The Zesty Ginger Guide—All You Need to Know About Growing, Harvesting, Cooking, and Eating Delicious Ginger

By Bill Dugan, Executive Editor

In this month’s Food Gardening Magazine, you get everything you need to know about growing ginger root at home—so you always have that fresh, zesty taste on hand! You can pickle it, powder it, candy it, even simmer it for an invigorating cup of tea! Follow our tips on ginger plant care and prepare for a delicious harvest!

Get all the tips, techniques, and advice about how to start growing ginger with confidence and develop the skills you need for knowing when to harvest ginger for optimal taste and satisfaction. We cover the best approaches for growing ginger root indoors or out, depending on where you garden.

Plus, you get specific advice about growing ginger in the garden, growing ginger indoors, and how to harvest ginger to get the most out of your developing ginger rhizomes. We’ll discuss the best ginger to plant depending on your gardening situation, and you get tips for propagating ginger from cuttings. You may never buy ginger in a store again!

This gardening guide about ginger is your #1 guide for being the best ginger gardener you can be! You should refer to this gardening guide whenever you have questions about your ginger garden—from planning to planting and from maintaining and nurturing to harvesting and reaping the rewards in your kitchen.

First, you get a complete Introduction to Ginger—including the history and background of this aromatic rhizome (not really a root, but the name stuck). Learn how easy it can be to grow your own ginger—under the right conditions. And find out why not all things named “ginger” will fit the bill when it comes to cooking—some “ginger” plants are toxic! Get the history of ginger’s healing power that reaches back thousands of years. Plus, the techniques early traders used to preserve their ginger as they traveled.

Then, you get Feature Articles about Ginger that include:

Types of Ginger Plants—get an overview of the ginger plant; how easy it can be to grow; why patience is a real virtue when it comes to growing ginger; and the difference between new ginger and mature ginger when it comes to cooking.
Classifications of Ginger Plants— learn about culinary ginger plants (our focus), ornamental ginger plants, and wild ginger plants. Plus, how to make the decision about which to plant or pick (or not).
Choosing to Grow from “Seed Ginger” or Seedlings—starting your ginger crop can be as easy as a trip to your local garden center—or to the supermarket. Learn how to prepare your ginger for planting.
Growing Ginger in Open Land, in Containers, or in Raised Beds—everything you need to know about growing your ginger in a garden bed, in raised beds, in pots or planters. Pick the approach that works best for you and your garden situation.
Starting with the Right Soil for Your Ginger Plants—get specific advice about the best soil for growing your ginger, and when it’s best to move your plants outside. Plan ahead now for the space your ginger will need to grow. And find out which plants get along with ginger—and which don’t.
The Right Sunlight for Your Ginger—ensure that your ginger plants get just the right amount of sunlight with this advice. Even though they’re tropical plants, you should avoid exposing your ginger plants to too much sunlight! Find out how in this article.
Should You Fertilize Your Ginger Plants?—if and when you should fertilize your ginger plants, fully explained. Plus, get the specifics on fertilizer to help your ginger thrive.
How—and When—to Water Your Ginger Plants—here are the best methods for ensuring your ginger gets just the right amount of water, including humidity. Plus, find out when it’s perfectly fine to cut back on watering.
How to Spot, Treat, and Prevent Ginger Diseases—this is your guide to ensuring that your ginger plants don’t suffer from common plant diseases. Prevent diseases in the first place—plus, best tips for treating any affected ginger plants.
What to Do About Pests that Can Harm Your Ginger Plants—learn about pests that like to make a meal of your ginger plant’s leaves, and environmentally-friendly, high-impact approaches to getting rid of those pests!
The Right Way to Weed Your Ginger Garden—lucky for you, weeds aren’t a big problem with ginger. Find out the best strategies to keep it that way.
Bringing in the Ginger Harvest—learn the finer points of harvesting ginger (some of it early!) keeping your harvest on hand for months, and preparing for next year’s growth.
Storing and Preserving Your Ginger—you have a lot of options when it comes to storing your ginger. Find out which one best suits your cooking needs.
Essential Tools and Equipment for Growing Ginger—get the full list of essential gardening tools and equipment for growing, preparing, and cooking with ginger … and for almost all of your gardening needs.

Next, this premium gardening guide highlights four popular ginger varieties to help you choose the varieties you want to grow—this is just a sampling of the many varieties available:

And all your ginger-gardening efforts are made more satisfying when you have quick and easy-to-make recipes, to ensure your harvest is enjoyed by everyone you serve at your home. Food Gardening Network is all about providing delicious recipes for making yummy dishes. Try these recipes and enjoy your ginger harvest:

Next, you’ll learn all about the health benefits of ginger with Nutrition Facts about Ginger and Home Remedies & Health Benefits of Ginger. Learn about all the wonderful and beneficial attributes of ginger—and how you can use ginger to boost your overall health.

And to be sure you have everything you need to grow your own ginger, we’ve included a Resources about Ginger section—so that you can easily find additional tools and information about ginger.

Finally, our Ginger Glossary section gives you the explanation of key ginger-gardening terms and concepts—so, you’re never in the dark or confused about important ginger-gardening ideas.

Check out this premium gardening guide now—The Zesty Ginger Guide—All You Need to Know About Growing, Harvesting, Cooking, and Eating Delicious Ginger—and you’ll really learn everything you need to know about ginger!

Laura Logan, Norann Oleson, Victoria Arnold, and Samantha Pulcherz contributed to the creation of this gardening guide.

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