Quarantine life, indoor activities are recommemded, today let's plant a ginger at home!
1. Choose your ginger plant.
There are many species of ginger. To grow the most common edible variety, Zingiber officinale, all you need is ginger root from the grocery store. You can find ornamental ginger plants with vibrant flowers at a plant nursery, but these are often inedible.
2.Cut the rhizome into pieces (optional).
If you'd like to grow more than one plant, cut the ginger with a sanitized knife or shears. Any piece at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide with one or more eyes can grow into a separate plant. After cutting, leave the pieces in a dry location for a few days to allow them to heal. They will form a protective callus over the cut surface, which reduces the risk of infection.
3.Prepare the soil.
Ginger thrives on high-quality, well-draining soil. Mixing garden soil with an equal amount of well-rotted compost should do the trick. If your soil is poor quality or heavy in clay, purchase rich potting soil instead.
4.Choose a location.
Ginger prefers partial shade or areas with morning sun only, away from large roots. The growing location should be sheltered from wind and moist, but not swampy.If the ginger plant has not yet germinated, soil temperatures must be warm — ideally between 71 and 77ºF (22–25ºC).
5.Plant the ginger.
Plant each piece of ginger 2–4 inches (5–10 cm) below loose soil, with the buds pointing upward. If planting in rows, keep each piece 8 inches (20 cm) apart. If planting in pots, plant one piece per large pot (14 in./35 cm diameter).
*Ginger grows slowly, especially outside of the tropics. A sprout might appear within a few days if you're lucky, but continue to water for at least a couple weeks before giving up on the plant.
*Fertilization is not required if the ginger is in rich soil, especially if you've mixed in compost. Have the soil tested first and fertilize accordingly. If soil is poor or you'd like to improve yield, fertilize with a small amount of complete liquid fertilizer each month.
