How to Transplant Ginger Plants
Tip
Transplant ginger in the spring after danger of frost has past.
Ginger benefits from regular fertilization. Use a complete, soluble fertilizer once monthly, following package application rates.
Spread divided roots out in a well-ventilated room for a day or two before replanting if you have the time and the space. The cut ends scab over during this time, preventing the chance for rot after transplanting.
Warning
Not all ginger roots are edible. Verify that your ginger variety produces edible roots before harvesting them for food.
Both ornamental and edible ginger plants add attractive foliage to the garden. Edible ginger is grown for its ornamental features, as well as for its edible roots, or rhizomes, while ornamental ginger is prized for its colorful floral bracts. Ginger is grown from rhizomes, or enlarged roots, regardless of the variety. Whether you are dividing the roots of a crowded plant colony, planting a new plant or moving an existing plant to a new area, proper transplanting is necessary so that the ginger continues to thrive in the garden.
Loosen the soil around the ginger plant with a spading fork if you are transplanting it to a new bed or dividing it. Lift the ginger rhizomes out of the soil, leaving any foliage in place. If you are dividing the plant, cut 1- to 2-inch-long pieces of the rhizomes from the outside of the root system, cutting the pieces so that they have at least one bud on them. Leave the rest of the plant in the ground.
Prepare a partially to fully shaded garden bed for the ginger. Apply a 2-inch layer of compost over the planting area and work it into the top 6 inches of soil.
Plant the ginger rhizomes at a 1-inch depth. Space additional plants 15 inches apart in all directions. Sow the rhizome so that the bud or foliage is on the top.
Water the bed thoroughly after transplanting, moistening it to a 6-inch depth. Spread a 1- to 2-inch mulch layer over the bed to help preserve soil moisture between waterings.
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Jenny Harrington has been a freelance writer since 2006. Her published articles have appeared in various print and online publications. Previously, she owned her own business, selling handmade items online, wholesale and at crafts fairs. Harrington's specialties include small business information, crafting, decorating and gardening.
