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 grow more ginger.
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, 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: If you’re planning to eat your ginger, if possible, start with organically-grown ginger, free of growth retardants.
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 root inhibitor, but the presence of emerging buds is a good sign it will sprout.
- Stash bag in your kitchen cabinet. 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 room between 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, but. Some ginger has been treated with growth retardants so it will not sprout in the store and there usually isn’t a way to check if this is so.
That said, I always use grocery store ginger for mine and have never had a problem.
There is more information here on choosing the best ginger for growing.
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 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, indoors. Ginger is a tropical plant, not a hardy perennial.
I grow mine indoors as a houseplant here in Canada during the winter months and outdoors (in a sheltered location) in the summer months.
The edible part of a ginger plant is the rhizome, which is usually called the root.
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.
It’s a spice. Herbs come from the leafy part of the plant. Spices come from other parts of plants and trees including bark, roots, and seeds.
How to Store Herbs and Spices has tips for storage and how to know when they’ve gone bad.
Resources
Books
Kitchen Propagation Handbook
Regrow Food Scraps
by Melissa J. Will
Learn how to grow houseplants from avocado, oranges, lemons, ginger, and more using leftover pits, seeds, and roots.
This ebook is a digital file you save to your device.
$4.99 US
PayPal, Credit Card, Apple Pay
PDF Format | About Ebook
Regrow Your Leftover Greens, Pits, Seeds, and More
by Katie Elzer-Peters
See More
39 plants you can grow from leftover fruits and veggies.
Tip Sheet
Video
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 â™›
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. 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.
Notes
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 🙂