From what I understand, you plant the ginger pieces just under the soil surface, rather like Dahlia tubers, in a seed/cutting compost mixed with some perlite.
Look for the ‘eyes’ - rather like seed potatoes have.
Most of the Ginger we buy in Supermarkets is treated with a chemical to stop it ‘sprouting’ and prolong shelf life, so this is unlikely to be any good for growing from, as it will probably not make any shoots.
I have got to locate some Organic Ginger which will be untreated.
The ‘Rhizomes’ which grow look quite a lot like Iris rhizomes as they spread and grow.
I like experimenting with different plants, so looking forward to trying this when the weather warms up a bit more.
Oh that’s interesting Grace planted a bit last year but nothing happened, if they treat it that explains why though. I’ll see if I can get a bit of organic too and see if it grows. Can’t do any harm to try it. Compare notes later in the year !
Yes, it is interesting isn’t it Julie. I really want to try this.
I suspect that is why Grace’s never grew, but also it needs to be warm. If you stick it in the garden and hope for the best it is unlikely to grow.
Many things I have read say to start it off on a warm kitchen window sill. Cold weather will kill it or it will just rot. The compost needs to be very free-draining too, then plant it shallow, so’s just the ‘eyes’ are on soil surface.
I did try it a couple of years ago. I didn’t do any real preparation, just stuck a bit of old ginger in a pot. I think it did sprout a little bit but nothing happened underneath the soil. I just threw it away in the end.
I saw that company Julie, but I believe the minimum order is £12 + £1.25 delivery. That’s quite a lot to pay for a £1.10 piece of ginger!
Thanks very much for looking though.
I’ve found a few places do the seeds but they are tender below 5 degrees so there seems to be some question if they will have time to flower etc in our short season. Also they appear to grow 7m ! might be a bit big for my small garden
You sure you’ve got that right Julie - 7 metres??? :shock:
This is what I was led to believe:
“Plant the rhizomes 6 to 8 inches apart, 2 to 4 inches deep, and with the growth buds pointing upward. They can be planted whole or in smaller pieces with a couple of growing buds each. Ginger plants will grow to about 2 to 3 feet tall.”
I thought I read somewhere that you could simply use shop bought ginger that was sprouting but as I said, mine didn’t work so perhaps that is why. I blamed the snow and frost earlier in the year.
I have grown it but it is a bit of weed if you are not careful - it can get away from you and spread where you don’t want it.
I just used ginger from the supermarket, you can always find some with ‘buds’ - it sprouted well. Once it starts sprouting just divide up the clumps. Easy as…
There are ornamental varieties of ginger which are grown for their flower (though to be honest I don’t think the flowers of the two varieties are much different just big yellow fllowers)
There is still some growing in a passageway at the side of my house
Went out to have a look and see if any ginger still survived
I warned you that it is like a weed. Here is some sprouting under my meter box at the side of the house. I suppose I could dig it up and plant it in better circumstances.
I think the meter reader (wo)man has trod on it plus the fact that I never water it and lack of sunshine has made it a bit stunted but it is almost impossible to kill.
