Growing Ginger

Zingiber Officinale : Zingiberaceae / the ginger family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    P P P P P P P P P  

(Best months for growing Ginger in Australia - tropical regions)

  • P = Plant root
  • 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
  • Ginger plant
  • Ginger ready to harvest
  • Ginger root
  • New shoots of ginger

Ginger is a warm climate plant. It can be grown indoors in pots in cool/temperate areas. To grow well it needs lots of water and nutrients. Prepare the soil by adding compost which will retain some moisture but not get saturated. Add a small amount of sand to ensure drainage. Water regularly in summer to keep moist. In a pot, in addition to watering to keep moist, water ginger about once a fortnight with a seaweed or other liquid fertilizer. This perennial will die down in autumn. Remove the dead leaves. In spring lift the root clumps and break them up into smaller pieces to replant.

Harvesting Ginger: You can harvest ginger root after the plant dies down in winter, digging around the plant to cut off a piece of the older root. The young root with shoots is the actively growing plant and should be left to resprout.

You can also carefully dig down under the plant through the growing season to cut off bits of the older root for use, just be careful not to disturb the rest of the plant too much.

Let plants become well established before harvesting - it is often best to wait until the second growing season.

Make sure that you have edible ginger. Ginger plants sold in nurseries are usually decorative varieties and not suitable for eating.

Ginger can be grown in pots. The best growing temperature is around 25 - 30 C (75 - 85 F)

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Ginger

Ginger root freezes well either whole or grated, and can be used direct from the freezer in most recipes requiring fresh ginger.

Your comments and tips

03 Jun 24, Marilyn (Australia - temperate climate)
My next door neighbour rips them all up, cuts them into sizeable pieces and freezes it. He's been doing it for years with no problems. I'll be doing the same.
03 Jun 24, Marilyn (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted bits of ginger I bought from the store. I thought it had died after a few months in the pot but no. It's thriving and putting up many new shoots. It's now almost a metre high. Just waiting for the leaves to die off so I can harvest. Hopefully that won't be too long as the leaves are yellowing now. Will this be OK to consume seeing as it's grown pretty well and ftom store bought?
01 Sep 23, Marlene (Australia - temperate climate)
I live in Perth WA. I planted my ginger over a year ago. The leaves are turning yellow. I have quite a few healthy plants in a half barrel pot. My question is:Do I need to dig up the whole lot or can I cut off a piece and replant the rest of the rhizomes? We are moving into summer.
06 Sep 23, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Read the notes here about harvesting it.
01 Dec 22, Sue Spencer (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I m trying to grow some store-bought ginger suspended over water half in and half out. It has some nice looking knobs but so far has not sprouted after almost 2 months. Should I give up or put it in the ground or just cook it. Haha.
04 Dec 22, Linna (Australia - temperate climate)
Ginger is usually sprayed with a growth inhibitor so it doesn't shoot up (if store-bought). Soak for 24 hours in water and rinse off. Then plant nice plump pieces of it. They are a slow grower so about eight to ten months.
18 Nov 22, Dee (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Can you grow ginger from shop bought ginger in the supermarket?
16 Oct 22, marco (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
ginger growing now gold coast queensland .
15 Oct 22, Janet Burchill (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
how long after planting will it break through soil and sprout thanks
17 Oct 22, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Soil needs to be 20-30 degree - may be next month.
Showing 1 - 10 of 253 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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