Ginger Update!

 

Turmeric

 Ginger

I wrote last season about my success with growing culinary ginger. I was so happy with the outcome (pickled sushi ginger anyone?), that I also ordered organic turmeric rhizomes this year and started some of those plants. Both turmeric and ginger are in the same family, the Zingiberaceae.  

We had a very hot and dry July and I was watering often- the gingers do like their water.  Then we had a hot and wet August and the plants really shot up.  Stay tuned for the outcome, I hope to have ginger and turmeric to share with friends!  By the way, I order my fresh ginger and turmeric roots from Hawaiian sources in February and start them in my sunroom as soon as they arrive (next year I want to try another ginger: galangal!).

A few informational resources on growing your own ginger in Virginia:

http://www.laughingduckgardens.com/2013/04/03/growing-ginger-in-virginia/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gko7DlV_mm0

Ginger and Turmeric Update

 

Maybe I did start my ginger and turmeric a bit too early (mid-January)? The photo shows the size of the plants on March 5!  They have outgrown their dome cover. I am keeping them on a heat mat to provide local heat in my sometimes chilly sun room..fingers crossed! Target date to plant out is June 1. By the way, the ginger has the thinner leaves, the turmeric leaves are more rounded.