Ginger

Zingiber officinale

A rhizome. A stem that grows sideways at or just below the soil, with nodes that make shoots above and roots below.

Whole

Cut open

Store	Rhizome. Grows horizontally and is segmented, with a shoot at the growing tip.
Depth	2-5 cm to the base of the rhizome
Spacing	20-30 cm apart
When	Needs a long warm season: start indoors early. Start indoors: 10 weeks to 6 weeks before your last spring frost. Plant out: 2 weeks to 4 weeks after your last spring frost. Work out your dates.
Pets	Not on the ASPCA list: treat as unsafe to chew

About Ginger

The ginger from the greengrocer is a rhizome. Grow in a warm spot; most gardeners start it indoors.

Depth and spacing

Typical range: 2-5 cm deep and 20-30 cm apart. A general rule is to plant at two to three times the height of the rhizome; check the label for your variety. The drawing is to scale for 3.5 cm deep and 25 cm apart (the size of the organ is illustrative); try your own measurements.

When to plant

Needs a long warm season: start indoors early. Start indoors: 10 weeks to 6 weeks before your last spring frost. Plant out: 2 weeks to 4 weeks after your last spring frost. These are rules of thumb for the northern hemisphere. Enter your frost dates for real dates.

Dividing and propagating

Cut a plump rhizome with growth buds into pieces with at least one bud each, and let the cuts dry for a day or so before planting.

Lifting and storing

Harvest when the stems yellow and die; keep some rhizomes cool and dry-ish for replanting.

Not on the ASPCA list

The ASPCA plant list has no entry we could match to this plant, so we cannot say it is safe. Keep pets from chewing it and digging up the rhizome, and ask your vet if in doubt. Search the ASPCA list.