How to Grow Ginger Indoors
Choose a wide, shallow pot., Fill the pot with well-draining soil., Select a healthy, living ginger root., Soak the root overnight., Set the root in the soil with the eye buds facing upwards., Cover the root with soil., Water the root well., Place...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Choose a wide
For a ginger plant, it’s best to use a wide, fairly shallow pot.
That’s because the plant’s roots grow horizontally rather than vertically.A pot that's approximately 12-inches (30-cm) wide and 12-inches (30-cm) deep is usually a good option for ginger.
Make sure that your pot also has good drainage holes so the roots don’t become waterlogged.
You should have a fairly deep saucer to place underneath the pot to catch the water that drains. -
Step 2: shallow pot.
Once you’ve selected your pot, add potting soil to it.
It’s important to choose a soil that drains well so the ginger’s roots remain healthy.Look for a potting soil that contains sand, which provides air space that helps the water drain out more easily.
Perlite and vermiculite also help create air space for better drainage, so you can use soil mixes that contains those ingredients as well.
An all-purpose soil-free mix is also good for ginger plants because it contains a high amount of organic material, such as peat, but also features sand, perlite, vermiculite, or a combination of all three that helps the soil drain effectively. , To grow ginger in a container indoors, you need a living ginger root.
You can purchase one from a garden supply store, nursery, or seed company.
If you have a friend or neighbor with a ginger plant, you can also ask for a root cutting.Make sure that the ginger root that you choose is plump and firm.
Its skin should be tight with several eye buds on it.
Eye buds are similar to the eyes that you’d find on potato. , When you’ve gotten a ginger root, fill a small bowl with warm water.
Place the root in the water, and allow it to soak for at least 8 hours or overnight.Soaking the root helps stimulate germination, which is particularly important if you’re using a store bought root. , After you’ve filled your pot, stick the ginger root in the soil.
Make sure that the root’s eye buds are pointing upwards when you set it in the pot.If you’re planting more than one root in your pot, you should place them at least 6- to 8-inches (15- to 20-cm) apart so they have adequate room to grow. , When the root is in the pot, place 1- to 2-inches (2.5- to 5-cm) of soil over it.
The entire root should be covered by the soil., You want to ensure that the root has sufficient water to grow.
Fill a watering can with water and add enough water to the soil to thoroughly wet it.
While you want the soil to be watered well, you don’t want to oversaturate it.
Make sure that all of the water is fully absorbed so there aren’t any puddles on the surface., To grow a healthy ginger plant, you want to keep the pot in a warm area of your home.
However, choose a location that doesn’t receive a great deal of direct sunlight because sun exposure can turn the ginger green.The ideal temperature for the area where you keep the ginger plant is 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 32 degrees Celsius).
Make sure that temperature is maintained even overnight. , It’s important not to overwater the ginger as it grows, but its soil needs to remain moist.
Fill a spray bottle with water, and lightly mist the soil daily.If you prefer, you can lightly water the soil with a watering can twice a week instead of misting it daily. , To ensure that the roots are kept warm and protect the plant from sun exposure, you should mix some rich compost into the pot regularly.
Sprinkle 3- to 4-inches (8- to 10-cm) over the top of the soil once a month.You can purchase compost from your local garden supply center or home improvement store.
Look for compost that's identified as multipurpose or potting compost.
Those are typically the best options for potted plants. , When a ginger plant doesn't receive the proper amount of water and sunlight, it will show signs that it isn't healthy.
Pay attention to the color and texture of the plant's leaves, so you can correct issues as soon as they occur.If the plant's leaves become yellow, it's usually a sign that you're overwatering it or the soil isn't draining properly.
Cut back on how often you water the plant and check the pot's drainage holes to ensure that they're not blocked.
If the leaves begin to look dry or scorched, it usually indicates that the plant is receiving too much direct sunlight.
Move the plant to an area where it doesn't receive direct sunlight and prune away the affected leaves.
If the leaves develop brown tips, it's usually a sign that you're applying too much compost or fertilizer.
Only apply compost once a month. , Ginger grows fairly slowly compared to other herbs.
Two to three weeks after planting, you should start to see shoots coming up through the soil, but it won’t be ready for harvesting until three to four months after the shoots emerge.You can usually tell that the ginger is ready to harvest when the stems above the soil are approximately 3- to 5-inches (8- to 13-cm) tall. , When you’re ready to harvest, use your fingers to push some of the soil aside at the edge of the pot.
Find a ginger rhizome, which is the underground part of the root that grows continuously, and use a small knife to cut off a piece of the ginger., After you’ve finished cutting off some of the ginger, replace the rhizomes in the soil.
Make sure that they’re fully covered with soil so they’ll continue to grow.Continue misting the soil with water daily and adding compost to the pot monthly to keep the plant growing. -
Step 3: Fill the pot with well-draining soil.
-
Step 4: Select a healthy
-
Step 5: living ginger root.
-
Step 6: Soak the root overnight.
-
Step 7: Set the root in the soil with the eye buds facing upwards.
-
Step 8: Cover the root with soil.
-
Step 9: Water the root well.
-
Step 10: Place the pot in a warm area without direct sunlight.
-
Step 11: Mist the soil with water to keep it moist.
-
Step 12: Add rich compost monthly.
-
Step 13: Keep an eye out for signs that your ginger plant is in trouble.
-
Step 14: Wait until the plant has been growing for several months.
-
Step 15: Push the soil aside to find some ginger rhizomes and cut some off.
-
Step 16: Recover the rhizomes with soil.
Detailed Guide
For a ginger plant, it’s best to use a wide, fairly shallow pot.
That’s because the plant’s roots grow horizontally rather than vertically.A pot that's approximately 12-inches (30-cm) wide and 12-inches (30-cm) deep is usually a good option for ginger.
Make sure that your pot also has good drainage holes so the roots don’t become waterlogged.
You should have a fairly deep saucer to place underneath the pot to catch the water that drains.
Once you’ve selected your pot, add potting soil to it.
It’s important to choose a soil that drains well so the ginger’s roots remain healthy.Look for a potting soil that contains sand, which provides air space that helps the water drain out more easily.
Perlite and vermiculite also help create air space for better drainage, so you can use soil mixes that contains those ingredients as well.
An all-purpose soil-free mix is also good for ginger plants because it contains a high amount of organic material, such as peat, but also features sand, perlite, vermiculite, or a combination of all three that helps the soil drain effectively. , To grow ginger in a container indoors, you need a living ginger root.
You can purchase one from a garden supply store, nursery, or seed company.
If you have a friend or neighbor with a ginger plant, you can also ask for a root cutting.Make sure that the ginger root that you choose is plump and firm.
Its skin should be tight with several eye buds on it.
Eye buds are similar to the eyes that you’d find on potato. , When you’ve gotten a ginger root, fill a small bowl with warm water.
Place the root in the water, and allow it to soak for at least 8 hours or overnight.Soaking the root helps stimulate germination, which is particularly important if you’re using a store bought root. , After you’ve filled your pot, stick the ginger root in the soil.
Make sure that the root’s eye buds are pointing upwards when you set it in the pot.If you’re planting more than one root in your pot, you should place them at least 6- to 8-inches (15- to 20-cm) apart so they have adequate room to grow. , When the root is in the pot, place 1- to 2-inches (2.5- to 5-cm) of soil over it.
The entire root should be covered by the soil., You want to ensure that the root has sufficient water to grow.
Fill a watering can with water and add enough water to the soil to thoroughly wet it.
While you want the soil to be watered well, you don’t want to oversaturate it.
Make sure that all of the water is fully absorbed so there aren’t any puddles on the surface., To grow a healthy ginger plant, you want to keep the pot in a warm area of your home.
However, choose a location that doesn’t receive a great deal of direct sunlight because sun exposure can turn the ginger green.The ideal temperature for the area where you keep the ginger plant is 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 32 degrees Celsius).
Make sure that temperature is maintained even overnight. , It’s important not to overwater the ginger as it grows, but its soil needs to remain moist.
Fill a spray bottle with water, and lightly mist the soil daily.If you prefer, you can lightly water the soil with a watering can twice a week instead of misting it daily. , To ensure that the roots are kept warm and protect the plant from sun exposure, you should mix some rich compost into the pot regularly.
Sprinkle 3- to 4-inches (8- to 10-cm) over the top of the soil once a month.You can purchase compost from your local garden supply center or home improvement store.
Look for compost that's identified as multipurpose or potting compost.
Those are typically the best options for potted plants. , When a ginger plant doesn't receive the proper amount of water and sunlight, it will show signs that it isn't healthy.
Pay attention to the color and texture of the plant's leaves, so you can correct issues as soon as they occur.If the plant's leaves become yellow, it's usually a sign that you're overwatering it or the soil isn't draining properly.
Cut back on how often you water the plant and check the pot's drainage holes to ensure that they're not blocked.
If the leaves begin to look dry or scorched, it usually indicates that the plant is receiving too much direct sunlight.
Move the plant to an area where it doesn't receive direct sunlight and prune away the affected leaves.
If the leaves develop brown tips, it's usually a sign that you're applying too much compost or fertilizer.
Only apply compost once a month. , Ginger grows fairly slowly compared to other herbs.
Two to three weeks after planting, you should start to see shoots coming up through the soil, but it won’t be ready for harvesting until three to four months after the shoots emerge.You can usually tell that the ginger is ready to harvest when the stems above the soil are approximately 3- to 5-inches (8- to 13-cm) tall. , When you’re ready to harvest, use your fingers to push some of the soil aside at the edge of the pot.
Find a ginger rhizome, which is the underground part of the root that grows continuously, and use a small knife to cut off a piece of the ginger., After you’ve finished cutting off some of the ginger, replace the rhizomes in the soil.
Make sure that they’re fully covered with soil so they’ll continue to grow.Continue misting the soil with water daily and adding compost to the pot monthly to keep the plant growing.
About the Author
Diane Howard
Committed to making home improvement accessible and understandable for everyone.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: