How to Trim Ginger Plants

Overview

Ginger plants are usually grown indoors in colder climates. If you live in gardening zones 9 and above, you can grow them outdoors year-round. Most ginger plants go dormant in the fall, when all the foliage falls off. Frosts and freezes are responsible for some foliage drop, however, the underground rhizome (bulb) survives. When trimming ginger plants, remove the brown, dead foliage.

Step 1

Use sharp scissors or pruning shears to cut away any brown, diseased or damaged foliage during the year. If the leaf appears mostly healthy, only trim damaged portions. Dip the scissors or pruning shears in rubbing alcohol between cuts to inhibit the spread of disease.

Step 2

Cut the ginger plant completely to the ground when it goes dormant in the fall, when you will notice the stems and foliage drying up and turning brown. The brown foliage will not regenerate.

Step 3

Cut away any frost-damaged foliage as it will not regenerate and needs to be removed to prevent disease spreading to living areas of the plant.