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 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

18 Oct 10, Marko (Australia - temperate climate)
Has anyone tried to grow ginger? I think I'll just get some from the supermarket and give it go.
10 Feb 11, viv akhil (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Can ginger be commercially grown in hot houses in NZ?
16 May 11, safraz (Australia - tropical climate)
Hello, I planted some ginger plants on May 2010 (last yr), i haven't harvest them to date (May 2011). The plants have die but the ginger is still in the ground. What i will like to know is if i left them there would they resprout? If yes, how long will it take to resprout? Thank you
20 May 11, leanne (Australia - temperate climate)
yes they will resprout and multiply and should resprout in a couple of weeks,if not then when warmer weather.
14 Nov 11, Altone (Australia - temperate climate)
Ginger in Temperate Australia. Although not truly suited to temperate areas ginger and Galangal can be grown. I've had a small bed of both for 3 years which produces a small crop for the kitchen each year. I grow in sandy well drained soil and the bed is surrounded on 3 sides (fence/shed) - northern aspect open. I suspect this and the deep mulching I give it over winter helps it survive the frosts. Go on , give it a go.
25 Oct 22, Anabelle (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Will i be able to grow ginger here in the ACT? If so when is the best time of the year to plant pls TIA?
08 Feb 12, Kerry (Australia - tropical climate)
Just wandering what i can plant on my balcony (in pots) herbs spices i already have 5 spice, basil, mint.... In the tropics
05 Apr 12, Emma (Australia - temperate climate)
I have grown ginger in the past alongside tumeric, in a pot, it seemed happy and i am going to try again as i have heard of a few people growing ginger sucessfully in Brisbane, QLD! :)
21 Apr 12, anthea boden (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
i would like to know if i can grow ginger in tasmania in winter . i have some sprouting ginger. how can i keep it alive? thank you Anthea
09 Aug 12, lebo (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
i would like to plant ginger and i am in gauteng - will it grow ? where can i get seeds or seedlings for ginger regards lebo
Showing 1 - 10 of 478 comments

What month is best to plant ginger in new Zealand

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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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