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

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20 Jul 16, Chris (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I grow mine in pots and harvest the ginger corms as needed, one or 2 pieces. If you dont touch it, it will die back and re shoot in spring. It will then grow bigger corms. Often gardeners only harvest it after two years especially in colder areas.
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19 Jun 16, Elly Bryen (Australia - arid climate)
Best to freeze it. Eith grate and freeze in small batches or in chunks of a size that you would normally use. Lasts about 6 months in the freezer
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13 Jun 16, cam (Australia - temperate climate)
hi, i am helping my mother harvest her ginger crop and she has an abundance! she lives in the mid north coast NSW at kings creek. Any advice on how long she can store it and how to would be most appreciated.
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09 Jun 16, Samirelchami (Australia - arid climate)
What is the best way to plant ginger thanks
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08 Jun 16, Barry (Australia - temperate climate)
I am from Wollongong and planted ginger root last spring and will be ready for robbing this coming spring, have given it regular water and sea weed fertilizer, it is in my herb garden and has really flourished so will keep it going.
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07 Jun 16, Linda Bruce (Australia - temperate climate)
What species of Ginger to eat the root, can I plant in Sub temperate Victoria Australia please?
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01 Jun 16, Malcolm (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Bernie i was keen to know if when freezing the garlic does it need to the skin peeled off before freezing? Cheers M
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15 May 16, tony (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Have planted my ginger months ago when do I havest it, it is still green but the bulbs are very big and healthy
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11 May 16, kevin caddies (Australia - tropical climate)
I live in Cairns and grow ginger in pots in full sun and water every day. First harvest last year. Planted some at a friends garden in Sydney and it has just started to shoot.
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15 Feb 16, The Sunlander (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I live in Brisbane and have grown gingers, both edible and non-edible types, for many years. They are very hardy plants and succeed very well when left alone. I see on various gardening web sites conflicting information re the cultivation - one site for instance says to plant in shade, never in full sun. My edible ginger grows happily in full sun!! I water mine because the soil dries out but a friend has his in pots and they grow just as well. So, give it a go. Buy good looking ginger in the supermarket, break the rhizome into several parts each with at least one bud on.
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I grow edible ginger, two varieties, in Stanthorpe. I established them from sprouting ginger bought at the shops in two old concrete laundry troughs filled with compost and sand. The troughs are set close to the alls of the house which is built from granite with huge thermal mass and storing heat from the combustion stove inside and the sun during the day in winter. I also have a few plants out in the reed bed seepage along with bananas which occasionally set fruit. It's all about niche planting. I can grow almost anything tropical in a place that it's supposed to be impossible.

- jayn

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