Growing Ginger Indoors -- Step by Step with Pictures -- Organic Fresh Ginger Root

Ginger root is easy to grow indoors and supplies you with fresh, aromatic ginger year round. 

It is a fine looking houseplant with long green shoots and interesting flowers.

If you want to grow ginger, acquire a healthy and plump root from the grocery store to start. 

Ignore shriveled or moldy looking roots and look for the firm ones with little white or green buds on them. These buds are the future shoots.

Often times, ginger is sprayed with a growth inhibitor so that the roots don't sprout during shipping or in the store. 

If this is the case with your root, the buds will unlikely appear until you wash the root well and let it sit in a cool, dry place to grow buds.

After buds have formed, cut the root into a few 1 to 2-inch size pieces and let the cut ends dry out for a few days. 

If you plant the ginger before the ends dry, the root with rot. Make sure there is a least one bud on each root piece.

Use a pot that is at least 6 inches deep. 

Ginger likes moist soil that is rich in organic matter and nutrients. I use cactus soil because it drains well and mix it with steer manure and a little organic fertilizer. The manure holds moisture well and feeds the ginger. 

I've used regular potting soil before but my plants kept dying from root rot. Enriched cactus soil has been the best.

Fill your pot part of the way with soil, set in the ginger cutlets with the bud pointing upwards and cover with an inch or so of soil. 

Soak well and mulch with bark or sand if you prefer. Mulch keeps the soil from drying out too quickly and the ginger plants seem to really like it.

Within a week or two you should see little sprouts poking their way up. It grows very fast in the summer and slows down a little in winter if you live in a colder climate.

You can keep your ginger in direct sun or partial shade though it will seek out as much sun as possible.

Ginger can get up to six feet tall and will flower indoors. After 6-10 months of growth, the leaves will start to turn yellow and you can harvest your roots at their peak size.

Save a cutlet or two so you can keep planting ginger. If you want a continuous supply, start a new pot every few months to keep the ginger flowing!