You can talk about the benefits of this plant for a very long time. To date, there is still no accurate information about the homeland of ginger. The cultivation of this plant was carried out in India and in Southeast Asia. Despite the fact that the crop is small, it has amazing healing properties. That is why more and more people began to engage in the cultivation of ginger at home. Moreover, such a houseplant has an unusual appearance, which allows it to be used for decorative purposes. Today we will tell you about how to grow it in a home environment, as well as share tips on growing ginger in the open ground.
Ginger at home - myth or reality?
If you are thinking about growing ginger, you should know that the conditions for its successful growth and development should be as close as possible to those that exist in its homeland. Therefore, this medicinal plant is permissible to grow in room conditions, since the climate of our country does not allow it to be done in the open ground. Experienced gardeners argue that growing ginger right at home is possible when care is taken and comfortable conditions are created for it. The height of such a houseplant (with proper care) can reach almost a meter. In this case, all parts of the plant will exude a delicate lemon flavor.
In the following sections, we will help to cope with the difficulties that you may encounter in the process of cultivating ginger both at home and in the summer cottage.
Capacity and soil for planting
When choosing a pot, you must remember that the growth of the root system of ginger occurs in width, and therefore, it must be quite spacious and low. The bottom of the pot or container is sprinkled with a three-centimeter layer of drainage - despite the requirement of frequent watering, ginger does not tolerate moisture stagnation.
The drainage layer is covered by a soil mixture consisting of equal parts of leaf humus, sand and turf. Such a mixture can be prepared independently, or purchased ready-made universal soil. The main thing is that the soil is light and loose. Phosphate fertilizers are also introduced into the ground immediately before planting.
What place is suitable for growing ginger?
As mentioned above, ginger is a heat- and moisture-loving plant. Under natural conditions, it grows in conditions of abundant but scattered sunlight, frequent rains and high air temperatures. Therefore, if you want to cultivate ginger at home, give preference to a warmed balcony or loggia, and in the summer it is permissible to transfer the plant to the open terrace.
Since prolonged exposure to sunlight is detrimental to the green part of the plant, it is better to rearrange the pot in a shaded place at noon. Or hang a window with a thin tulle that protects ginger from aggressive sunlight.
Selection of planting material
In order for the cultivation of ginger to give a positive result, it is important to choose the right material for planting. You can buy it at absolutely any grocery store, the main thing is that the root does not have traces of damage and spoilage. The peel of the ginger root should be smooth and not frostbitten. It is best to choose juicy ginger, however, if it is slightly dried, then this drawback is easily eliminated by soaking in room temperature water. The most important condition for choosing ginger is the presence of shoot buds on it. Because in their absence, growing ginger becomes impossible.
Root preparation and planting
In general, the process of preparing ginger for planting is very similar to growing potatoes - the root is cut into several parts, each of which must have a kidney. Places of cuts are processed with a solution of potassium permanganate or ground activated carbon. Some gardeners do not divide the ginger root, but completely immerse it in water for germination. In any case, immersion in water before planting is mandatory - this will awaken it to germinate. For this, 3-4 hours spent in warm water are enough.
The prepared material is planted in a pot with a substrate to a depth of about 3 centimeters, with the eyes pointing upward. After planting, ginger spills well with water and leaves a dry and warm place. The first sprouts at the same time appear after 1.5-2 weeks.
Care Basics
As soon as the first processes appear in ginger, close attention should be paid to the plant. It is important to comply with the conditions for growing ginger root in order to get not only a beautiful plant, but also a rich harvest. Ginger loves high humidity, warm air temperature and the presence of sunlight. Therefore, it is best to place the pot with the plant on a warm windowsill and provide it with regular watering. To grow ginger at home was successful, it is important to maintain the air temperature not lower than +18 ° . At lower values, the root can go into hibernation mode, and awakening it again can be very difficult. The optimum temperature for growing ginger in a pot is considered to be +25 ° C.
Watering and feeding
It is very important to prevent drying out of the soil in which ginger is grown. But it is also not worth it to overdo it with watering - excess moisture will lead to decay of the roots. Therefore, watering the plant should often and little by little. And for a better distribution of moisture after each watering, the earth needs to be loosened a little. Favorable conditions for the growth of greenery can be created by periodic spraying.
Fertilizing is an essential part of growing and caring for ginger. To ensure the normal growth of the plant, it is required to be fed regularly. At the initial stages of cultivation, organic fertilizers are applied. But at the stage of active plant growth, potassium preparations are required, which contribute to the development of lush and dense greens. Immediately before flowering, ginger is fed with phosphorus fertilizers.
Harvesting and storage
The logical result of growing ginger root is harvesting. To do this, you should stop watering the plant with the onset of autumn - the soil and stems will dry out and this will greatly facilitate digging. A plant ready to be dug up looks first drooping and wilted, and then completely dry. It is very important not only to carefully dig out the roots, but also to try to save for a long time.
Ginger roots are cleaned from the ground, washed well with water, and then sent to a warm and well-ventilated room for easy drying. Store ginger in a cool place (at a temperature of about +4 ° C) with low humidity - ideally if it is a cellar. But in its absence, it is permissible to use the refrigerator chamber, having previously wrapped ginger in parchment. In this condition, it will remain fresh for about a month.
When freezing ginger root, it is worthwhile to understand that this method deprives it of its medicinal properties, leaving only a spicy aroma and a burning taste. Ginger can also be dried, however, before use it will have to be soaked for at least 5 hours, and the taste of such a product will be much brighter and sharper than fresh.
Ginger cultivation in the country
Cultivating ginger in the open air in the conditions of our harsh climate is almost impossible. This is especially true of central Russia. Try to plant this incredibly useful plant can residents of the southern latitudes. But even in this case, the cultivation of ginger in the open field is preferably carried out in greenhouse conditions.
Ginger does not tolerate strong winds and drafts, in addition, midday sun rays are too aggressive on the plant. Since the root system of ginger does not develop in depth, but in width, the pits for planting should not be deeper than ten centimeters. Soil for planting ginger is used the one that for growing it at home - a mixture of humus, sand and turf. Drainage is also required. To do this, there should be two layers in the pit for landing: fine gravel and sand. Only after this the soil is poured into the pit.
Preparation of roots for planting begins in February, when seedlings are planted. In late March, containers with seedlings are gradually transferred to the greenhouse, and only in April can ginger be planted in open ground. The distance between future plants should be at least 15 centimeters.
As is the case with home growing, ginger in the greenhouse requires frequent watering and loosening of the soil. And on especially hot days, the plant is additionally sprayed with water from a sprayer. Every 10 days, fertilizing is applied to the soil: mullein, potash and phosphorus fertilizers, which must be alternated.