Question Ginger Root

[Perry]

G'day,
Just after I joined SSC after watching Mark's video on growing Ginger in a Built up Garden. I decided to give it a try. I followed Marks instructions. Everything seem to be going fine. I have fertilized the bed with Blood & Bone, Chook Pellets and have kept it watered. Today I needed some ginger. None seem to be ready. I have taken photos to show. How look before I will be able to harvest some please?
Cheers Perry

 

[ClissAT]

If your ginger has not flowered yet it is not quite ready to pick for long keeping.

However, I see in the picture showing the stems coming out of the ground that there are soft tubers already.
You can harvest them & they will be very juicy but they wont keep very well, if at all.
So just use a sharp pointed steak knife & cut down into the soil to remove just the size piece you need.
Well that's how I harvest young ginger. The cut will heal & continue growing to maturity.

 

[Perry]

G'day ClissAT,
Thank you for your reply. I did not know that the Ginger came into flower. I am making Mongolian Beef and I needed a small amount of ginger. In the Supermarket the price was $30 kg. When I purchased mine to grow it was $16 kg. I am pleased. I have a large bed growing now. I have done what you advised. I will continue to do that if I need some in my recipes. I cannot wait to see the Ginger flowers.
Cheers Perry

 

[Janine]

If your ginger has not flowered yet it is not quite ready to pick for long keeping.

However, I see in the picture showing the stems coming out of the ground that there are soft tubers already.
You can harvest them & they will be very juicy but they wont keep very well, if at all.
So just use a sharp pointed steak knife & cut down into the soil to remove just the size piece you need.
Well that's how I harvest young ginger. The cut will heal & continue growing to maturity.

Must admit I watched the growing ginger in take bed just now and have come search g for

If your ginger has not flowered yet it is not quite ready to pick for long keeping.

However, I see in the picture showing the stems coming out of the ground that there are soft tubers already.
You can harvest them & they will be very juicy but they wont keep very well, if at all.
So just use a sharp pointed steak knife & cut down into the soil to remove just the size piece you need.
Well that's how I harvest young ginger. The cut will heal & continue growing to maturity.

Must admit I just watched the same video Perry watched and came up with question so tried here again.... Am guessing ginger won't like aquaponics or hydroponics, but, being the newb I am to ginger, would it do well amongst a native garden? I know it seems a daft question but I do not have any grasses planned for my front yard and wondered if it would cope in amongst the native garden I have starting to flourish?

 

[ClissAT]

Ginger likes a fairly rich soil although it will grow to some extent in poor dry soil.
But whether it produces nice tubers is another thing.
It comes from the moist tropics so needs a good regular supply of water & loose aerated soil.
Its fertilizer requirements can be rather specific & any native type fertilizer mix may not suit its requirements, but you can always try.

 

[Janine]

Thanks heaps for your reply and I do appreciate your time. The information you have me was awesome and certainly helped with my information gathering but didn't really answer my question so well keep looking. Thanks again

 

[ClissAT]

Thanks heaps for your reply and I do appreciate your time. The information you have me was awesome and certainly helped with my information gathering but didn't really answer my question so well keep looking. Thanks again

By extension....:-

native fertilizer mix is very low in nitrogen. But ginger has a high N requirement so the plant may not grow very well or be thin & scraggly & prone to woolly scale (which harbour up on your natives over winter) if you grow it in your native garden. Later in its development as it is getting ready to flower it needs a high K input also whereas your natives don't.

ginger likes a moist well drained airy soil but it may not like the moist environment of a water based system. It easily gets fungal & mould problems so the growing media will need to drain to dry several times daily for the root to not be affected.

be aware that if the root begins to rot or get any type of mould on it in your water based system, you should immediately remove the plant & surrounding growing media, then sterilize your whole system or you will soon begin having bacterial issues.

However, having said all that, give it a try.

 

[Janine]

Thank you heaps for your knowledge, research and input to help me with my query. I do appreciate it and take on board the Info, especially the Vit K

 

[Kasalia]

I grow mine in a pot, as when they die back I know where it is, usually then I split in up and replant some and keep rest in freezer.

 

[Letsgokate]

Rob from Rob’s backyard and aquaponics grows ginger in aquaponics so he would be the one to ask about growing ginger in the aquaponics. Here is his current video on it.

 

[ClissAT]

The 'K' I referred to is K for Potassium the mineral in soil & fertilizer not Vitamin K the vitamin we eat!

As in:- N-P-K which relates to Nitrogen, Phosphorous & Potassium.