How to Grow Ginger
Want to know how to grow ginger? We are successfully growing ginger US zone 6b and have done so for multiple years. Ginger is a bit of a diva crop, especially when grown outside its natural environment. However, the taste and health benefits of ginger make it worth the effort to grow!
Growing Ginger | Quick Tips
- Plant a few weeks after danger of frost, ginger doesn’t like any temperatures below 40ºF
- Plant in rows 36 inches apart, spaced 6-12 inches apart in each row
- Ginger grows great in pots or grow bags. Grow 1 plant per 5 gallon pot
- Feed monthly and hill soil around plants at feeding
- Water heavily, especially as you get closer to harvest time
- Ginger likes lots of organic matter and fertility in the soil
Gingers Natural Growing Environment
To be able to understand how to best grow ginger in your climate, it’s important to understand where it thrives. Ginger is a perennial and grows well in tropical climates with high humidity. Even though it’s possible to grow in full sun, it loves a little bit of shade.
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Ginger grows year round as a perennial in US growing zones 10-12. An example of where it grows very well as a perennial in the US is Hawaii.
How To Grow Ginger in Cold Climates
Even though the natural growing environment of ginger is in tropical climates, it can also be grown outdoors in zones 6, 7, 8, and 9. In these growing zones it is usually grown as an annual crop. I don’t recommend growing in zone 5 or below unless you have a protected space like a high tunnel or greenhouse.
To grow it as an annual crop, new seed must be purchased each year and all ginger is harvested in the Fall.
To grow the best ginger plants in a colder climate (below zone 9), a protected space that traps heat is beneficial. More specifically, a greenhouse, high tunnel, low tunnel, or hoop house would trap extra heat and humidity.
Creating a protected space like this doesn’t need to be expensive. In fact, the cost to build a hoop house is likely less than you think. Planting in a space like this really opens up the door to success with heat loving crops like ginger!
Where to buy ginger plants online
My favorite place to buy quality seed ginger is The Farm on Central (Use coupon code BECKYPORTER for $5 off.) I can’t recommend anywhere else because I bought at the Farm on Central once and it was the best ginger I’ve ever grown! Consequently, there was no need for me to test other sources of seed.
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Purchasing quality, tested ginger seed is always better than buying it at your local grocery store. Ginger from the store often has a growth inhibitor on it. Therefore it may not sprout at all, or it will take months to sprout.
If you must buy from a grocery store, organic ginger is a better option. Keep in mind you can unknowingly be bringing diseases home to your garden since it’s not tested. Look for full pieces that aren’t shriveled.
How to Grow Ginger Step by Step
Step 1: If using ginger that has not been pre-sprouted, soak ginger in water for 30 minutes to 12 hours (a diluted soil prebiotic would be a great addition to the water too, but it’s completely optional). Also, I do soak many in one bucket, the photo above is for demonstration purposes.
Step 2: Place ginger on seed starting trays filled with soil. Keep the soil moist, the temperature 70-80ºF, and 95% humidity. This can be achieved by putting a heat mat under the trays and adding a lid over the tray that is slightly ajar. Alternatively, you can put ginger in individual 4 inch pots and cover slightly with soil to keep it humid.Â
Step 3: In about 2 weeks, you’ll start to see the ginger buds growing.Â
Step 4: Once the buds grow into green shoots and planting conditions are correct, you can transplant into the soil. To plant ginger, wait until a few weeks after your last frost. Additionally, make sure there is no chance of the outdoor temperature dropping below 40ºF before planting.Â
Step 5: Plant in rows 36 inches apart with 6-12 inches apart in each row. In a raised bed, plant 10- 12 inches apart in all directions. If the soil isn’t already rich in organic matter, add plenty of compost.
Step 6: After planting, water at least 1 inch of water per week. Feed monthly and hill the soil around the plants at feeding.Â
Step 7: Harvest before the threat of cold weather. Again, ginger doesn’t like any temperatures below 40ºF. If growing in zones 10-12, harvest begins around 4 months after planting and you can harvest what you’ll use as needed.Â
Step 8: Preserve and store. Ginger does not keep well at room temperature and should be preserved. It can be dehydrated, freeze dried, or frozen in chunks.
Additional notes:
- If you buy seed ginger it comes precut in the correct size pieces. If not, often the ginger is in very large pieces. To make the most of it, break off 3 inch long pieces with at least 2-3 nodes. Allow the cut to cure and dry prior to soaking and planting (step 1).
- If you buy ginger plants already growing in soil with green shoots, skip to step 4.
- I plant ginger in a high tunnel. When the weather is warm enough, the entire tunnel is covered in 30% shade cloth, creating the perfect environment for ginger to thrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
As the ginger nodes grow, sometimes portions of the root will shrivel up. This is because the nodes are taking energy from the root. If the entire piece shrivels up with no growth, the ginger seed is no longer good to use.
Ginger should not be planted in the same location until 3 years have passed.
Ginger is generally not bothered by pests, especially in cooler growing zones where the crop is not commonly grown. In warmer areas, caterpillars can be an issue. I use organic pest control methods for worms but haven’t had a problem with any on ginger yet.
Once you harvest ginger there is a world of possibilities for how to eat it. My favorite use of fresh ginger is in kimchi. I have info on how to make kimchi (this is the classic version) and a simple cucumber kimchi.
We also love to eat in dinners like asian beef noodle soup and beef, bok choy, and snap pea stir fry.
