During the days of quarantine, this spice plant with beneficial properties is in unprecedented demand. But ginger bought in a supermarket can be easily grown at home.
The historical homeland of ginger was once South Asia. It has been cultivated there since ancient times. And the root was brought to Europe in the Middle Ages and was originally passed off as a medicine. Interestingly, the merchants came up with a whole fable about ginger, allegedly growing at the end of the world in the land of mythical giants, and sold the spice at exorbitant prices as the main remedy for the plague. And medieval people very much believed in this, giving fortunes for a yellowish powder.
However, our contemporaries also succumb to the influence of ignorance – have you seen how advice on the treatment of coronavirus with ginger and lemon began to multiply on the Internet? The plant is, of course, medicinal, its name in Latin is “ginger pharmacy»: contains many useful substances – essential oils, amino acids, vitamins C, B1, B2. Decoctions of ginger root are drunk for colds, tincture is used in the treatment of joint diseases, inhalation is done with oils. But it is still not worth overestimating the properties of the root – serious ailments cannot be cured with ginger alone.
Ginger was even more widely used in cooking. But few people know about its decorative properties. An exotic plant with a bright flower can decorate any room or flower bed. But before you start breeding ginger, you need to decide whether this plant will be used for food or only to decorate your home. Because the tubers of flowering plants are devoid of valuable and useful qualities.
Creating an exotic corner at home is a feasible task, if desired. Ginger has flowers that are stunning in shades, almost futuristic in shape with a slight lemon scent. True, the care technology is quite complicated – the peduncle usually appears only in the third year after planting. And all this time it is necessary to observe the climatic conditions and the irrigation regime. There are a lot of varieties of decorative ginger, and you need to buy a root for planting in specialized stores.
It looks like a blooming ginger
But from the tubers available in supermarkets, which we usually add to tea, it is really possible to breed a mini-plantation even on the windowsill in the apartment. Let’s make a reservation right away that what we call the root of ginger (the hard part of a plant with a thin shell) is actually its overgrown rhizome, a modified underground shoot. From it we will grow ginger on our windowsill.
It will be a large plant: in a pot it can grow up to a meter in height. Outwardly, it resembles a reed with thin stems and large elongated leaves. When choosing tubers for planting in the store, pay attention to fresh, elastic, smooth rhizomes without damage. It is desirable that there are visible kidneys. Most often, the eyes will be unexpressed, because when harvesting, the roots are treated with a special solution that inhibits growth.
First step. Dip the tubers in warm water for several hours. This will help flush out the growth-blocking solution and wake up the kidneys. If you add a few crystals of potassium permanganate or soda, the roots will be disinfected at the same time, and their biological qualities will improve.
While the roots are soaking, we prepare the pot – it should be wide and shallow (the rhizomes grow over the surface). We lay 3 cm of expanded clay on the bottom with drainage holes and fill it with soil – universal for flowers, nutritious for vegetables or a mixture of garden soil with charcoal is suitable. The main thing is to keep the soil loose.
The second step. With a sharp knife, we divide the tuber into processes of 5-7 cm with buds, 1-2 buds should be left on each part. Place a cut “powder” with charcoal or potassium permanganate solution. We plant the shoots shallowly into the ground, eyes up, sprinkle a little with soil on top. Pour with warm water and put in a bright, warm (up to +25) place without direct sunlight and drafts.
The third step. While biological processes are taking place in the planting material, we moisten the soil by spraying it from a spray bottle. Shoots will appear in two to three weeks. Now watering needs to be increased a little, the earth in the pot should not dry out.
The fourth step. The ideal place to grow ginger at home is the window sills of the western or eastern windows. Remember: a tropical dweller needs to be provided with warmth and humidity, as well as lighting for his mighty stems to grow. To create a humid climate, ginger is regularly sprayed and fed periodically. In the hot season, watering is increased. If you took the pot out to an open balcony, then make sure that there are no drafts in this place – ginger does not tolerate this.
Fifth step. In autumn, the plant gradually begins to wither, so we reduce watering and keep the soil until it dries up. This is necessary for the rhizomes to form. After the stems and leaves wither, the root is dug up, aired, dried and sent for storage.