Can't get enough of ginger? Then just take a rhizome and multiply it. We'll tell you how here.
Ginger is often used to add a spicy note to smoothies or curry. The he althy spice is also popular in teas. Ginger not only tastes great, the tuber can also convince with its nutritional values. On top of that, ginger helps with digestive problems and various infections. Hold a freshly cut tuber under your nose or eat some ginger, ginger even helps against motion sickness. But essential oils can also prevent other types of nausea. In addition, ginger has a pain-relieving effect, it prevents colds and is also popular as a natural aphrodisiac.
In addition to all these he alth and taste benefits, ginger is easy to grow. The great thing: If you grow it yourself, the spice does not have to travel long distances before it delights your palate.
What is ginger?
Ginger is botanically called Zingiber officinale. The origin of ginger, on the other hand, can no longer be clearly determined. Pacific islands are believed to be the origin of the he althy spice. Today the plant is mainly cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. Known areas are South America, Africa and Asia.
This all-rounder uses the horizontal part of the plant for cooking, which is below the ground. This is referred to as a tuber or root. However, the term rootstock, also called rhizome, would be botanically correct. And this is exactly what you can use to propagate ginger.
| Zingiber officinale | |
|---|---|
| Growth: | upright |
| Growth: | 50cm to 150cm |
| Location: | warm (24 degrees), partial shade |
| Floor: | moist, rich in nutrients and humus |
What does it take to propagate ginger?
With a little patience, you can quickly harvest your own ginger and use it fresh. Only a few utensils are required for the cultivation itself. You need:
- a purified,sharp knife
- a flower pot (about 30 cm high with drainage holes)
- Plant soil (rich in nutrients and humus, retains water)
- Ginger rhizome with buds
- if necessary cling film or growing cap
We recommend an organically grown rhizome for ginger cultivation. This way you can be sure that many essential oils are included. These are the prerequisite for the healing effect of the miracle tuber. In addition, organic ginger is free from harmful pesticides.
It is also important for the ginger that the container is high enough. This should be between 20 and 30 centimeters high. Another aspect is that irrigation water can drain off quickly. Therefore drainage holes in the floor are mandatory.
When can you propagate ginger?
As with many plants, spring is the ideal time to start growing ginger. Cultivation on a warm windowsill can take place from the end of February. This allows enough hours of sunshine.
Instructions for propagating ginger
❍ Step 1:
To propagate ginger, you need a piece of root that is as fresh and plump as possible. At best, this already has some sprouting buds, also called eyes. These are usually white or green round thickenings that grow out of the bark. Ideally, branches several centimeters long have already formed. A new plant can then sprout from each of these vegetation points.
Before planting, you need to prepare the ginger. To do this, cut off the shoots, which are at least five centimeters long, with a clean and sharp knife. Alternatively, if necessary, the use of a piece of root with a small eye is suggested. In general, the cut surface should remain as small as possible.
Now place the parts in lukewarm water overnight to help germinate.
❍ Step 2:
The following day, fill the flowerpot with nutrient-rich potting soil. It is best to fill the pot with a layer of shards of pottery or pebbles beforehand. This then forms a drainage on the ground.
By the way, classic growing soil has too few nutrients for ginger. Potting soil containing peat, on the other hand, is too dense, which would cause the root pieces to rot. Peat-free vegetable and tomato soil, for example, is therefore very suitable. On top of that, mix it with some sand to increase permeability.
❍ Step 3:
Now place a maximum of two to three ginger strips with a few in the filled containercentimeters distance. The budding bud should point upwards and protrude a little out of the ground.
❍ Step 4:
Now water the rhizome a little so that the soil becomes moist. It is important that the potting soil should never be wet. In this case, the root piece would rot. On the other hand, if the soil is not wet enough, the ginger will dry out.
❍ Step 5:
After planting, place the pot in a warm and bright place. The pupil should not stand in the sun all day and the temperature should be at least 20 degrees. For example, a window sill under which a heater is installed is ideal. However, make sure that the location does not get too hot. Because the unhindered midday sun and temperatures above 25 degrees can permanently damage the ginger.
Cultivation in a greenhouse is also possible if the temperatures inside do not drop below 20 degrees. During the summer months you can also grow the ginger in pots outdoors or plant it in a raised bed.
❍ Step 6:
You need to keep the soil moist all the time, especially during the initial period before roots develop. A breeding hood can help here. Alternatively, you can create a warm and humid climate by covering the pot with cling film. You should make sure that you air the transparent film regularly.
❍ Step 7:
Now patience is required. Because it can take a few weeks before the rhizome starts to germinate. During this time, too, you must keep the piece of root moist.
After several months, the rhizome has developed into a real ginger plant. This has several shoots, which can reach a size of more than one meter and are reminiscent of bamboo.
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When is the ginger ready to harvest?
About 250 days after planting the root section, the shoots turn yellow in autumn. If this happens, you should stop watering the plant. For now the time of harvest has come. You can use and process the entire rhizome for this. But it is also possible to harvest the tubers gradually. If left in the ground, they stay fresh longer than if stored in the pantry.
How is ginger stored?
To store ginger, it is best to keep it cool and dry in the refrigerator. Another option existsin peeling, chopping and freezing the rhizome.
But not all parts of the rhizome have to go straight into the stomach: Another possibility is to use part of the tuber to plant new ginger again. Ideally, this already has eyes and is placed in fresh soil according to the regrowing principle. This way the rearing can start over.
What diseases and pests can affect ginger?
Ginger is a very robust plant. The pungent substances it contains protect the plant from most harmful organisms. However, overwatering the plant can lead to root rot. At the same time, fungus gnats settle in the substrate of the pot.