Home Grown Ginger

Historically, ginger has a long tradition of being very effective in alleviating symptoms of gastrointestinal distress. In herbal medicine, ginger is regarded as being excellent at promoting the elimination of intestinal gas and relaxing and soothing the intestinal tract. Modern scientific research has revealed that ginger possesses numerous therapeutic properties including antioxidant effects, an ability to inhibit the formation of inflammatory compounds, and direct anti-inflammatory effects. Considering these amazing health benefits it is probably a great idea to have as much of this plant readily available as possible.
Being one of the most powerful and beneficial root plants available, what if you could have an endless supply grown right at home? Ginger can be expensive to purchase, and that’s why growing at home is highly recommended. Not only that, but growing your own ginger ensures that there are no pesticides or other harmful ingredients. Read on to see how to grow ginger in pots and get a truly endless supply.

STEP 1: SOAK THE GINGER

Most ginger roots that are sold in stores are coated with a growth inhibitor which prevent them from sprouting. To get rid of that, simply soak your ginger root in water for 24 hours.

STEP 2: LOOK FOR GROWTH BUDS

     

After having soaked them for 24 hours, take them out of the water and look for growth buds. The sprout will grow on the indentation of the surface of the root. If you ginger doesn’t have any buds, simply leave it near a windowsill until buds start sprouting. This may take a few days.

STEP 3: CHOOSE A POT OR CONTAINER

Ginger roots grow horizontally, so we suggest a wide container. Make sure the container is more wide than deep, and has good drainage. Now, fill that pot or container with good draining rich potting soil.

STEP 4: PLANT YOUR GINGER
  
Select some pieces of your ginger root that have “eyes” on them. Place the piece of ginger with the “eyes” facing up into the soil. Now cover it with an inch of soil.

STEP 5: CARE
In order for your ginger plant to grow, place the container in indirect sunlight. This is why ginger is perfect to grow indoors because it does not like wind or direct sun. Water regularly, making sure soil is always damp but never soggy.

STEP 6: HARVEST
  

Have some patience because it will take about 8 months for your ginger plant to fully grow, but you can still harvest the ginger rhizomes after about 3 months. At this point, you can separate the rhizomes by pulling off a section of the plant. You can also transplant easily by following the same steps as above.

Now you can enjoy the vast health benefits of fresh ginger by adding it to meals. Try shredding and adding to salads or making a fresh ginger juice and add it to tea or to a smoothie. Put this simple gardening hack into practice and share results in the comments section below.

http://bit.ly/ging-r