Growing Ginger

Hi David.

I am trying to grow some Ginger from a root bought from the Supermarket.
The root had started to sprout green shoots from a single area, so I thought I might give it a go. I did some reading on the internet and there were several different options, but I decided to try and get it to root by suspending it in water until the root was about 2 cm long.
I have taken a small ramakin dish and stuck cocktail sticks into the ginger opposite each other and suspended it over some cold water so the root is about half way under the water, if there are any holes/cracks in the ginger then that is probably the area that should be in the water. Now I think patience is a virtue with this method as I started mine in about November and I have managed to get a small little white root starting to appear which is only about 3 mm long, so I'm guessing this is along process!! I have changed the water and cleaned green algae off the dish regularly and even washed the slimey build up off the root and this seems to have helped. When it is 2cm long I will plant it and keep it indoors until the warmer weather or pop it in my conservatory. I grow Hedychiums (Ginger lillies) but I've always fancied growing a Zingiber and harvesting my own roots. Hope this helps Andrea

hello! i know nothing about growing ginger i must admit, but just picking up on something Andrea has said about changing the water whilst trying to get it to root, you may find that it will root faster if you top it up rather than changing the water. i remeber reeding somewhere that when rooting geranium cuttings, - which i do quite a lot, you should not change the water but top it up as once the roots do start to sprout they release a rooting hormone which helps it root quicker - completely different plant i know, but if you think about it the principle is the same. and since reading this i have tried it and found it far more successful, and a hell of a lot quicker, and also once the plant has fully rooted and ready for potting up i have pored the left over water onto other cuttings that i have put direct into soil and they have also rooted far quicker. just a thought!

and another thing try using rain water, this may also help.

What a great tip, i'll try that and I won't be drawing my pension by the time I get to make my own ginger pickle!!!!!! Out to the water butt first thing I think

Many thanx for the tips, ladies! I might buy several roots and try the various methods. I was looking at hedychiums on e-bay last week, Andrea, because they are sometimes called the Garland Flower. Some of them are stunning to look at, aren't they? Majeeka, you make a very good point there about topping up the water rather than changing it. If you grow hyacinth or crocus bulbs in a bulb vase with water, I suppose, when you think of it, you top up the water rather than change it, don't you? Well. I'm off to buy more ginger roots, now!

Hi again! Well, I got the ginger roots and, when I got home, went out to collect some rainwater. However, my butt was frozen (LOL) so am back indoors in the warmth. Will let you know how I get on.

good luck both of you, would be interesting to see the results of your little experiments!

Isn't it awful when your 'butt' is frozen!!

Dreadful! But it has thawed now, so I'll try again today.

You will have to excuse my sense of humour, best of luck with the ginger, mine is still doing fine, slow but fine. I was told to wait until the root is about 2cm long before planting it in soil.