These step-by-step instructions show you how to grow ginger root from the grocery store. By propagating the root you can grow a new plant that will also produce more ginger rhizomes (the part we eat).
You can also grow your own avocado plant from seed and grow mango using these instructions.
Growing Ginger
Learn how to use ginger root from the grocery store to grow ginger plants. Grow them as houseplants or keep them outdoors in the summer in cold climates. As the rhizomes grow and spread, you will have ginger to harvest.
Contents
What is Ginger?
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a tropical herbaceous perennial. If you live in a cold climate, this means you can grow it as a houseplant indoors year-round and keep it outside in the summer months, if you like.
That ginger root that you buy at the grocery store is all you need to start your own ginger houseplant.
It’s Really a Rhizome
To be more accurate, what we call ginger root is really a rhizome. Roots grow from the rhizome, but we don’t eat those. But, the common term is ginger root, so we’ll roll with it.
Ginger is used as a spice for cooking, smoothies, and some baking like ginger snaps. You might use dried ginger, ginger powder, or fresh, chopped or grated ginger.
For many years ginger was regarded as a good remedy for nausea (ginger ale), but research has not confirmed this.
The Rhizome Grows the Plant
The rhizome not only provides the spice but that’s the part we root and grow into a new plant.
As it grows, more rhizomes will form, giving you new ginger to harvest.
Some ginger growing methods soak the root overnight and then plant it. And this can definitely work.
I prefer to use the method shown below because it guarantees I am planting a viable rhizome and won’t be disappointed.
I’ll show you how to select a good candidate for rooting, how to make it sprout, and how to continue growing it as a houseplant.
And I’ve answered frequently asked questions about growing ginger here.
How to Grow Ginger Root
1 Choose Living Ginger Root
Tip: Use Organically-Grown Ginger
If you’re planning to eat your ginger, start it from an organically-grown ginger you know is food-safe.
I use ginger from the grocery store, but you can also purchase it from some plant nurseries specifically for this purpose.
Look for pieces that are firm, healthy-looking (not dry or shriveled), show no signs of damage, and have ‘eyes’ (see the circled example in the photo, above). These are the little nubs like the ones on potatoes that will grow roots under the right conditions.
You might also find a piece of ginger that is sprouting in the store: that works fine!
Start with 2 or 3 rhizomes if you want to be sure to get at least one plant.
If you want to go big, root 3-6 pieces of ginger and plant them all in one pot.
Related: How to Grow Mango from Seed
2Sprout Your Ginger Root
The arrows show nubs that will grow roots and shoots.
- Wash and dry the ginger root (rhizome) and take a few photos of it.
- Wrap it in damp (not soaking wet) cloth or paper towels and place in a plastic bag.
Ginger wrapped in moist paper towel, placed in plastic bag.
It is possible that your ginger root may have been treated with a growth inhibitor, but the presence of emerging buds is a good sign it will sprout.
- Stash bag in your kitchen cabinet. A temperature around 70°F (21°C) is fine. The combination of moisture and warmth will cause it to sprout.
- Set an alert on your phone to check it every three days.
3Monitor Growth
Take photos! At first it will be hard to tell the nubs are growing but you can confirm it by comparing photos along the way.
After two weeks, the roots and shoots are starting to grow.
- After approximately 7-10 days, you should definitely start seeing growth from the eyes/nubs.
- Return the ginger to the damp towel in the plastic bag until the shoots and roots are a few inches long.
Here’s mine after 4 weeks:
Growth after 4 weeks in damp paper towel and bag.
Be careful each time you unwrap and rewrap the ginger to avoid breaking any new roots or shoots.
Here it is after 5 weeks:
Growth after 5 weeks.
Related: How to Grow an Apple Tree From Seed
4Plant Sprouted Root
After 4-6 weeks, your ginger root should be ready for planting in a pot. The largest roots and shoots should be a couple of inches long. I like flower pots with saucers like these ones.
This sprouted ginger is ready for planting after 6 weeks.
The whole thing may look odd but if there’s new growth, you’re good.
In the photo (above), I know that horn-shaped growth on the right is a shoot, not a root, so I have aimed it upward in the pot.
If you are planting more than one sprouted ginger, use a nice wide pot and place them side by side with a few inches space between them for the rhizomes to expand.
Pot Size and Potting Mix
Choose a pot several inches wider than your ginger root is long. If it’s 3-inches long, use a 6 to 8-inch wide x 6-inch deep pot with drainage holes. These plants grow wider as the root spreads.
- Fill pot with houseplant potting mix (we use the words ‘potting mix’, ‘growing medium’, and ‘soil’ interchangeably here but never use garden soil), water thoroughly, and gently press soil mix down into pot.
- Plant sprouted ginger two inches below lip of pot. If you can tell which part is a shoot, aim that up. If not, the plant will sort it out as it grows.
- Cover with additional inch of potting mix and water again. All parts of the ginger should be covered.
Flower Pots | Amazon
5Ginger Plant Care
Place your ginger pot in a warm, sunny (not hot) location.
- The ideal growing temperature is higher than many of us keep our homes (75-85°F | 24-29°C). My house stays around 65-75°F (18-24°C) and it’s growing fine.
- Keep soil moist (not soaking wet).
- Like many tropical plants, ginger likes 40-50% relative humidity. Some gardeners use a drip tray filled with water to catch water spills.
In 2-4 weeks, a shoot should emerge from the soil:
Ginger plant growth two weeks after planting sprouted ginger rhizome in potting mix.
Here it is about a month later:
Ginger plant 11 weeks after putting rhizome in damp paper towel.
Six weeks after planting, my most recent ginger plant is 3-feet tall with one single stalk and 7 long, narrow leaves. It resembles a very tall, thick blade of grass.
As the plant grows, new ginger roots will develop in the potting mix.
Fertilizer
- If you’re going to eat the ginger rhizome, pick a safe, slow-release organic fertilizer suitable for food crops.
- I switch around to test different products but right now I’m using a fish emulsion in very low doses each time I water.
Harvesting Ginger
- After a few years of growth, you can harvest some of the roots once per year, leaving the rest to continue growing.
- The older the ginger root, the better the flavor.
- You can also divide the older rhizomes to create several new plants.
Outdoor Summer Care
- During warm months, you can keep your ginger outdoors in a sheltered location, avoiding blazing sun.
- Follow normal precautions when bringing it back indoors for the winter including cleaning the plant and inspecting for insects or diseases.
Frequently-Asked Questions
Yes, it is possible to roots some types of ginger from the grocery store. However, if the ginger has been treated with growth retardants, which are used to prevent sprouting in the store, it may not sprout for you at home either. There likely is not a way to check for this other than buying some and trying to sprout it.
That said, I always use grocery store ginger for mine and have never had a problem.
When you plant a ginger root (which is really a rhizome), it takes about 2-3 years for it to be mature enough to harvest. The older it is, the better the flavor.
Sprouting a ginger rhizome for planting takes a few weeks.
Ginger likes direct but not hot sun. Ginger is a tropical plant originating in the understory of a tropical forest, so it likes moisture and warmth but not direct, hot sun.
See the ginger plant care tips here.
Yes, you can grow ginger indoors year-round in Canada and outdoors as houseplant in summer. Ginger is a tropical plant, not a hardy perennial.
You do not need to soak ginger before planting. The paper towel rooting method offers all the moisture needed for ginger root (rhizomes) to sprout. If ginger is left to sit in water it will eventually rot.
To harvest ginger, dig up the rhizomes and cut off the amount you wish to use from the outer edges of the rhizome. Allow the cuts to heal for a few days then replant the remainder.
The edible part of a ginger plant is the rhizome, which is usually called the root.
Ginger is a spice. Herbs come from the leafy part of plants. Spices come from other parts of plants and trees including bark, roots, and seeds.
Resources
The instructions for propagating ginger root are included in this ebook:
Ebook
Kitchen Propagation Handbook
7 Fruits & Vegetables To Regrow As Houseplants
by Melissa J. Will
Learn how to grow houseplants from avocado, oranges, lemons, ginger, and more using leftover pits, seeds, and roots.
About This Ebook | Visit Ebook Shop
This ebook is a digital file (PDF format) you save to your device. It is not a physical product.
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Digital products are not available in EU, UK, and Northern Ireland due to tax regulations.
Regrow Your Leftover Greens, Pits, Seeds, and More
by Katie Elzer-Peters
See More
39 plants you can grow from leftover fruits and veggies.
Read More
- Ginger | Wikipedia
- Gardens: Get Your Ginger Up | James Wong – The Guardian
- Growing Ginger | Texas A&M Agrilife Extension
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
How to Regrow Ginger Root
Equipment
Supplies & Materials
- 1 Ginger Root healthy, undamaged, visible nodes
- 1 Tea towel or paper towels
- 1 Plastic bag or food container
- 1 8-inch Flower pot with drainage holes and saucer
- 1 bag Potting Mix
Instructions
Prepare Ginger Root
- Take a before photo of your ginger root.
- Place ginger root between damp tea towels or paper towels. Towel should be moist but not soaking wet.
- Place towel in plastic food bag or container and stash in dark, warm kitchen cupboard.
- Set reminder on your phone to check on it every 3 days.
- Check for changes by carefully unwrapping ginger root. Examine and photograph, then rewrap, bag, and return to cupboard.
- After 7-10 days the nodes on the ginger root will begin to swell and sprout roots.
- In 4-6 weeks the roots should be long enough for planting. Some will be 2-3 inches long.
Plant Sprouted Ginger
- After 4-6 weeks, when some roots are 2-3 inches long, it's ready for planting.
- Fill 8-inch flower pot with potting mix leaving two inches below pot lip. Water thoroughly and top up soil as needed.
- Lay sprouted ginger root on soil and cover in one inch of potting mix. If planting several, allow a few inches between them in the container. Water again and top up soil as needed stopping one inch below lip of pot.
Grow Your Ginger Plant
- Choose a sunny location but not in direct, hot sun where it could dry out. Ideal temperature is 75-85°F (24-29°C) with 40-50% relative humidity.
- Keep soil moist but not damp.
- In 2-4 weeks shoots should emerge from soil and your plant will grow.
Tonya says
Great description for growing ginger. I have a few sprouting and so excited to see them grow! Love your newsletter
Melissa J. Will says
Thank you, Tonya!
Grace Pushkin says
The instructions are great and I can’t wait to try this.
Thank you so much!
Melissa J. Will says
Thank you, Grace. Glad you found them helpful. Happy growing!
Sandy B says
I’m so glad I found this. I have some ginger sprouting just sitting on the counter. I thought about cutting them off and using them in a recipe using “young ginger”, but I’ll plant it instead. Would it hurt it to harvest a few bits of young ginger once it’s established? How large should the rhizome get before I can do this?
Melissa J. Will says
Yes, you can harvest and continue growing. I like to grow it in pots for this reason. I gently lift everything out, break off some (non-sprouting) parts to use for cooking, and replant.
Ayana says
How many rhizomes is too many in one 24″ window box?
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Ayana,
It would depend on how big they are. You want at least a few inches between them on all sides to allow room in the soil for the rhizomes to expand and grow. The more crowded they are, the more they compete for resources.
K rose Wyse says
Can I start growing with a piece cut from a lager piece ???
Melissa J. Will says
Yes. The hesitation is simply because the ginger is better protected with its skin intact both to prevent disease and drying out. But certainly try it and see how it goes.
PaintyLiz says
Wow what an amazing site! Just found you and I’m learning a lot. I was trying to find info on planting lemon seeds and your instructions are wonderful. I’ve got them in my kitchen drawer now 🙂
So wandering through your site, I find this great article on ginger! Can’t wait to try it! Would it also work for turmeric? I bought some organic turmeric thinking I would plant some, but it’s 105 in Texas, and I’m thinking it’s probably not a good idea to plop it down into the dirt.
Thanks for any help/advice you have. Your knowledge is amazing and thank you so much for sharing it! Very much appreciated!
Melissa J. Will says
Hi PaintyLiz,
Glad you’re enjoying the site! There are lots of different propagation tutorials here. I love experimenting with these things. I do not have a tumeric tutorial yet but it is very similar to ginger.
Have fun and keep cool,
Selena says
I just want to say I love your blog. I have successfully grown 3 avocado plants (but then my cat ate one) using your advice and today I am going to try to grow ginger! It feels good going from something of a “speckled black thumb” to “bigger green spots on my thumb”! Your advice is easy and clear and your webpage is pleasing to view!
Melissa J. Will says
Wonderful, Selena. I see a very green thumb in your future!
Anna says
Thanks for creating this post, it’s a really interesting technique! I have been looking up other methods and I have a couple of questions.
In other methods, it is suggested to cut chunks with an eye and a couple of nodes before planting. Have you tried this or do you think it would cause too much trauma to the plant?
My second question is regarding pot size. Is there a general rule for how much space the ginger will need to grow new rhizomes?
Thanks so much!
Melissa J. Will says
Good question. I haven not tried the chunk method so no advice to offer. Here I try to just show very simple methods for beginners.
For pot size, there is no rule other than allow enough space for both the rhizome(s) and potting mix.
As far as I know, that old rule about only putting houseplants in a pot just slightly bigger than the root ball doesn’t have any science behind it. It’s more of a practical tip so pots don’t take up too much space but the plant doesn’t care if it has extra room.
Craig Boyd says
Hello,
Thanks for putting this together. It seems to be working, mostly, better than any other method I have tried. 🙂
A couple questions:
1) At any time during the 4 to 6 weeks should the paper towels be dampened again and/or replaced?
2) I have noticed on some that there is some mold forming. Are they too wet or is the place where I have them too warm or perhaps a bit of both? Are the ones with the mold salvageable?
Thanks!
Melissa J. Will says
I’ve never had mold. I assume it’s too warm in the space, humidity is high, or paper towel is too moist. It should be moist to touch but does not drip when you squeeze it tight.
Sounds like you could benefit from unwrapping the ginger every day or two to give it air.
I would only change the towel if it has mold.
There is nothing special about this method: putting the root in moist soil does the same thing but this way you can be assured the roots are forming before bothering to plant it.
Happy growing,
Abha says
Very good tips ,shall definitely grow
Casey says
This would also work for turmeric, wouldn’t it? I like ginger but I could put turmeric in almost everything.
Melissa J. Will says
Yes, it should work just like ginger.
Lola says
Very helpful tips. I bought some ginger few weeks ago and left them in the bag until I was ready to use them and I notice they started sprouting like crazy so I decided to let them grow instead and I came across your page to get help on growing them. Thanks 🙂