Buy wherever it is cheap (possibly Asian markets?), wrap in a damp paper towel, place in a plastic baggie, put somewhere warm (like the top of an aquarium or refridgerator), wait two weeks for sprouts, check every couple to days for mold - if moldy, scrape clean, wash and replace with new paper towel, when sprouts form place on the surface of potting soil in a large pot. Keep inside as a houseplant until mid May (or forever). Either plant outside in rich compost-y ground or leave as a potted plant on the porch. Grows in the shade or part sun. Needs normal amounts of water no feedings. Harvest in late October or throughout the summer if you see lots of roots. Roots have the strongest flavor at 265 days.

Make candied ginger for Christmas presents.

Give some to me!

Wow, I cant wait to try it! Many thanks. Cant wait to see what it looks like. Sionara. ;-)

i can attest they take heaps of abuse and just keep pumping out roots. you'll get alot from a little.

Shannon, right? I was at the Rate and Review Vendor page today and there was a vendor that had a good selection of gingers. I have some I could probably share with you. A friend in LA sent them. I would love to have more.

Carla

Neat idea. Will it ever bloom?

Couple years back I tried 'sunchokes' which I think are just jerusalem artichokes. Hubby didn't care for so I tossed the remainder on the compost. The following year I had 12' tall sunflowers growing and tons of chokes to harvest.

Edible ginger will bloom but it has the boring next to the ground type of flowers that are a washed out yellow brown color. Nothing special. I think I have had mine bloom more than once in a summer. Mostly I started growing it because I have so much shade and wanted something I could eat rather then something that would just look nice. They aren't the showiest of plants, kinda like bamboo, but they're pest free and pretty fool proof.

Mine takes forever it seems to come up but it's cool to harvest in the fall and use over winter. We like slicing it up and simmering for tea when someone has a cold. Kept in the fridge (butter keeper area) it last about all winter. Fresh is so much better and doesn't have as hot a bite as the granulated ginger tea we use to buy in Aisan markets. I always leave a healthy piece in the pot for the next year.

Hi Carla, I'd love some new ginger. Right now I only have one type and it has been in the wrong spot for 2 years. I just moved it yesterday so I hope that it will be happier. Does your ginger take shade? I don't know if I have anything you want. I'll check your member page. I'll be in your area this weekend so maybe we meet/ swap if you are around. Shannon

Thanks John, I have some shady spaces which I think will do well for this ginger.

Carla- check my list this tonight. I hope to be updating it this afternoon. I have some nicotiana seeds if you need those. Shannon

There's another edible ginger that does well in the shade - Zingiber mioga (I'm guessing at the spelling). And there is a beautiful variegated form called 'Dancing Crane'. It shows up at our favorite nurseries from time to time. I have the solid green one which does well and blooms (same boring ground hugging flowers as Zingiber officionale). I planted it in a large pot and sunk the pot in the ground to keep the tree roots away from it and so far so good.

This is the tropical ginger that is most often pickled and served with sushi.

mmmmm- me gotta get some then, 'cause i love that pickled ginger. i didn't realize it was different than the z. officialnalis. heads up if you see it for sale somewhere? pretty please?