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Culinary ginger

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Marilyn

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Culinary ginger
« on: September 10, 2012, 10:07:02 AM »
Does anyone grow Zingiber officinale, the culinary ginger, in a mediterranean climate? Its natural habitat is more tropical, but as we are able to get Hedychiums going (with a bit of soil, shade, water and luck), I wondered if the edible ginger might be worth a pop. On a related note, Hedychium roots smell wonderful, are they edible also?
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I work in hotel and private gardens, promoting sustainable landscape management in the mediterranean climate through the use of diverse, beautiful and appropriate plants. At home, I garden on two balconies containing mostly succulents.
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oron peri

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Re: Culinary ginger
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2012, 05:56:45 PM »
Marilyn
We do grow it down here in hot, protected areas in partial shade, preferably in sandy soil.
Leaves are scented as well if you tuch them, but they dont  flower here.
It is usually decidiuous and recovers in late spring.
You can plant the Ginger rhizomes that you buy at the Supermarkets.
« Last Edit: September 10, 2012, 06:13:17 PM by oron peri »
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Garden Designer, Bulb man, Botanical tours guide.
Living and gardening in Tivon, Lower Galilee region, North Israel.
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Alice

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Re: Culinary ginger
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2012, 07:10:25 PM »
How interesting. I was about to ask the same question, Marilyn!
I did plant a supermarket ginger rhizome a year or two ago but nothing came of it. Perhaps it dried out or was planted at the wrong time of year. Is spring the correct time to plant it?
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Amateur gardener who has gardened in north London and now gardens part of the year on the Cycladic island of Paros. Conditions: coastal, windy, annual rainfall 350mm, temp 0-35 degrees C.
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Marilyn

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Re: Culinary ginger
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2012, 11:10:39 AM »
Thanks for the replies, only just seen this. Good to know that you can use the supermarket tubers! I will certainly give them a go. Alice, going on what Oron says about the plants recovering in spring, I would say that is probably the safer time to try them. My Hedychiums get going in around Feb-March. It might work to plant them now, let them grow for a couple of months and then go to ground in the winter, but I don't know if this would be a bit of a waste of energy for the plant, coaxing it into growth just as it should be winding down? Perhaps one could even keep them going through the winter on a windowsill indoors.
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I work in hotel and private gardens, promoting sustainable landscape management in the mediterranean climate through the use of diverse, beautiful and appropriate plants. At home, I garden on two balconies containing mostly succulents.
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yvesans

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Re: Culinary ginger
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2013, 02:50:04 PM »
I have been growing in Cyprus for a couple of years with moderate success, just harvested this years crop, not huge but very fragrant. A nice plant to grow in semi shade but need very regular watering.
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Active gardener all year round in Cyprus, nature always wins!
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JTh

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Re: Culinary ginger
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2013, 04:48:29 PM »
I have been growing this in i pot on my kitchen window sill in Norway. It has not been the most impressive indoor plant I have ever grown, but has not been a problem to keep it alive over the  winter.
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yvesans

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Re: Culinary ginger
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2013, 08:19:35 AM »
Just harvested my second pot and quite a good result, 5 medium size tubers. I am sure they would do better in the ground but I dont really have a spot for them.
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Active gardener all year round in Cyprus, nature always wins!
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