The goldmine roots…
At the hype of COVID lockdown of 2020, I tried my luck to grow edible plants in our tiny backyard. And it was during these times prices of essentials were at the hype as well.
.And one of those staple vegetable root crops I used in the kitchen is GINGER – the goldmine roots…simply because we love Asian foods (who doesn’t?).
…simply because we love Asian foods (who doesn’t?
).If my memory serves me right, they were priced around $50 a kilo during lockdown but now they are even more expensive, one vegetable (and fruit) market nearby is selling them around $90 a kilo!!!
So I decided to buy the usual ginger rhizomes (ginger roots) from the fresh market and saved a couple (with the eye buds) to try growing these tiny plump looking fingers.
It took me a handful of ginger rhizomes and months and months of wait to see green leaves sprouting the surface of the pot.
HOW TO GROW STORE-BOUGHT GINGER RHIZOMES (ROOTS):
1. Buy the ginger rhizomes (roots) with eye buds (shown in the first photo)
Ginger with eye buds2. Soak the ginger rhizomes in warm water overnight to remove retardant chemicals which reduce shoot growths (you may use a few drops of hydrogen peroxide to help with the stripping and prepping).
3. Plant the rhizomes in a pot or patch allowing enough distance – about 20cm between each other and 3-4cm under the soil.
4. Ginger loves sun, humidity, warm weather, rich and moist soil.
5. Depending on the climate, it could take a month or so to see ginger shoots coming out.
From experience, it took me around 2 months or so of patiently waiting and doubting if my attempt is going to work or not.
if my attempt is going to work or not.
Unlike tropical countries, such as Philippines, where you can literally grow every (tropical) vegetable you want to have all throughout the year…in this side of the world TIMING is vital especially for plants like ginger that mainly flourishes in warm temperature.
, such as Philippines
, where you can literally grow every (tropical) vegetable you want to have all throughout the year…in this side of the world
TIMING is vital especially for plants like ginger that mainly flourishes in warm temperature.Nevertheless, I am all stoked and grateful to start my super teeny weeny ginger garden.. and save money when they are ready for harvesting.
and save money when they are ready for harvesting.
PATIENCE and TIMING make a whole different story…
Ginger in a potAnn
I am a busy mummy of 2 and a wifey to one. I am very careful when it comes to the needs of my family and home. I am particularly lazy to look for things and thoroughly crazy to do everything that’s why I am thankful for organizing. I am a certified meticulous when it comes to anything that involves effort, time, and money at home and beyond our home. In my spare time (if I am lucky), I engrossed myself reading, experimenting in the kitchen, exploring my tiny little garden, learning and saving from DIYs.