Ginger is a valuable medicinal plant and also indispensable in the kitchen, but it is often imported from far away. But you can also grow it yourself
On the Internet there are many tips and instructions on how to grow your own ginger, but some of it is a bit cumbersome or works only with luck.
But in fact it is not too difficult to grow ginger yourself, at least if you pay attention to a few things. For example, you need one thing above all else, an organic quality ginger bulb.
Propagate ginger: How to turn the root into a beautiful plant
The ginger is very valuable for the immune system, especially homemade ginger shots. If you have a ginger bulb, then you can start propagating it. To do this, first place in lukewarm water, preferably overnight.
Then place the root piece in a large, shallow bowl. This should be wide, as the roots tend to grow sideways rather than deep. Fill this container with soil that has a high nutrient content. Place the tuber on top of the soil and then cover it with two inches of humus. Moisten the whole thing with lukewarm water via spray bottle.
For sufficient humidity, you can cover the whole thing with a transparent film with air holes. The best place is a window sill above a heater. No direct sunlight should shine on it. The soil should never be too wet, so that the ginger does not rot, however, it is also necessary to prevent drying.
Until the roots are grown and a shoot appears, it takes a few weeks. Therefore, do not give up too quickly. As soon as the ginger seedlings appear, the ginger plant can be moved to a brighter location. Then the film can also be removed. The ginger makes few demands on the new location.
This should only be sunny or semi-shaded and ideally offer temperatures around 20 degrees. The soil can be mixed with compost before planting. It is also suitable for cultivation in a greenhouse.
For the soil in the greenhouse, the ginger as a monocotyledonous plant is also a good variety.
Propagate ginger: When to harvest and how to propagate?
The ginger grows about one meter high. In autumn, the leaves turn yellow, then the ginger is ripe. To have a new ginger next year, simply break off a root piece from the mother plant in the spring and plant it in its own pot as described above. A piece of the mother plant can also be left in the ground and thus sprout again next spring.
However, not all ginger is the same. There are different varieties and these also have completely different flavors:
- Jamaican ginger – fruity aroma, the best known supermarket ginger.
- Chinese ginger – flowery-exotic aroma, finger-like roots
- Thai ginger – citrusy ginger, especially easy to grow
- Australian ginger – particularly mild ginger
- African ginger – the hottest ginger variety
But there are other varieties worldwide, in total there are about 150 different ones. But the above varieties are the most famous. So a lot of choice to grow them in your own garden.