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 New Zealand - cool/mountain regions

  • Plant pieces of fresh root showing signs of shoots. Best planted at soil temperatures between 20°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 15 cm 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

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26 Aug 18, Marg (Australia - temperate climate)
I live on the sth coast nsw and my ginger was pot planted 2016. The spring of 2017 crop was not amazing so I used a little and replanted majority. Now Sept 2018 and I can feel the large clumps In the pot soil! Looking forward to harvest and repotting. Your site has been well presented. Many thanks.
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06 Sep 18, Peter (Australia - temperate climate)
I have been growing ginger in West Gippsland for a couple of years, but always in the hothouse! Same with Lemon Grass, Galangal, water chestnuts and Turmeric. Although I have seen others who manage these in warm corners of their verandah.
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27 Aug 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
They don't recommend planting ginger in the temperate zone on this website so you are doing well. It is a warm climate crop so just remember that, if you have a poor year - probably had cool/cold weather. For more info google how to grow ginger.
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19 Sep 18, Bron (Australia - temperate climate)
Temperate Hunter is sub tropical ish now
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29 Jul 18, Ann Pulley (USA - Zone 6b climate)
I was wondering if it can be grown in zone 6b, in southern Missouri? Does it need anything special in winter?
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26 May 20, Chris (USA - Zone 7b climate)
It is very frost-sensitive and can't survive the ground freezing. You can grow it in pots and bring it indoors.
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22 Jul 18, Ismail (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
Hi, can anyone help me to get some local ginger to plant at home. Just a few kg Thank you
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11 Jul 18, Sipho Stanford Monyai (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
When can I plant ginger in my area? Iam in the Letsitele area of Limpopo.
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13 Jul 18, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Ginger can be planted any time after frosts have finished if you have them. It really needs a good growing season so don't plant it in Autumn
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06 Jul 18, Pieter Wilken (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
Why does my Ginger have a fibrous or stringy center? The rhizomes are a decent size.
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I have been growing ginger successfully in a planter box for 5 years now since I downsized to an apartment in Sydney. I started with cutting off part of store bought ginger with buds and plant in the planter box early Spring. With filtered sun and water they soon grew lot of leaves. I harvest the ginger once a year in winter when the leaves turned yellow and dried. Cut off the rhizome and bury the smaller ones back to the planter box. By next spring they will re-shoot again. I do sometimes pull one plant out (when I need it) and cut off a chunk off the rhizome then place the rest of the plant back to the plant box, cover with soil. The ginger harvested before maturity has milder flavor.

- Mary

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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. GardenGrow 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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