Ginger is that one Asian herb in your family’s pantry with a weird but delicious flavor. It’s neither spicy nor sweet, but it’s still a great addition to your dishes, especially if you’re in the mood to add an Asian twist to your recipes.

Unfortunately, ginger isn’t very popular in the United States – not because people don’t like its taste or don’t like its many health benefits, but because ginger is a tropical plant, making it difficult to grow in temperate regions.

Fortunately, difficult doesn’t mean impossible. There are ways for you to grow ginger in your home garden.

Growing ginger

Ginger thrives in warm and humid climates. Barring that, make sure that your home garden is in an area that can receive plenty of light, including two to five hours of direct sunlight, but can also be kept in the shade whenever needed. Preferably, the site is also protected from strong winds.

If possible, plant your ginger in the early spring. If you’re living in an area with a warmer climate, such as in the Southwestern United States, you may be able to plant ginger at any time.

How to plant and take care of ginger

Ginger grows best in loose and loamy soil that’s also rich in organic matter. Loamy soil will allow water to drain freely. This can protect the rhizomes, or ginger root, from getting waterlogged and drowning. If the soil in your home garden isn’t rich enough, fix it with some aged manure or compost. This is especially important if you’re living in an area that deals with constant rainfall. The rain can wash away essential nutrients from the soil.

Slice off the ginger’s “fingers.” Make sure each piece of rhizome is between one to two inches long, with at least one bud. Before planting your ginger, set these pieces aside for one to two days. This helps the cut pieces “heal” and form calluses, which help prevent root rot.

Afterward, it’s time to do some planting. Place your ginger no deeper than one inch, and at least six to 12 inches apart from the other gingers. Make sure the ginger’s growth buds are pointing upward. After planting, consider adding a thick layer of mulch to help it retain water and control the growth of weeds.

Water your ginger well. You must not let your ginger dry out, especially if you’re living in warmer areas, or you might miss out on its health benefits. Mist or spray your ginger regularly. Once the weather cools, reduce your watering.

Take note that ginger is a tropical plant, and many farmers have reported that their ginger acts like it’s “shutting down” when the temperature falls anywhere below 55 F. This is why it’s important to plant your ginger as early in the spring as possible. Fortunately, this typically means that your gingers have gone dormant. Once the weather starts getting a little warmer, they’ll return back to normal.

If you’re living in a colder region but still want to plant ginger in your home garden, consider potting it. This allows you to quickly move your ginger indoors during inclement weather.

After about one week, leaves should start emerging from your homegrown ginger. After about eight to 10 months, your ginger should be mature enough to harvest.

Health benefits of ginger

The fun doesn’t stop once you’ve harvested your ginger, because this wonderful little superfood can provide a variety of health benefits. Here are just five of the many health benefits of ginger.

Ginger is filled with nutrients

Ginger is an excellent source of vitamin B6, potassium, copper, magnesium and manganese. It is also a great source for the compound gingerol, a substance that has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. All of these nutrients give ginger its ability to provide you with health benefits.

Ginger is a great treat after exercising

Ginger is an effective natural remedy for reducing exercise-related muscle pain and soreness. Plus, ginger is low in calories. Just two teaspoons of ginger provide only four calories.

Ginger is a natural remedy for nausea

One of ginger’s historical health benefits is its use as a remedy for sailors who have to deal with sea sickness. There’s evidence to suggest that this anti-emetic ability also extends to other forms of nausea, such as morning sickness, nausea after surgery and chemotherapy-related nausea.

Ginger can help you deal with indigestion

It is believed that indigestion can be relieved by emptying the stomach. Ginger is a great natural remedy because it has been shown to speed up the rate at which the stomach is emptied, which can be beneficial for people who have indigestion and other stomach-related discomfort.

Ginger is great for relieving menstrual pain

One of the traditional medicinal uses of ginger is for pain relief. In fact, ginger is a very effective natural remedy for menstrual pain, especially when it’s taken at the beginning of a woman’s period.

Ginger has many other health benefits that haven’t been covered here, such as how some research has shown that it may be able to help lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels and even help with cancer. If you wish to experience its many health benefits, plant ginger as soon as possible – your body will thank you.

Sources include:

GardenersPath.com

BonAppetit.com

AgriLifeExtension.TAMU.edu

Healthline.com

MedicalNewsToday.com