Grow Your Own Magazine

I have planted a piece of root ginger about 3/4 months ago, it has been on the kitchen window sill and has one shoot with 3 leaves on it.
Can anyone help as regards to how long should i leave and what happens next

Sorry hawthorns, no positive help but I'm glad to see someone else is trying ginger. I planted 4 bits of root in different pots. Was going to chuck them out after months without any results, then noticed 1 in the greenhouse was growing leaves (not brilliant, though). Also, 1 pot which I thought had died off I threw on the compost heap and that has now started growing. Like you, I'm not sure where to go from here.

Hello Hawthorns, I've tried ginger several times. I can always get it to shoot and produce leaves, maybe up to 8 inches high, then it just dies off. I think the truth is we just don't have the climate for it. Google for the growing conditions they require and I'm sure you'll find it just can't be done here. But don't despair - you can do garlic no bother at all.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Few months back, I remember getting excited about finding a website that explained how to grow ginger and that you could actually use a shop bought ones, just like garlic. Then I realised it was American website and didn't feel too hopeful so never really pursued it.

It is extremely useful to know when someone has tried it and can say it doesn't work but if you Hawthorn do find a way of making it work then we'll sure as hell be interested to hear from you. So far I've picked up from this forum that shop bought garlic and lemon grass (just leave in jar of water until roots appear and remember to change water regularly) can be grown at home.

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Food for Free

I planted a piece of root ginger from the supermarket last year and it grew to about 5 foot then died off. This year, I unearthed the same root, broke half of it off to use for cooking and left the rest sitting on the surface of the pot. I also planted another piece of root in a bigger pot in the greenhouse. The one in the greenhouse has 2 sprouts but they are only a few inches high, the one sitting on the kitchen windowsill, still on top of the soil, has also sprouted. I don't know what to expect from them this year as they are so late getting going but I will leave them to do their thing.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

I would be really interested to hear how all you ginger growers get on with it, very interesting thread folks!

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Life may not be the party we hoped for but since we're here we might as well dance

Hi Howthorn,

I used to live in singapore, grew a lot of tropical fruits ( all kind of citrus, anona, guava... ) some veggies ( okra, yard long beans, snake gourds, luffa gourds, aubergines, gherkin... ) and some herbs. Did grow ginger too, they are really super easy there, from 1 small piece of root, I yield almost 1 kilo roots after 4 months planting but mind you, It was always around 32 C ( usually more ) and very sunny day all year round. Since we moved back to Europe, I tried ginger again due to my previous experience but really, it is very difficult here.
This year will be my seconde year, the same ginger I planted 2 years ago still stayed the same size and looks rather sorry for it self this year. In contras to ginger, lemon grass is much easier. Last year I planted 8 of it and manage to harvest 0.5 kg ( now still in the freezer ) I then let some 10 sticks of them to over winter indoor ( in a pot )... but this year is way too cold, they only produce some 5 more shoots and don't look that happy.

I will not grow ginger anymore, will instead go for chillies ( my romanian hot, anaheim, dog nose chilli and lentern chillies are producing loads ) they are more reliable than ginger.

Howthorn, I think you will need to grow them in a heated green house and provide them with growing lamp to be able to harvest some ginger. In tropic they will produce in within 4 months but in europe it will need at least 6 months of warm and sunny conditions.
All the best if you wish to try further

Cheers,
Momol

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I grow, I pick, I eat ...

Thank you all for your replies. I will hang i for a little longer and see what happens - watch this space