Why Getting Your Ginger Root To Sprout Before Planting Works Wonders
Reviewed By COLIN SKELLY
Colin is a Horticulturist and Horticultural Consultant with experience in a range of practical and managerial roles across heritage, commercial and public horticulture. He holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture award and has a particular interest in horticultural ecology and naturalistic planting for habitat and climate resilience.
Not only can you plant sprouted ginger root, but it’s also the very thing that guarantees that ginger root, which is actually a rhizome, will bring forth a new plant.
So yes you can plant sprouted ginger root, and what’s more, I’d actually recommend that you get ginger root to sprout before planting it.
Ginger root, otherwise known as Zingiber officinale, has a hardiness rating of H1A, which is the most frost-tender rating of them all.
Zingiber is a native of India, so even normal winter weather in the UK will kill it.1Zingiber officinale. (n.d.). Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. Retrieved March 16, 2023, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:798372-1
Keep reading to learn how, when and where you can plant sprouted ginger root.
What To Plant In
The dilemma is that the ginger rhizome will grow and grow, and, what’s more, it will develop on the horizontal.
Because of this, you will need a large container, but you may have a hard time lugging it in and out of the house, which you will need to do virtually everywhere in the UK.
We suggest a 28cm, 10L pot as a good compromise.
You can plant ginger root any time of the year, but mid-spring is always preferred.
Ginger root needs soil that is well tilled or cultivated, fertile, loose, and drains very well.
I would personally suggest a mix of 60% potting soil, organic compost, and/or well-rotted manure, and 40% sand.
How To Plant
Firstly, you need to choose a piece of ginger root that has nubs or buds.
Then you’ll need to soak it, roll it up in a damp towel, and keep it in a warm, humid place where it will soon sprout.
Once it has sprouted, make a hole in the soil in the pot you have chosen that is just deep enough to place the rhizome 2-3cm beneath the soil.
The sprout(s) should, of course, be sticking up and out.
Do not expect to plant this rhizome on its vertical axis; it will have to be planted at an angle close to the horizontal.
Where To Place
During the cold season, 15°C and below, keep the pot indoors in a spot where it can get some hours of sun, and if it is humid inside the house, this is even better.
Move the pot outdoors when the temperature is above 15°C.
I tend to keep my potted ginger sprout in a sheltered location and protected from northern exposure during slightly milder temperatures.
Also, be aware that this plant will not thrive in a dry climate.
Ginger will benefit from bright conditions in the UK but be careful of scorching at the height of summer when partial shading may be necessary.
In high summer, keep the pot somewhere it gets more shade and less sun.
Ongoing Care
Ginger does best with frequent but light waterings.
A quick, daily sprinkling of water will work very well for ginger, though you will need to factor in rainfall if the pot is outdoors.
“Ginger is not the sort of plant that you can leave and go on holiday,” shares Colin Skelly, Horticulturist and Consultant.
It derives from a warm, moist climate and you will need to provide this for your ginger plant.
“A drip irrigation system is worth considering if you find it difficult to water regularly.”
Excess water or damp soil can cause the rhizome to start rotting.
Treat this rhizomatous plant to a high-phosphorus fertiliser.
You can use a ready-to-pour liquid every 2-3 months or a controlled-release formulation twice a year.
After the plant has grown and the rhizome has developed, which is usually by the second year, you can scrape away some soil from one side and carve out a small piece of ginger for your kitchen.
If the rhizome has grown large enough and it has nubs or buds, you can cut off a piece and grow another Zingiber officinale from scratch!