Growing Ginger

Zingiber Officinale : Zingiberaceae / the ginger family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec

Not recommended for growing in USA - Zone 5a regions

  • Plant pieces of fresh root showing signs of shoots. Best planted at soil temperatures between 68°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 6 inches apart
  • Harvest in approximately 25 weeks. Reduce water as plant dies back to encourage rhizome growth.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Grow in separate bed

Your comments and tips

29 Mar 21, Boaz (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
Can gingar grow well in coffee plantation planted on a hilly area? Please guide me?
31 Mar 21, (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
Needs full sun and plant in the spring.
06 Mar 21, John s (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I would like to grow ginger in pots in Launceston Tasmania would it grow here in winter maybe indoors or should I grow them outdoors in Summer
14 Mar 21, Louise Samuel (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I have been growing ginger in large pots the last couple of years. I plant once we are safe from frost then keep in a sunny position... somewhere that you don’t forget to water. It is slow to come up but does eventually. I stop watering in Autumn and move pots to the deck if frosts are likely. Harvest in winter as you need it. I take everything out mid winter and store in straw in a polystyrene box. Here in the granite belt we get enough sun but way too cold in winter for Ginger, as would be Tasmania
15 Jun 21, Jane (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
1. I have a couple of flourishing plants that I think are ginger flowers: tall, broad leaves, candle-like reddish flowers. If this is ginger is there an edible part to this plant? Thanks. 2. I have long wondered why, with Gardenate's climate-zones, 'Subtropical" is South of Rockhampton Qld AU and 'Tropical' is around Airlie Qld AU and cuts across to WA AU but thete is no actual zoning North of Rockampton to Mackay. Other garden zoning publishers (viz magazines, media et al.,) also omit the same area. Rather odd if not confusing for any gardeners in that no-zone?
04 Feb 21, Daryn Foxon (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
I would like to start farming ginger. (Gardenate says This site is intended for home gardeners - contact your local agricultural advisor for farming advice)
31 Jan 21, Sonia (USA - Zone 9b climate)
I've bought ginger for 40 plus years of my 60 plus life and each batch gives me 1 or 2 sprouts so last few years I have grown those rhizomes and multiplied. This weekend I harvested about 7 lbs of those babies and many more to go but that will be done around March-April. Going to share some and consume the rest in various forms. Yes I live in zone 9b.
03 Feb 21, (USA - Zone 8a climate)
Local weather conditions come into play, here is only a guide.
29 Jan 21, Tsakani Ellen Shihambi (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
how do i start ginger farming in limpopo province and where do i get seeds for planting and when do i start planting i mean the month. (Gardenate comment: This information is intended for home gardens not farms. Talk to your local agricultural advisor)
23 Jan 21, YT (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
In Western Sydney, galangal is growing well. Does this indicate ginger could also grow well here as this place seems to be in a climate border zone between sub-tropical and temperate?
Showing 111 - 120 of 489 comments

Hi Sara, You can! I grew it for a couple of years in a pot when I lived in Panania (low-on-space-rental) and also the last few years in the Hawkesbury. It grows well in Sydney, we got a bumper crop from just 3 store bought pieces, harvested a year later. We would have gotten even more kgs if I have know it doesn't like direct sun, ours was a little sunburnt. We ended up making about 100 bottles of ginger beer and sharing them around :-) I'm going to plant again this weekend, close to a nice warm fence but out of direct sun. I'm also going to experiment with water loving herbs as a ground cover. I hope this will increase humidity and allow me a second crop for the space. Since ginger is upright, I can plant a companion ground-cover. Maybe strawberries or tarragon? Something that can handle lots of water. Cheers and happy gardening, Michelle

- Michelle

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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