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

09 Aug 12, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Ginger is easiest to grow from a piece of root. If you can get a piece of fresh ginger root then you can start a plant from that. Just let it dry out a bit and start sprouting shoots, then plant a couple of cm deep so the shoots stick above the ground.
12 Aug 12, Lebo (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Hi Chris, I want to plant for the local market, where can i get the shoots in large amounts Regards Lebo
10 Dec 13, Hendrik (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Hi Lebo, one cannot usually buy ginger for planting in the way that you can buy for example onion seedlings. You will have to go to a market and look for fresh ginger with "growing buds" at the tips. Buy only ones that have small buds that start sprouting. Cut the ginger in piece with a few growing buds per piece and plant. You obviously have to buy a lot. Note that it seems ginger takes about 2 years to maturity or at least 5 months to first probability of harvesting. If you harvest in that way you will need to buy more "roots" or tubers to start with. Best to let it mature and then you will have enough to sell and continue your production.
17 Jan 13, caroline o,reilly (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
where can i buy ginger plants, seedlings in south africa. would i be able to grow ginger in Komatipoort which is very hot and humid.
17 Nov 14, Joe (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
Try the nearest Pick and Pay.
17 Jan 13, (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
Would like to plant a large patch of ginger for the market, where can i obtain plant material/roots in south africa, and information on the growing of ginger in s.a
28 Feb 13, Jess (Australia - temperate climate)
Is 'old ginger'the bit of ginger left in the soil the longest or do i dig up some 'young ginger' and wait for it to mature?
21 Apr 13, jayn (Australia - temperate climate)
I grow edible ginger, two varieties, in Stanthorpe. I established them from sprouting ginger bought at the shops in two old concrete laundry troughs filled with compost and sand. The troughs are set close to the alls of the house which is built from granite with huge thermal mass and storing heat from the combustion stove inside and the sun during the day in winter. I also have a few plants out in the reed bed seepage along with bananas which occasionally set fruit. It's all about niche planting. I can grow almost anything tropical in a place that it's supposed to be impossible.
25 Apr 13, Steve (Australia - temperate climate)
Just wondering where your are, I'm in the Riverland SA and I have been growing ginger with a bit of success, however during summer 12-13 I had high temps and my ginger suffered, I lost all but one tuber, I'm wondering how you go through winter, I want to keep mine going through winter and leave it until this time next year, do I put it in a pot in as much sun as possible
22 Jun 13, John (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I've been growing what appears to be healthy Ginger for over 3 years now initially from rhizomes of ginger bought at the supermarket. But whenever I severe a piece for cooking it looks and smells nothing like ginger being a bleached white in colour. Is there something I'm missing in the process?
Showing 11 - 20 of 478 comments

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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