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Growing Ginger from Roots in Pots – A Full Guide

Introduction to growing ginger in pots from roots: The ginger (Zingiber officinale) is grown for its aromatic, pungent, and spicy rhizomes, which are often referred to as ginger roots. Growing your ginger plant is easy. Ginger is a strong, potent herb that can be used either fresh or dried to complement food dishes.

If growing the ginger in pots, select a pot at least 12 inches (30cm) deep. A plastic pot is better than terra cotta, as long as you poke plenty of drainage holes in the pot base. Ginger can grow in full shade in the tropics, but these locations can be too cool at other latitudes. Try to plant the ginger at a place that gets 2 to 5 hours of direct sunlight per day. I  this article we also discuss below topics;

  • Can you grow ginger in containers
  • Reasons for ginger plant leaves turning brown
  • Time to take ginger to grow
  • How do you regrow Ginger
  • How often should you water Ginger
  • Process of growing Ginger from roots
  • Ginger plant care

A step by step guide to growing Ginger from roots

Planting ginger starts with finding the ginger root to plant. You can find a ginger root dealer online, but just as easily you can head to the local grocery store and buy a ginger root right out of the produce section for growing ginger plants. Select a healthy, plump looking ginger root that is about 4 to 5 inches long with at least a few “fingers.” If possible, find a ginger root where the tips of the fingers are greenish.

Choose your Ginger plant for growing from roots  

There are many species of ginger are available. To grow the common edible variety, Zingiber officinale, all you need is the ginger root from the grocery store. You can find ornamental ginger plants with vibrant flowers at a plant nursery, but these are inedible. To choose ginger roots (technical rhizomes) those are plump and also free of wrinkles, with visible eyes (small points) at the end of the “fingers.” Eyes that have started to turn green are ideal, but not necessary.

Prepare the soil for growing Ginger in pots from roots

The ginger plant thrives on high-quality, well-draining soil. Mixing garden soil with an equal amount of well-rotted compost must do the trick. If soil is poor quality or heavy in clay, purchase rich potting soil instead.

If you want to keep a closer eye on the ginger plant, you can begin with a starting tray full of sphagnum moss or coconut fiber. These materials drain well, preventing rot in young plants. You will want to transplant the ginger to the soil once leaves and roots form, which can be traumatic for the plant. The ideal temperature for sprouting ginger is 70F, so you may want to use a heat mat or other heat source to keep the soil at the right temperature.

Like most garden plants, the ginger plant prefers mildly acidic soils. If the soil in your area is alkaline, adjust it to between 6.1 and 6.5 pH level. The best soil for the ginger plant is loose, loamy, and rich in organic matter. Loamy soils allow water to drain freely; it will help prevent the rhizomes from becoming waterlogged. Thick mulch can provide nutrients, retain water, and help control weeds. The ginger root grows in part to full shade and also likes rich, loose soil. If you’ll be planting ginger in the ground, it’s a good idea to add lots of compost or rotted manure to the chosen place. If you will be growing ginger plants in containers, using potting soil is a must.

Plant Ginger in a large container

Ginger plant is a heavy feeder and an even heavier drinker that needs a lot of room to grow. Given space, a chunk the size of your thumb will easily grow to fill a 2-gallon pot over about 6 months. Select a pretty container with good drainage holes and a deep saucer.

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Ginger Plants in Pots.
Ginger Plants in Pots.

Use well-draining, fertile soil with plenty of coir for growing ginger. Gently place the pre-sprouted rhizome on top of 4 inches of soil and bury all but the sprout tip. Place it in a warm, sunny window or a sunny location.

Space required for Ginger planting

Growing ginger plant doesn’t take up much room at all. Every rhizome you plant will first grow a few leaves, in the one spot. Over time it will become a dense clump and slowly get bigger, but only if it isn’t harvested. Ginger only grows to about 2 to 3 feet in height. If planting them in the ground plant them about 6 to 8 inches apart.

Process of growing Ginger from roots in pots

First, start with living ginger root. These are obtainable from nurseries, garden centers, or seed companies. If you have a friend with a ginger plant, a root cutting from that could work as well. Choose a ginger root that is firm, plump, and has tight skin with several eye buds on it (like the bumps you find on a potato). Ginger roots can be cut and sectioned at the buds and planted so that each will grow into an individual plant.

Soak the root in warm water overnight to prepare for planting. Fill a shallow, wide plant pot (ginger roots grow horizontally) with rich and well-draining potting soil. Then, soak the ginger root in water overnight, before planting. Fill the pot with a commercial potting mix with organic compost. Put the ginger root in the soil with eye bud pointing up. Cover it with 1 to 2 inches of soil. Water the Ginger plant with water can, water thoroughly till soil gets completely moist till the bottom. Put the container in a spot where it gets morning sunlight and complete shade during the day.

Ginger plant is a slower growing plant, ginger root starts sprouting after a couple of weeks. See the shoots popping up out of the soil and continue watering the plant regularly by misting it with a spray bottle and keep it warm. The plant needs morning sunlight to thrive. Ginger plants need 2 to 3 hours of direct sunlight. The container must be watered in the form of a shower using a watering can. The ginger plant needs a lot of moisture to thrive, and the soil never dries during the growth of the plant. Keep the soil moist constantly.

Don’t overwater the Ginger plants, as ginger is root plant, overwatering will drain all the nutrients from the soil along with water. The ginger plant loves humidity, in case of dry air, spraying and misting will maintain the humidity in the air. Place the ginger root with the eye bud pointing up and cover it with 1 to 2 inches more of soil. Water lightly. Put the pot in a spot that stays warm and doesn’t get a lot of bright light. Keep the soil moist, being careful not to over-water and ginger is slow to grow. Be patient. After 2 to 3 weeks, you should see some shoots coming up. A few months after plant growth begins, small pieces of ginger can be harvested.

Amount of water required for growing Ginger in pots

Ginger requires a lot of moisture while actively growing. The soil should never dry out and doesn’t overwater, though, because the water that drains away will take nutrients with it. The ginger plant loves humidity. And if you have problems with dry air then regular spraying and misting might help. Dry air can cause some problems with spider mites. A sheltered, moist spot in a warm climate will give enough humidity.

Do not allow the ginger plants to dry out while they are actively growing. As the weather cools, reduce watering and this will encourage the plants to form underground rhizomes. In dry areas, mist or spray ginger plants regularly. Always avoid overwatering.

Fertilizing Ginger plants

If the soil is less than ideal, then add a slow-release organic fertilizer at planting. Afterward, liquid fertilizer can be applied every few weeks. These soil amendments are especially required in regions of heavy rainfall, where rain can leach essential nutrients from the soil. You can add compost, which will supply nutrients as well as retain water in the soil. Ginger roots mainly benefit from fertilizer containing high levels of phosphorus (P).

Caring your Ginger plants

The key to growing ginger in pots is to mimic natural conditions as much as possible. This means ginger needs to be kept warm, moist, and well-fed.

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The ideal temperature for the ginger plant is around 75°F. Locate a spot in your house away from drafty doors and fireplaces where the plant will have some sun exposure, perhaps near a south-facing well-insulated window. To maintain humidity, place containers on the tray you prepared with small stones and little water in the bottom.

The water will continually evaporate, adding moisture to the air around the Ginger plant. The stones will keep the pot from sitting directly in water, which can lead to the soil becoming waterlogged and your plants rotting. When watering, it is very important to make sure the soil is moist but drains well. The soil must be damp to the touch, but not soaking wet. Water by misting the surface of the soil with a spray bottle anytime and it begins to feel dry to the touch.

To keep this ginger plant well-fed and happy, top it off with fresh compost as more stems emerge and the foliage grows taller. During periods of heavy leaf production and plant growth, you can feed it monthly with a balanced all-purpose organic liquid fertilizer.

Let the soil dry as the plant stems die back. The stems of the ginger will turn yellow in late summer or early fall, as temperatures drop. Then, reduce water as this happens, and stop watering entirely once the stems die. The plant might not flower the first year or two after planting, or if the growing season is short.

Plant one ginger plant per square foot and once the ginger root is planted, water it thoroughly. In a week or two, you’ll observe the leaves of the ginger plant emerge. Once the plant leaves emerge, water sparingly, but when you water the ginger root plant, water it deeply. The plant leaves will get to be up to 4 feet tall and are susceptible to wind damage. If you live in an area where ginger will not survive the winter, bring the ginger plant inside once nighttime temperatures dip below 50°F. Continue to care for your Ginger plant over the winter.

The ginger plant prefers partial shade or areas with morning sun only, away from large roots. The growing location must be sheltered from wind and moist, but not swampy. If the ginger plant has not yet germinated, soil temperature ranges must be warm ideally between 71 and 77ºF.

Ginger plant growing tips in pots from roots

If your house is cool when planting, you can try using a heat mat set to 70 to 75°F to warm the soil. Remove the mat as soon as sprouts appear.

When you first plant ginger, do not overwater and the soil just needs to be kept lightly misted so it doesn’t dry out.

Ginger plants can be moved outside in the summer to benefit from some sunshine and fresh air. Do this only when daytime temperatures reach 70°F and nighttime temperatures do not drop below 50°F. Put the pot somewhere that receives some shade, like on a covered porch.

Ginger plant protection

Root rot is a main destructive disease that can affect the ginger plant. This disease could be managed by selecting well-drained soils. Selecting a healthy rhizome and good shade can prevent the plant from diseases such as Soft rot, dry rot, leaf spot, and white grub, shoot borer, and bacterial wilt. Using an organic herbicide for controlling diseases and bacteria in plants. Using neem oil spray or horticultural oil spray regularly will protect the plant from pests.

Ginger harvesting

Harvest the ginger plant when the leaves begin to turn yellow and die down, and it indicates that ginger is ready to harvest. The harvesting period of the ginger plant is 10months. Ginger gets good flavor if it is completely developed in the ground and the stems of the starts to die after 7 to 8 months of planting, then dig up the ginger rhizome. Small pieces of ginger can be harvested 3 to 4 months after the growth begins. Pull some soil aside at the edges of the container to find some ginger root and then cover back the soil. In this way ginger can be harvested and as long as the plant is given proper care. Young ginger roots should be harvested carefully. Use a sanitized knife to cut the Ginger plant.

Frequently asked questions about growing Ginger from roots 

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Questions about growing Ginger.
Questions about growing Ginger.
How long does it take to grow Ginger?

Growing ginger usually takes 8 to 10 months. After that, you have full-grown plant ginger in right there in the home. However, you can select to start harvesting the roots after several months.

Why is Ginger plant dying?

Failing to maintain a consistent level of moisture in the soil can turn the ginger plant leaves brown. Ginger plants prefer moist, well-drained soil and high humidity. When the soil is allowed to dry completely out before watering, the plant leaves will turn brown and die. Meanwhile, dry air can suck the life out of ginger.

Are Ginger plant leaves edible?

Although not as commonly used as the root, the leaves and shoots of ginger plants are edible. They are mostly used as a flavorful garnish much as you would use chopped chives or green onions, rather than eaten on their own. The shoots and plant leaves have a mild ginger flavor.

Can I plant Ginger root from the grocery store?

Ginger is a tropical plant which you can easily grow yourself and which does not need much expert knowledge. You start with a piece of fresh root ginger or the rhizome of the plant, which you can buy at any supermarket. Keep the seed tray indoors, as most ginger is not winter hardy.

Conclusion of growing Ginger from roots

The above information may be applied partially or completely for growing Ginger in shade net, growing Ginger in the terrace garden, the Ginger growing process in Polyhouse, planting Ginger root in backyards, planting Ginger on raised beds, growing Ginger root indoors. How to Build an NFT Hydroponic system, Cost, Benefits.

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