Ginger Plant

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is the culinary rhizome you cook with, grown as a clump of upright reed like stems about 1m tall and 60cm wide. One plant in a warm garden will keep a household in fresh ginger, and the rhizomes you dig yourself are milder and juicier than anything sold in a shop. It is also non toxic to cats and dogs.

Why you'll love it

• You harvest it yourself. Lift a section of rhizome whenever you need it and leave the rest in the ground to keep growing.
• Better than shop bought. Home grown ginger is picked young, so the skin is thin, the flesh is tender and the flavour is brighter and less fibrous.
• Handsome as a foliage plant. Glossy strappy leaves on upright canes give a tropical look in a bed or a large pot, even before you think about eating it.
• Safe around pets. Not toxic to cats or dogs, which matters if the pot is going on a patio the dog uses.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. A wide, shallow pot at least 400mm across suits it better than a deep one, because the rhizomes run sideways near the surface. Pots also make harvest and winter shelter easy.

Borders and edging. Plant 40cm apart along a shaded path or in front of taller tropical foliage for a soft green edge through the warm months.

Feature planting. A clump beside a kitchen door is the practical choice, keeping the harvest within reach of the pan.

Growing ginger in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade with protection from harsh afternoon sun. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, thriving on heat and humidity. It is frost tender, so in cooler areas grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover, or lift the rhizomes before winter.

Soil. Rich, friable and free draining, with plenty of compost worked through. Heavy wet clay rots the rhizomes. Plant with the rhizome just below the surface and mulch lightly over the top.

Water and feed. Water consistently through the growing season from spring to autumn, keeping the soil damp but never waterlogged. Feed with a complete fertiliser every six weeks while it is in active growth. Cut water right back once the foliage yellows.

Harvest and dormancy. The tops die down over winter, which is normal rather than a problem. Harvest from about eight to ten months after shooting, digging around the edge of the clump and taking what you need. Leave a few rhizomes with growth buds in place and it will shoot again in spring.

What to expect when it arrives

Ginger is supplied in 200mm pots, sold in packs of six. Each is an established plant with shoots already up, ready to go straight into a bed or a large container. Six plants will fill a productive bed or several pots.

Because it is deciduous, plants sent in the cooler months may arrive with little or no top growth while the rhizome is dormant. Plant them anyway and they will shoot as the soil warms. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the edible plant range
• Growing a successful fruit and vegetable garden
• Tropical garden plants for warm climates
• Plants that grow well in pots

Common questions

When can I harvest it?

Roughly eight to ten months after the shoots appear, usually late autumn as the foliage starts to yellow. You can steal small pieces earlier for a milder, more tender ginger.

Will it grow in Melbourne or Perth?

It can, but not year round in the open ground. Grow it in a pot through the warm months and shift it somewhere frost free over winter, or lift the rhizomes and store them dry.

Does it flower?

Rarely in cultivation, and the flowers are insignificant when they do appear. This is a plant grown for the rhizome and the foliage, not the bloom.