Ginger and Turmeric Growing Guide Nisani Farm|434-542-4613|nisanifarm.com

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Planting & Growing Turmeric and Ginger

Fall Planting: Repot plant to a larger pot if roots are showing through bottom of current pot. Store bought potting soil or compost are best. Water when soil feels dry. Do not allow pot to freeze. Plant will begin to die back in November. It should enter full dormancy in December.

Spring Planting: Plant each seedling in a large pot (5 gallons) or in the ground in soil that is amended with as much organic matter as possible. If planting in a pot (recommended), use compost or organic potting mix. Keep moist, but not waterlogged. Ginger and turmeric prefer part-shade when grown outdoors in warm climates. In cooler climates, grow ginger and turmeric in full sun in the ground or in containers. Fertilize once a month with additional compost or other organic fertilizer. Cover rhizomes when they begin to show above the sur-face of the soil.

To plant in the ground, dig a hole 12 inches deep and 12 inches wide and add compost to the the hole. Then mix compost with soil from the hole so that a shallow depression re-mains in the hole. Place one plant into the hole so that the soil-compost mix covers the roots and rhizome. It is ok to cover the bottom portion of the stem. Water the plant but do not keep the soil waterlogged. As the plant grows, add more compost to the hole so that the growing rhizomes are always covered with soil. Multiple plants should be set in trenches set about 24 to 36 inches apart to allow space for hilling. Apply compost to the trench and mix with soil at the bottom of the trench. Space plants in the trench about 10 inches apart or further. As plants grow, hill with compost to provide additional nutrients and to cover ex-panding rhizomes.

Turmeric and ginger will naturally enter a dormancy period in the winter months. During this period, leaves will turn yellow and die. The rhizomes that remain covered with soil will continue to live. Although the dormant rhizomes can survive dry conditions during dorman-cy, periodic watering (once a month) is recommended if the soil is bone dry.

Rhizomes will continue to expand until the temperatures drop into the low 50s. After that, they will hold in the soil until they are killed by frost. Plants grown in pots can be moved in-doors before the first frost.

Harvest by digging up the plant, being careful not to break rhizomes. Wash plant by hosing off soil outdoors. A vegetable brush helps to loosen clinging soil. Use scissors to trim roots and stems. If you want to continue to grow your turmeric or ginger the following year, do not harvest entire plant, instead, break or cut off a portion of the plant for use. Leave one or two stems so that the plant can regrow the following year.

Storage

Rhizomes can be stored for cooking and teas without curing by washing rhizomes and plac-ing in a storage bag in the freezer. It is not necessary to thaw frozen rhizomes - they may be grated for teas and recipes while still frozen and placed immediately back into the freezer when done. If you want a brown skin to form on the rhizomes for planting in spring, they must be left to overwinter in soil or they will dry out. In freezing climates, this is best done in a pot kept inside.