Ginger (Zingiber officinale) and turmeric (Curcuma longa) have long been utilised for their health benefits, especially in Asia. They can be used in food preparation, as teas, or as supplements. Some of the benefits include aiding digestion, reducing inflammation, reducing inflammation, pain relief, for joint and heart health. Both are known for being powerful anti-inflammatories, and for their ability to reduce oxidative stress.
Aside from their impressive array of health benefits, ginger and turmeric are beautiful plants that can be easily grown, even if you live outside their preferred growing range. Ginger and turmeric can be grown in garden beds as annuals, in pots or containers or even inside if they can receive enough sun.
Read on to learn some of the ways you can cultivate these powerful plants yourself!
Key Takeaways
What Are Ginger And Turmeric?
Ginger and turmeric are part of the Zingiberaceae family and are perennials, though often grown as annuals. Coming from the tropics, they prefer a warm and humid environment and grow in partial shade, naturally being understory plants.
They are grown for their roots, known as rhizomes, which can either be used fresh or dried and ground into powder. Both are especially popular in South Asian cuisines and have a long history with Ayurveda, (traditional Indian Medicine.) Whilst primarily grown as medicinal and culinary plants, they both are incredibly beautiful and lush and produce mesmerizing flowers.
Turmeric contains curcumin, which is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Ginger contains gingerol, which is known to reduce nausea and problems with digestion.
Growing Conditions
Growing your own ginger and turmeric can help lessen your reliance on shop-bought products, which are often shipped long distances.
It can also ensure that your produce is organic, making sure that you reap the numerous health benefits.
Ginger grows best with an average temperature of 70–85°F (21–29°C) and takes 8-10 months to fully mature, but can be partially harvested after 4 months.
If you live in USDA zones 8 or higher, you can easily grow ginger and turmeric in the ground. If you live further north, fret not, you can still grow these powerful plants yourself, with a little bit of extra care!
Both ginger and turmeric grow best in loose, well-drained soil.
The richer the soil the better, but turmeric has some tolerance for poor soil. In fact, I put some homemade compost on some new garden beds I was starting that had very poor soil and turmeric sprouted from the compost! It's the large green lead with the red line in the middle. it sprouted right through a patch of lemon thyme!
How To Plant Ginger and Turmeric
First, select organic roots as non-organic ones may be sprayed with chemicals that stop them from sprouting. Make sure each rhizome has ‘eyes,’ which are the knobbly points where the shoots will emerge from. Bigger pieces can be broken into smaller ones and separated. They can be planted in late winter or early spring when temperatures are warming up. Indoors or in a greenhouse with stable conditions they can be planted year round.
For container growth, make sure you have a big container, ideally 12 inches deep, with good drainage to prevent rot. The rhizomes should be planted about 1-2 inches deep, with the eyes facing upwards.
Maintenance
Growing Ginger And Turmeric in Temperate ClimatesGinger and turmeric like consistent moisture, so try and keep the soil moist, but not wet. If your climate is dry, or you are growing inside, consider misting the plants.
In the warmer months, increasing the watering, whilst reducing it when the cold weather and dormancy period sets in.
Feed with organic compost, or homemade plant amendments, to increase plant growth and health. Mulch with whatever organic matter you have, such as grass clippings or other plants you’ve pruned, wood chips, straw etc.
Both are relatively simple to grow, provided the soil is loose enough and provides adequate drainage.
Protect plants from extremes of heat, sun and cold.
Growing Ginger And Turmeric in Temperate Climates
If you live outside of the tropics or subtropics in a cool temperate zone, ginger and turmeric can be grown in pots or containers and protected before the frosts arrive. You can place them inside a greenhouse if you have one. If you don’t have a greenhouse you can bring them inside during the colder weather and place them close to a bright window where they’ll receive adequate sunlight.
Naturally ginger and turmeric are both understory plants in their native ranges. However, the further you are from the equator the more light they may need. Similarly, in hot desert climates, they’ll appreciate even more shade. Take feedback from your plants themselves to see how happy they are, they will let you know!
Harvest Time!
Ginger will be ready in 8-10 months. Telltale signs that your ginger is ready to harvest will be the yellowing and dying back of the leaves. Turmeric will typically take 10-12 months and will show similar signs when ready. When it’s time to harvest, carefully dig up the roots with a garden fork or spade. If you leave a portion in the ground or container, it’ll continue growing and give you a harvest next time around!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Ginger and turmeric are powerful medicinal herbs with numerous benefits for both your health, kitchen and garden. Whilst growing these plants will certainly be easier in topical or subtropical environments, gardens in cooler temperate areas can still grow them with a little extra effort and be rewarded with healthy, organic, homegrown food/medicine too!
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