dormant when the weather change by reversal nerveless , and it should n’t be watered during this clip . Since it use lilliputian to no piddle while dormant , water it during wintertime can easy lead to root rot . If you ’re grow your ginger outdoors , you may apply a level of mulch to improve your soil ’s water memory .

The part of the plant that we eat is the rhizome , so you do n’t necessitate to worry about flowers or pollination . Ginger can flower , and some salmagundi have very beautiful ones . However , the gingerroot miscellanea typically grown for their rootstock do n’t flower often , especially when acquire in a container .

You should see growth within the first one to four weeks of planting . Ginger plants last out evenhandedly small , typically growing to between 2 and 4 feet grandiloquent . Since they stay little , you do n’t need to worry about pruning . However , occasionally deadheading or removing spent stemsor bloom is helpful for the plant .

When and how to harvest ginger

There are two methods of harvest peppiness . you’re able to harvest pocket-size amount at a time or harvest the entire plant at once . Harvesting lowly amounts can be done preferably after planting , but it take marginally more effort . harvest the entire plant at once take more fourth dimension , but is arguably easier .

Harvesting in pieces can be done after four or five month of growth . However , the exact length of time will depend on the industrial plant ’s size and how much ginger you want to take . Harvest from the edges of the industrial plant , not the center , to quash damaging the plant . will 2 to 4 column inch of rhizome attached to the plant so it can continue to grow . Cut off the section you desire with a sharp , clean knife .

The entire plant can be harvested after 8 to 10 months . you’re able to harvest it preferably , but you ’ll have a smaller harvest . only poke up the intact plant and curve the rhizomes away from the leaves . you may save division of your ginger to replant .

Storing excess ginger for later

If the ginger is n’t cut , sliced , or peeled , then you may store it in any room - temperature or coolheaded spot . Keep the peppiness aside from any moist or humid places , and deflect placing it in direct sunlight or else it might dry out too much . Once the ginger has been cut or discase , it will require to bestored more carefully .

An airtight container or wrap will serve protect it , and store it in the refrigerator . Peeled or cut ginger wo n’t last as long , so it ’s good to keep your gingerroot whole for as long as potential . For long - term storehouse , you’re able to actually freeze peppiness . Dehydrating and grind peppiness into a powder is also an selection , but is tricky if you do n’t have a intellectual nourishment dehydrator .

Whether you favor it in candy , tea , or meals , ginger is a versatile and interesting plant . As long as you take proper attention of it , gingerroot is unbelievably easy to grow . initiate from just a few piece and soon enough , you ’ll have more gingerroot than you know what to do with ! If you ’d rather tot it to your efflorescence garden , then look for ornamental ginger .