And Away We Grow

Ginger-cultivation tutorials say that any old supermarket ginger will do, but I bought my ginger at Garden of Light natural foods in Avon, Connecticut. The organic, GMO-free ginger root there is much fresher and fertile than the supermarket ginger that has traveled all the way from China, Brazil, and Central America. 

Last night, I cut the rhizomes into smallish pieces, and placed them in a bowl of distilled water. Tonight, I’ll pot them up in organic growing mix, and place the pot under a strong grow light. The light is to keep the soil warm. Light is not needed at the germination stage. Experts say that 29 degrees Celsius (85 F) is a perfect temperature for ginger rhizome germination. I won’t be able to get it that warm, so I expect it will take up to a month to come to life.

When it’s warm enough, it will be transplanted either into the earth, or into a much larger, longer pot. Although ginger is a native of the subtropical and tropical regions of the world, a good-hot New England summer should give us some fresh, crunchy ginger to use through winter.

Photo on top is my bowl of ginger rhizomes. Below, a photo of a mature ginger plant I found online.

Thank you, Mother Earth!