The Easiest Way to Grow Ginger at Home

Stacey
by Stacey

By Stacey Kelleher


Ginger is a popular ingredient used in a wide range of recipes, particularly in Asian and Indian dishes, baked goods, and juices and teas. Ginger also has a range of health benefits as well. The natural compounds in ginger have been shown to reduce inflammation, curb nausea, alleviate indigestion, and even lower blood sugar in humans.


Although ginger is technically a vegetable, you’ve probably heard it referred to as an herb or a spice. Sweet and a little bit spicy, ginger is the perfect addition to your kitchen. And it’s surprisingly easy to grow indoors in a pot, which is actually its preferred environment. Because it’s natively tropical, it prefers year-round humid, warm conditions that most outdoor climates won’t offer.


Keep reading to learn about growing ginger root and how to care for and harvest it in your own home garden.

hand holding ginger root above soil

Photo via Dan330


What Is Ginger?

While ginger is a vibrant tropical plant, it’s primarily grown for its aromatic root stems that grow under the soil. In fact, you may not even recognize the long, fine, tapered leaves of the ginger plant, but can probably spot ginger root in your local grocery store.


The ginger root most people are familiar with is the rhizome, or the horizontal underground stem that produces roots and shoots in all directions. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks, to give you a better visual. Other plants that use rhizomes include irises, ferns, asparagus, turmeric, and lotus.


The skin of the ginger rhizome is usually light brown or cream-colored, and firm and rough to the touch. Depending on the variety, ginger rhizome flesh ranges in color from white to yellow or red. Generally, that outer skin is removed and the inner flesh is sliced, minced, or grated to be used in cooking or baking. Ginger’s leaves and shoots are also edible and pack a lot of flavor, but they’re a little tough to chew so they're not as popular in dishes as the root is.


When to Plant Ginger

If you plan to harvest ginger for culinary or medicinal use, know that it takes anywhere from eight to 10 months to fully mature and be ready for harvest. So if you want fresh ginger for your holiday gingerbread cookies, you should plant it in the spring.


If you’re growing ginger indoors, you can plant it any time of year. Ginger doesn’t tolerate frost, so outdoor pots should be brought inside for the winter months.


How to Plant Ginger

There aren’t many vegetables you can grow successfully indoors, but that’s where ginger thrives. It’s a low-maintenance, robust plant that does well in partial to full shade. Here is a step-by-step guide for planting and growing your own ginger.


Tools and Materials Needed


Can You Plant Store-Bought Ginger?

The ginger root sold at your local grocery store is often sprayed with a growth inhibitor, so it’s not ideal for planting. Instead, purchase ginger root online or from your local nursery.


Step 1: Trim the Ginger 

You can either plant a single piece of ginger root or cut a larger clump into smaller pieces and plant each of those individually. Just be sure each piece has an “eye” (growth bud) or it won’t grow. Use a clean, sharp garden knife to trim the ginger. 


For good results, use plump, healthy pieces of ginger root with well-developed eyes. A single piece should be around 4-6 inches in size, with multiple “fingers” extending out on all sides. Discard any pieces that are dry or shriveled up.


Step 2: Let the Ginger Callous Over

After choosing and trimming a piece of ginger to plant, set it aside in a dry space and let it heal and form a callous, which takes between 24-48 hours. Taking this step can help reduce the risk of plant-borne disease.


Step 3: Prepare the Soil 

Choose a mildly acidic soil for your ginger. A 50/50 mix of soil and compost that will drain well is best for this plant.


Step 4: Add Fertilizer 

Add a few granules of self-release fertilizer to the soil before planting the ginger. 


Step 5: Plant the Ginger 

Place your ginger root two to four inches below the soil, one piece per pot, to allow plenty of room for growth. Plant the root so that the eyes are pointing upward.


Step 6: Water the Ginger

Water the plant immediately after planting. The soil should stay moist but never saturated. Water it as needed just before the soil dries out. 


Step 7: Find the Perfect Spot 

A warm spot with filtered sunlight is perfect for your ginger root to grow. Ginger is a slow grower, so it may be a few weeks before you see new shoots poking out of the soil.


How to Care for Ginger

While ginger plants are quite forgiving, there are easy steps you can take to keep the tasty plant healthy and robust.


Sunlight and Humidity

Ginger plants prefer filtered indirect sunlight. A spot where it will get four to five hours of indirect sunlight, like a south-facing window, is ideal. 


As a tropical plant, ginger loves humidity, so avoid placing the plant in dry areas of your home like near a heat source or air conditioning vent. Or, if your home is particularly dry, consider using a humidifier to add moisture to the air. 


Water 

Keep the soil moist but never drenched. Check the plant often and water when the soil starts to dry out. Stop watering when the plant stems dry up and die in the later summer to early fall. 


Fertilizer 

As we mentioned above, you'll add fertilizer to the soil mix before planting the ginger. Once the plant starts sprouting, fertilize weekly with the same water-soluble product to encourage healthy growth. Stop fertilizing at least a month prior to harvesting. 


Maintenance

Ginger plants can grow up to four feet tall. You may see some of the roots pop up out of the soil, which is perfectly normal.


Pests 

Ginger is fairly resistant to pests. However, if you do notice any bugs on your ginger plant, simply wash the leaves with an organic, non-toxic insecticide spray


Diseases 

Ginger is susceptible to just a few plant diseases. Bacterial wilt is caused by bacteria that enters plant tissue and prevents it from getting the water and nutrients it needs to thrive. The rhizomes will appear waterlogged, and the plant will begin to wilt. 


Wilting can also be caused by a fungus called fusarium. With fusarium wilt, you may notice stunted, yellow plant shoots among the healthy, green growth. The rhizomes will also show signs of rot. 


Unfortunately, these diseases are not reversible and you’ll likely have to toss affected plants. The best solution is prevention with strategic watering—keeping the soil moist but never soaked. 

harvested ginger plants

Photo via Shutterstock


How to Harvest Ginger

Now, for the fun part! You’ve patiently waited several months for your ginger plants to grow. It’s time to harvest ginger roots from their pots. Wait for the leaves to die back after the first year before harvesting.


All you have to do is dig up the entire plant, cut off a piece of the root with a sterile, sharp garden knife, and then replant the rest of the rhizome. Harvesting is actually good for the original plant, as it encourages new growth. As long as the rhizome is at least two inches long, it should continue to grow.


The Older, the Better

The older the ginger plant is, the more flavorful the root will be. Waiting two to three years before harvesting will give you the best-tasting ginger.


How to Store Ginger 

Once you’ve harvested some fresh ginger, proper storage is the key to keep it tasting its best. If you plan to use it within a few days, store the root pieces in an airtight container in a cool, dark place like on the kitchen counter. 


To keep ginger fresh for longer, place it in a resealable bag or airtight container in the crisper drawer of your fridge. Unpeeled ginger can stay fresh for up to a month or more in the refrigerator, while peeled ginger will only stay fresh for two to three weeks.




Ginger is one of the most versatile ingredients you can use for cooking and baking. Vibrant and warm, it adds the perfect hint of spice to everything from soups and stews to cakes, cookies, and even ginger beer. Now that you know how to grow ginger and harvest your own fresh ginger, the possibilities are endless!


What is your favorite way to use fresh ginger at home? Comment below!

Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
  1 question
Comments
Join the conversation
 1 comment
  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Jan 25, 2022

    Very interesting and great presentation.

    We have been growing ginger for years here in Maryland in a container. It goes outside in the summer and inside over winter..

    This piece of ginger came from a grocery store and as you said, it is sprayed with a growth inhibitor, so, I rinsed it with tap water and finally roots formed underneath it . From there it was planted and has been a source of fresh ginger for several years.

Next