Zingiber officinale is the kind of ginger we find in the grocery stores. Ginger is a perennial that will thrive for many years, as the rhizome continues to spread. A relatively pest-free and low maintenance crop, growing ginger in Florida is an easy task for the beginning gardener.
Benefits of consuming ginger
Ginger is a versatile herb, with a variety of medicinal and culinary uses. Need an immune boost? Ginger is a great addition to any juice or soup. Digestive issues? Add ginger to just about anything to alleviate discomfort.
Growing ginger in Florida
| Ginger | Zingiber officinale |
| Season (FL) | Spring to Fall |
| Soil type | Rich with organic matter |
| Light | Shade |
| Water | Frequent, not flooded |
| Mature plant size | 18-30” tall; rhizomes spread horizontally |
| Harvest in | 8-10 months |
Ginger grows best in warm and humid climates, which makes it an easy Florida crop most months of the year. In winter it will simply die back while the rhizomes remain dormant in the warm soil.
Ginger does not appreciate cold or freezing temperatures, so if your growing space is susceptible to cold for extended periods of time, container growing is highly recommended.
Ginger prefers soil rich with organic matter, so be sure to compost and use your leaf litter wisely.
Got tree problems? Ginger grows well in shade, unlike many edibles.
When to plant ginger in Florida
Ginger should be planted in March as the soil is warming up and risk of freezing temperatures has passed. Further south ginger can be planted as early as February.
When to harvest ginger in Florida
For best results ginger should grow for 8 to 10 months before harvest. However, the rhizome (the root, or the edible part) is continually growing. Thus my recommendation is to harvest continually, according to your culinary and medicinal needs.
What you’ll need to grow ginger
Rhizomes (or a piece of ginger)
Ginger grows from its own rhizomes rather than from seeds. All of my garden ginger in fact came from a store-bought rhizome that started sprouting in my kitchen. This is fun to see, and even more fun to see how much they LOVE being in the dirt, as the shoots grow exponentially in the days and weeks after planting.
Tips on grocery store ginger
- Your ginger from the grocery store should come from the organic section for best results.
- Look for ‘eyes’ or whitish bumps on the rhizomes when buying
- When left in your kitchen produce bowl, your store-bought ginger will probably will start growing (this is how all mine started)
- A shady patch of fertile soil or a container of your choosing, filled with rich organic soil
How to plant ginger
When you’ve picked your shady spot full of rich organic soil, simply break apart the ‘fingers’ and press them down into the soil.
Propagating your ginger plant
As I mentioned, very beginner friendly. Simply break off a few ‘fingers’ of your ginger root, and place them a few inches apart in the soil. No need to bury them more than an inch or so.
Growing ginger in containers
Ginger does very well in containers as well as in the shade, which makes it an excellent and ongoing crop for balcony dwellers. Also, it looks neat!
Simply break off a few ‘fingers’ and place them in the soil, less than an inch deep. I find that just sticking it in the dirt, it’s so happy you’ll see the pointed shoots emerging in just a few days.
Caring for your ginger plants
Luckily for the gardener, ginger hardly needs caring for. They’re low maintenance and relatively unattractive to pests. A word of caution on soil moisture – if they stay too wet for too long, mildew and rotting could occur.
How long from planting to harvest?
Ginger takes 8 to 10 months to mature, however the rhizome will continue to grow and ginger can be harvested at any time.
If you’ve followed the suggestion to plant in February or March, ideal harvest time would be in the fall.
How to know when to harvest ginger
Your ginger spikes will produce flowers to alert you that it’s harvest time.
Suggested recipes for ginger
A great and versatile addition to just about anything:
- Juice into anything including a zesty salad dressing
- Chop or grate and add to soups (leaves included)
- Soothing herbal tea
- Pickled or dehydrated
Sources