Growing Ginger

Zingiber Officinale : Zingiberaceae / the ginger family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec

Not recommended for growing in USA - Zone 5b regions

  • Plant pieces of fresh root showing signs of shoots. Best planted at soil temperatures between 20°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 15 cm apart
  • Harvest in approximately 25 weeks. Reduce water as plant dies back to encourage rhizome growth.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Grow in separate bed

Your comments and tips

19 Apr 19, michael (Australia - temperate climate)
We live on the NSW Central Coast. I had a disastrous year growing ginger this year and most did not shoot. I also grew Galangal which struggled all summer and winter but is now powering on like there is no tomorrow. Does anybody grow Galanga? If so then when is the best time to dig up and divide rhizomes and/or use some for cooking?
24 Apr 19, Peter (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi, yes we grow a small amount of Galangal all year round in Brisbane coastal, once established you can just dig an outer piece off anytime its required.
07 Mar 19, Catherine Hogan (Australia - temperate climate)
I would love to grow fresh ginger but am concerned that my particular local climate might be against me. I live in northwest Sydney in Kellyville and we get stinker summers and really cold and sometimes, frosty winters. I'm thinking pot grown is probably the best so that I can move it around during extremes of weather. I've bought some ginger from the supermarket but now think I should have waited till Spring. Can I start it now? What is the best approach when growing from a chunk purchased at the supermarket? regards Catherine
21 Apr 19, liz Burke (Australia - temperate climate)
hello catherine. i live in the yarra valley of victoria and, at the end of last year i planted a piece of supermarket ginger. i'm not a great gardener but have managed to produce some plants from it. so it can be done. what i'm planning on doing this year is waiting for the plants to turn yellow and then i'm going to tip it all out (it's in a polystyrene box at the moment) and repot the young rhizomes in one of those large, black pots. it was kept moist during the summer months in a very sunny spot outside but is going to be left now without a great deal of water. then, it's going into a north facing sunny room to over winter. give it a go - you might be pleasantly surprised! cheers!
17 Apr 19, Kel (Australia - arid climate)
Ginger will grow well where you live in Sydney. I grew it for years in the well draining garden beds in the ground, whilst living both at Badgerys Creek and Kurrajong areas. I now successfully grow it in pots in Canberra. Check out you tube for tips on the right shade, moisture and harvest tips. . I recommend watching 2 videos: one from Mark from north Qld ‘self sufficient me,’ & other one: ginger in a cold climate from Curtis Stone, for some skills. Ginger from the supermarket is not likely to grow if it’s not australian, because it is fumigated for import. Best success will be Organic Australian to get you started Be patient with ginger and do not over water it in winter. I didn’t use sand to mix in Sydney because it held too much moisture, so look into that. Vermiculite and perlite are good options, depending on whether in pots or in beds. All references are mentioned in good faith and without sponsorship. Hopefully you’ll find the information more helpful than my few words. Good luck :)
10 Mar 19, Ann (Australia - tropical climate)
Hi Catherine, Although I'm in tropical, I have found as long as they have shade as mine are under the edge of a large macadamia tree in a pot they are fine. That way we can measure how much water they are getting to regulate it. It gets afternoon sun for about an hour and it has never been happier. That goes for my tumeric too. I hope this helps.
06 Mar 19, Gurmeet (Australia - temperate climate)
Can I grow giger now. I m living in Perth thanks
15 Feb 19, Peter (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I grow ginger successfully in 'foam' boxes from the green grocers. I use a shallow style box with good drainage holes. Use a good potting mix and I mulch the top. I water regularly and liquid fertlize. Ginger doesn’t need full sun all day. Mine don't get the hot afternoon sun. I live north of Brisbane.
18 Feb 19, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I do the same to grow some greens - lettuce beetroot spinach -(I'm doing this right now- germinated last week) . I had 3 boxes - heavy when full of soil, so I cut some of the top off. I place some shade cloth on the bottom, then mix up some good soil and compost. Top it off with 25 mm of fine potting mix, plant my seeds and more potting mix to cover the seeds. I place them under a shade cloth cover. I water by using a 6 liter sprayer - the spray doesn't dislodge the seeds. Seeds are planted very thick and when grown you just cut the top off and let it regrow. I use a worm castings fertiliser and when bigger a water fertiliser solution. Can do this also to germinate seeds for seedlings. Bundaberg - sub tropical
21 Jan 19, Carl (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
Hi Rudolph The Ginger root may have been imported and that means the roots have been irradiated to kill off soil pathogens. Although edible the root will not grow ever. If you do buy root from a shop - try Woolies, they mark it when locally produced. Alternative is to look for a root with clear signs that it is starting to grow nodes (greenish horn like on the sides of the rhizome). If you cannot get any this way, go to Livingseeds and buy good quality when they do stock them - availability based on the season.
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