Beloved by food enthusiasts and fans of Asian cuisine, ginger is renowned for its flavourful properties and medicinal virtues. The ginger, a tropical plant native to Asia, grows from its rootstock, used as a spice or accompaniment. Grated, chopped, or sliced, it enhances savoury dishes, desserts, and sushi with its spicy and lemony taste. The young plant of ginger enjoys warmth (around 25 °C) and humidity, producing long green leaves that can reach up to a metre in height. If you're wondering how to plant ginger, know that it is entirely possible to grow ginger indoors or outdoors, provided you meet its needs. Whether you wish to cultivate ginger in the ground or plant ginger in a pot, follow our practical advice. Discover our tutorial to germinate ginger easily at home!
Choosing and preparing ginger
Choosing your ginger wisely
- Select fresh, firm, fleshy ginger rootstocks with small buds if possible.
- To germinate ginger well, avoid rootstocks that appear dried out.
- You can purchase ginger roots from Promesse de fleurs or in the fruit and vegetable section of a grocery store. Prefer organically grown rootstocks.
Preparing ginger for germination
- Some recommend rehydrating it by soaking it in a container of lukewarm water for 24 hours before planting.
- Before planting, start by germinating the ginger rootstock by placing it above a glass of water, with the root half submerged. You can use matches or toothpicks inserted into the rootstock to hold it in place, similar to avocados.
- Ginger can take between 5 and 15 days to start germinating, depending on the temperature. The warmer it is (around 22-28 °C), the faster the germination. The piece of ginger should also be well exposed to light, without direct sunlight.
When to plant ginger?
- For pot cultivation (recommended), the ginger rootstock should be planted preferably in spring, from March to June. However, it can be planted at any time of the year.
- For ground cultivation (only in regions with warm summers), germinate the rootstock in February-March and then plant it in the ground in May when the soil is warm enough.
The ideal conditions to grow ginger
Once your ginger has germinated, it will appreciate being planted in light, well-draining soil or substrate. A ginger plant needs sunny or partially shaded exposure to thrive. Its cultivation requires high temperatures, around 25 °C. It can only be grown in the ground in regions with sufficiently warm summers. Elsewhere, it is essential to plant ginger in a pot.
How to grow ginger in a pot?
Ginger, a frost-sensitive plant, is ideally grown in a pot if the climate in your area does not allow for direct planting in the garden.
Necessary Materials
- 1 germinated ginger
- Wide and deep pot of at least 30 cm in diameter
- Potting soil
- Sand
- Spray bottle
Step-by-step Technique
- Take a wide and deep pot, at least 30 cm in diameter, with a drainage hole at the bottom.
- Place a layer of gravel or clay balls at the bottom of the pot to ensure good drainage.
- Fill the pot with a draining substrate made of a mixture of potting soil and sand.
- Place the germinated ginger on the surface, covering it halfway with soil. The buds that are not yet green should also be covered with soil.
- Water, then ensure that the potting soil remains moist, but not excessively to avoid rot.
- Place the pot in a warm and humid atmosphere, with a temperature close to 25 °C, like in a warm greenhouse.
- Green shoots will appear in about a month. Once they are well developed, you can increase the frequency of watering to keep the substrate slightly moist.
- When the weather is nice, you can move the pot outside, in the light, but without direct sunlight.
- Indoors, place your pot near a window, but without direct sunlight, for example behind a window facing east or west. It is also possible to place the ginger plant near a south-facing window, but equipped with a sheer curtain.
How to plant ginger in the garden?
Necessary Material
- 1 germinated ginger
- Small spade or trowel
Step-by-step Technique
- When your ginger has germinated, and the shoots and roots have emerged, transplant it into the ground if the soil is warm enough.
- Water the young ginger plant more abundantly when the stems are well developed.
How and when to harvest your own ginger?
- You can harvest your new rootstocks when the stems of your ginger plant turn dry and yellow, about 6 to 9 months after planting.
- Gently dig up the rootstocks.
- Cut the stems and roots, then wash the rootstocks under water to remove the soil.
- It is best to consume ginger fresh and not to keep it for too long to preserve its flavourful properties. However, it can be stored in the refrigerator or frozen.
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