Tucked in the produce aisle between potatoes and papery-skinned heads of garlic, ginger root is a common sight at most grocery stores.
With its thick, tan skin and knobby form, ginger root stands out among other root veggies and its fibrous and spicy flesh is incredibly versatile and tasty in dishes like curries, soups, kimchi and even smoothies.
But while grocery store ginger has an intense flavor, if you want to experience the true culinary delight that is ginger root, you need to get your hands on freshly dug baby ginger. And the best way to do that? Grow your own ginger plants, of course.
As Petra Page-Mann, a seasoned ginger grower and the owner of Fruition Seeds explains, homegrown “baby ginger is sweet yet savory, lusciously melting in your mouth [and] entirely unlike the mature ginger shipped thousands of miles” to grocery stores.
It’s less fibrous and easier to work with than store-bought ginger and, if you grow your own plants, you can harvest edible ginger leaves, which also can be dried and used for tea, Page-Mann said.
Store-bought ginger is treated to prevent sprouting, so if you want to grow your own ginger, it’s best to purchase rootstock from a seed catalog and start the roots indoors in spring.
Like potatoes, ginger roots can be planted whole or broken into smaller segments. Each segment should have at least one “eye” or bud for sprouting.
To plant ginger roots, fill seed starting trays or pots with a rich potting mix amended with compost, place the ginger pieces on top of the substrate and then bury them with an inch of soil.
Cover the container with a humidity dome, place it on top of a heating mat and water sparingly until ginger sprouts emerge. Ginger is a slow grower, so you’ll need to be patient.
When ginger sprouts, move the roots under a grow light and repot them into individual containers if they need more room.
Once temperatures are consistently above 55 degrees Fahrenheit, ginger plants can be hardened off and transplanted outdoors into garden beds or individual pots or grow bags that are at least 12 inches in diameter. Sow transplanted rhizomes from 2 to 3 inches deep and at least 12 inches apart.
Locations that receive morning sun and dappled light in the afternoon are perfect for ginger. Growing plants should be fertilized and watered regularly, but avoid overly soggy soil.
Like potatoes, ginger roots should be hilled occasionally by lightly covering up exposed roots or rhizomes with soil and a bit of compost.
Ginger plants grow lots of leaves before their roots mature, so plants should be left to grow for at least four to five months before harvesting begins.
Ginger rhizomes can be harvested little by little by feeling beneath the soil and snapping off a small section of root as needed for recipes. Or you can dig up the entire plant in autumn before frost arrives and eat roots fresh or preserve them with pickling, freezing or dehydrating.
If you want to keep your plants growing, ginger can also be gently transplanted into pots and overwintered indoors as a houseplant.
Just be sure to check plants for pests before bringing them inside and provide indoor ginger with ample humidity and bright, indirect light.
