Growing ginger is one of those “wait… I can do that?!” garden projects. And once you try it, you’re going to want to keep a ginger pot going every year.
It’s not complicated, it doesn’t take a ton of space, and nothing beats snapping off a piece of fresh ginger you grew yourself for cooking, tea, stir fry, or whatever you’ve got going on in the kitchen.
Why Grow Ginger?
- Fresh flavor: homegrown ginger is way more fragrant than store-bought stuff that’s been sitting around.
- Easy indoor plant: ginger loves warmth and does great inside (or in a greenhouse) early on.
- One rhizome turns into many: plant a “hand” of ginger and you can harvest a bunch later.
What You Need to Start
- Ginger rhizome: look for a plump piece with multiple “eyes” (little bumps that sprout).
- Pot/container: wide is better than deep (ginger spreads sideways).
- Good soil: loose, well-draining potting mix (compost mixed in is a bonus).
- Warmth + light: bright light and warm temps help it wake up and grow.
Tip: If your ginger looks super waxy or dried out, grab a different piece. You want something that looks alive.
How to Plant Ginger
- (Optional) Pre-sprout it: set the ginger in a warm spot for a week or two until you see little buds starting.
- Fill your pot: add potting mix and leave a few inches of space at the top.
- Plant shallow: lay the ginger flat with the eyes pointing up. Cover with about 1 inch of soil.
- Water lightly: damp, not soaked. Ginger hates sitting in soggy soil.
- Keep it warm: this is the biggest thing. Warm = growth.
Care + Growing Tips
- Watering: keep soil lightly moist. If the top inch is dry, water.
- Light: bright indirect light is perfect. A sunny window works, or supplemental grow light.
- Feeding: once it’s growing, a light fertilizer/compost tea every couple weeks helps.
- Hilling up: as stems grow and you see rhizomes pushing near the surface, add a little more soil on top.
Pro tip: Ginger grows slow at first. Don’t panic. It’s doing its thing under the soil.
When & How to Harvest
You’ve got two options depending on what you want:
- “Baby” ginger: harvest a small piece once the plant is established (usually after a few months). It’s tender and peels easy.
- Full harvest: when the plant starts yellowing and dying back, it’s telling you the rhizomes are mature and ready.
To harvest, gently dig around the edges and break off what you need. You don’t always have to harvest the whole pot—ginger can keep going if you leave some behind.
Common Problems (and Fixes)
- Nothing’s sprouting: usually not warm enough. Move it somewhere warmer.
- Mushy ginger / bad smell: too wet. Improve drainage and back off watering.
- Leaf tips browning: could be dry air or inconsistent watering. Keep it evenly moist and consider a humidity boost.
Watch the Video
If you want to see it in action (and follow along step-by-step), here you go:
Quick Boxes
Ginger Setup (Keep It Simple)
Wide pot > deep pot. Ginger spreads sideways.
Loose, well-draining mix. Don’t let it stay soggy.
Warm temps = sprouting. Cold temps = slow/no growth.
Moist, not soaked. Ginger hates “wet feet.”
