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 5a regions

  • Plant pieces of fresh root showing signs of shoots. Best planted at soil temperatures between 68°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 6 inches 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

12 Jan 17, Anna (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I found growing ginger to be most successful in a polystyrene box. It worked very well. I kept the box on the back porch and gave it plenty of water.
03 Jan 17, Trudy (Australia - tropical climate)
I have inherited a ginger crop from the previous owner of our house and have no idea how to harvest and replant. We bought the house in February 2016 and the ginger plant was about half a meter in height. I have not done anything until now and they have grown to about a meter in size but the leaves have been a bit damaged by grass hoppers. I dug up the crop to rebuild the vege garden and then replanted the crop in fresh good quality soil. Since then the plants have fallen over and don't look too healthy. Not sure if I should have planted them deeper or cut the whole leaf off and replanted the roots as described above. I am not sure how long they have been there but would really like to save them if possible. Any advice would be appreciated.
04 Jan 17, Chris (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You didn't say when you did this, but disturbing the ginger before it died off in winter was your problem. At the moment all its energy is going into maintaining the leaves. I would chop them off or at least by half if some are still good and it will then try to save it's roots and ,maintain the ginger corm. It should then send up new leaves when ready. Keep it moist but not wet so,it doesn't rot. If by winter nothing has happened, dig it up and check the corms are healthy, split if big and replant. Edible ginger is better every two years as bigger corms form, which is when I divide. It freezes in alfoil also. Fresh ginger can be harvested carefully anytime from side.Hope this helps.
01 Jan 17, Sherrill (Australia - tropical climate)
Just wanted to say. My ginger crop originated from fruit shop bought ginger. A couple of pieces started to shoot. I cut them into pieces like you do with a sprouting potato and shallow planted them in a mix of soil and potting mix with a little sugarcane mulch over the top. The first crop was a bit ordinary when I harvested. I had missed some pieces and they have come up by themselves. This second crop is much bigger and better. The plants are much stronger too. I will now be growing ginger in my other garden beds as a rotational crop because ginger leaves the soil friable and ready to plant.
01 Jan 17, Scott (Australia - temperate climate)
Thanks for your tips Sherril. I'm going to have a go at growing it myself but I think I'll be growing ginger in pots as I'm in Victoria and don't think it would survive our cooler months.
15 Dec 16, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
is December to late to plant ginger on the Gold Coast.
20 Dec 16, John (Australia - temperate climate)
December should still be OK in your area. Don't plant it too deep and make sure that drainage is good to avoid the rhyzome from rotting. Trust this helps.
08 Dec 16, (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted tumeric rhizomes about 6 weeks ago and still no sign of them developing. I wonder if anyone has advice about them. Many thanks.
09 Dec 16, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Ginger/turmeric can take a while to sprout particularly in cooler weather which we have had a lot of in southern Australia this year. Last year I had almost given up on mine before it sprouted. It was s also susceptible to rot in cold damp soil. Carefully scrape some soil away and feel the rhizome to see if it is still firm or has rotted. The rhizomes need warm, moist, well drained soil as they are really a semi tropical/tropical plant. Maybe you could grow it in a large tub in a sunny spot. Trust this helps.
10 Nov 16, Doug (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted some Ginger in July, just cut 3 nodes off the end off a piece of Supermarket Ginger.I thought it was dead and started to dig it up but noticed it had changed a dark red colour and was sprouting after a flush of rain, They are now 25cms high 10Nov16
Showing 171 - 180 of 253 comments

Read the notes here on how and what to do.

- Anon

Please provide your email address if you are hoping for a reply


All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting will not appear immediately

Gardenate App

Put Gardenate in your pocket. Get our app for iPhone, iPad or Android to add your own plants and record your plantings and harvests

Planting Reminders

Join 60,000+ gardeners who already use Gardenate and subscribe to the free Gardenate planting reminders email newsletter.


Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About Gardenate | Contact us | Privacy Policy

This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.