Growing ginger in a pot is a satisfying project. And it's a great ingredient to cook with, for all sorts of cuisines. Its warming spice adds a kick to both savory and sweet dishes – from baked goods and breakfast oats to hearty curries.
Learning how to grow ginger in containers is relatively simple. In fact, it rarely has any problems, as long as it has the right conditions to thrive in. The most common complaint gardeners have about ginger is that they don't have enough to harvest for cooking with this tasty rhizome (technically, it's not a root) – but a bit of patience is usually all that's needed.
However, there is a top tip to bear in mind for the best yields when growing this vegetable in pots, as revealed by San Diego-based Kevin Espiritu, the creator of Epic Gardening.
Pick the right type of planter when growing ginger in a pot
Kevin shares plenty of useful tips for growing ginger in a pot in his Youtube video, but choosing the right-shaped garden planter was one that we hadn't heard of before.
He says to grow these plants in wide pots rather than narrow ones. The reason, he explains, is that the ginger stalks you see above soil level 'creep in one direction.' Essentially, they 'grow horizontally' and then bend upwards because 'the rhizome expands horizontally.' So, 'it makes more sense to grow ginger in a wide, shallow pot rather than a narrow deep pot.'
As well as this top tip for growing ginger in a pot, it's also important to keep the conditions around the plant humid and warm. After all, this plant comes from South East Asia, Kevin explains. A sunny windowsill makes a good spot, or add it to your greenhouse ideas.
And, if you want a lot of ginger, you'll need a bigger ginger rhizome to begin with, he says – it's that simple. So, when you choose your ginger from the grocery store, or go to make new plants for free from kitchen scraps, bear this in mind. The rhizome will grow larger quicker, so you'll be able to use more of it for your cooking.
