Thursday, March 28, 2024
Crops

How to Grow Ginger – Beginners Guide

Ginger is available in the market in various forms; fresh ginger rhizome, powder ginger and dry ginger rhizome. It is well known in many human communities around the world. It is the underground rhizome of a perennial tropical crop called Ginger plant (Zingiberofficinale).

Originally, the plant is a native of South Eastern Asia but over centuries has been introduced to various parts of the world like the Caribbean, the Americas and Africa. Presently, the top growers of the crop includes Jamaica, Indonesia, Fiji etc

A mature ginger rhizome is fibrous and has a striated texture. The outer skin of the rhizome is brownish in color while the inner flesh depending on the variety may be red, yellow or white.

Growing Ginger

For it to thrive, the following are required:

  • Mulched fertile soil. Loam is the most preferred soil type
  • Ridges should be made for the planting of the crop
  • A minimum annual rainfall of about 1500mm
  • An average daily temperature of about 30°C
  • Viable ginger rhizomes with buds
  • Good drainage to prevent water logging/flooding

Cultivation

It is cultivated vegetatively from its rhizomes. It’s vegetative propagation involves the following steps;

  1. Sett preparation: When the fingers of rhizomes to be propagated begin to develop buds, they are cut into smaller pieces called SETT. A sett is about 3cm in length with each sett having at least a bud. The set to be propagated is usually stored until signs of growing are noticed before planting is performed.
  2. Planting: Is planted by burying each sett in a hole about 8cm deep with the bud of each sett pointing upwards in the soil. The sett should be spaced 30×30cm apart. Each sett grows into a new ginger plant. Planting should be performed about a month before the rains come.

Planting Rate

The setts can be planted at 2500kg per hectare

Read Also: How to Grow Ginger – Beginners Guide

Fertilizer

Both organic and inorganic fertilizers can be used. Compost manure is preferable. The preferred fertilizer in Nigeria for it’s growing is the N.P.K 15:15:15 which is applied twice; first about twenty days after planting at a rate of 4 bags per hectare.

The second application is about 40 days after the first application at the rate of 2 bags per hectare. Urea is used during the second fertilizer application.

Weed control

Controlling weed growth in the farm can be done manually by hand picking or by using chemicals (herbicides).

Pest and disease control

Mites, shoot borers and leaf rollers are some major pests that usually attack the plant. These pests can be controlled by using pesticides and insecticides. Captan is used to control some diseases that affect the plant like leaf spot.

Harvesting

On the average, ginger takes about nine months from the time of planting to mature. The rhizome can be harvested at different times depending on its purpose. If fresh one is required, it is harvested about six month after planting. If a matured then the rhizome is required, it is harvested nine months after planting.

Sometimes the rhizomes are left in the ground for nearly two years for propagation to continue. In Nigeria, harvesting begins in October and runs all through to May. Ginger rhizome can be harvested manually by hand or with machines such as the mechanical digger.

Expected Yield

The yield can get up to 20tons per hectare

Processing

The activities involved in processing ginger depend on the end product required. When the harvested rhizome is washed with boiling water and dried later, the product is called dried ginger and this can be grinded to produce powder or can be used as a full dried rhizome. The rhizome can also be processed as fresh or be peeled.

Uses of Ginger

  1. It is used as a spice in many local cuisine
  2. Used in bakeries as flavor
  3. A constituent of some local (herbal) medicines
  4. It is used in breweries to produce ginger ale or ginger beer
  5. The plant can be used for landscaping.

Related: Methods of Livestock Breeding in the Tropical Environment

Agric4Profits

Benadine Nonye is an agricultural consultant and a writer with over 12 years of professional experience in the agriculture industry. - National Diploma in Agricultural Technology - Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Science - Master's Degree in Science Education... Visit My Websites On: 1. Agric4Profits.com - Your Comprehensive Practical Agricultural Knowledge and Farmer’s Guide Website! 2. WealthinWastes.com - For Effective Environmental Management through Proper Waste Management and Recycling Practices! Join Me On: Twitter: @benadinenonye - Instagram: benadinenonye - LinkedIn: benadinenonye - YouTube: Agric4Profits TV and WealthInWastes TV - Pinterest: BenadineNonye4u - Facebook: BenadineNonye

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