How to Propagate a Ginger Plant

Overview

Ginger is a tropical plant that grows outdoors in areas with mild winters. If you live in colder climes, it is still possible to grow both edible and ornamental ginger in a planter outdoors as long as you bring it inside for winter. Ginger is propagated by its rhizomes. A rhizome is an underground stem, similar to a root or bulb, that multiplies each year as the plant grows. When propagating edible ginger, save a few pieces of the rhizome from the kitchen, and grow them into new plants.

Step 1

Dig around the ginger plant with a trowel to loosen the soil in late fall when the plant begins to yellow and enter dormancy. Rhizomes sit about 2 inches beneath the soil surface, so there is no need to dig deeply.

Step 2

Cut off a section of the rhizome, once it is uncovered, with a sharp knife. Remove a 3 to 6 inch piece that has at least two growing buds, which resemble small horn-like protrusions on the root.

Step 3

Prepare a well-drained garden bed in full sun for replanting by working a 2-inch layer of compost into the soil. For pot growing, fill the pot with a quality potting mix that is rich in organic matter.

Step 4

Plant the ginger rhizome 2 to 4 inches beneath the soil surface in either the bed or a pot. Water immediately after planting so the soil is slightly moist but not soggy.

Step 5

Water as needed to keep the soil moist throughout the spring and summer growing season. Lay a 1 inch layer of mulch around outdoor plants to keep the soil cool and to suppress weeds.