Ginger is a must-have for anyone who enjoys Asian cuisine or natural remedies, and it's surprisingly easy to grow at home. Whether as a houseplant or in a greenhouse or conservatory, it yields a fresh harvest of ginger roots every autumn. Homegrown ginger has a more robust flavour compared to store-bought varieties and features a thin, easily removable skin, making it simple to prepare for cooking. This tropical plant is not only rewarding to grow but will continue to produce year after year. Height: 1m (39in). Spread: 50cm (20in).
Growing Information
Ginger is a tender, tropical plant which can be grown outdoors during the hottest months but requires a heated greenhouse, conservatory or indoor position for the rest of the year.
Ginger requires a warm position, shaded from the hot sun with fertile soil and high humidity. It needs plenty of moisture during the growing phase but the soil should be freely-draining and never become soggy. Ginger grows by spreading rhizomes and can reach heights of 1m so use wide pots and allow plenty of space. Over time, plants will become congested and should be regularly re-potted.
Plant the tubers into a wide pot or seed tray – preferably in early spring. Fill them with compost and place the ginger root on the surface with eyes facing upwards. Just cover with compost so the eyes are exposed. Keep in a warm, shady place – ginger requires soil temperatures of at least 20C to grow. Water lightly until the shoots appear which should take around two weeks. At this stage, rhizomes sprouted in seed trays can be potted on.
Keep in a warm, shaded spot and water regularly, the compost should remain moist but good drainage is essential. Top up with compost as the stem grows to encourage larger, longer rhizomes and feed regularly with high potash fertiliser.
Ginger can be placed outside for the summer months. Harvest from late summer onwards when the plant ceases to produce leaves. Remove the plant from its pot and either break off a section of rhizome or break apart all the rhizomes and harvest what you need for the kitchen then repot the remainder.
Move back indoors to overwinter in a warm place. Plants will go dormant and lose all their leaves and stems. Ease back on watering so the compost remains barely moist. Growth will resume in spring.
