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What To Know To Successfully Grow Ginger From Produce Aisle Scraps
By RON BAKER
Ginger can grow from a piece of ginger rhizome, which is the way it's usually cultivated. It grows best in 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and you can grow it indoors to extend its season.
Cut it into 1- to 1 ½-inch chunks, each with at least one "eye." Soak it overnight to wash away chemicals, and let it dry to form a callus over your cuts before planting.
Bury the pieces no more than 4 inches deep and plant it sideways (to grow horizontally) in well-drained soil rich in organic material. It needs two to five hours’ sunlight per day.
Protect it from strong winds and freezing. If necessary, you can move the whole plant indoors or into a greenhouse for a couple of months to extend the growing time.
You can reduce watering during cooler months, but keep the soil moist. Brown leaf tips usually mean a need for water, while yellowing leaves indicate a need for fertilizer.
Plant with a slow-release fertilizer and apply liquid fertilizer with lots of phosphorus every couple of weeks, depending on your soil. Keep an eye on it to avoid common mistakes.
The baby ginger can be harvested at four months and a mature plant at eight to 10 months after flowering. You can store mature cuttings in the freezer for six months.