I just got some kahli ginger seed in the mail yesterday, Ive never started ginger from seed so I would appreciate any tips. Thanks Caleb
kahli from seed
Caleb I bought some Alpinia zerumbet variegata from tradewindsfruit, I think there were about 6 seed and 2 grew. I sowed them in a free draining leafy compost mix with gritty river soil and some moss peat.
I also have 1 plant grown from seed of Hedychium, it was a mixture so I don't know the variety. I think there were 10 seeds, the first lot I got none grew, from T&M. They replaced them, this has to be in a time limit from sowing and you have to keep the whole packet including inner, and they are not happy to be told their seed doesn't grow! It did look old compared to the second lot, they were a nice, fresh purple. Still only got one, I think freshness is important, as I have grown other members of the ginger family from bought seed with no result, then bought the plant and got my own seed, gemination 100%. That was Roscoea auriculata, which is grown outside and frosted.
I grew mine in the same mix, in a heated propogator with a lid to keep moist, it is self regulating at 68-72F but when the sun shines through the window it gets warmer. It says in my RHS book to sow at 70-75F as soon as ripe, if you got yours fresh you should get good results. Here's my plant, taken in December in its 3rd year, it now has 3 new shoots (inside in the kitchen even with our cold weather), the 1st new shoot is as tall as the others, I expect it to flower this year. I sowed the seed 21st May 03, can't remember how long it took to germinate but possibly at least a month. I kept it in the propogator until it has got a bit of size on it, when the leaves started to hit the lid I took it out.
Thanks for the info, I have a couple gingers, but havent gotten any flowers yet. I got the seed from Tradewinds Fruit and am hoping for at least 1 plant. Tradewinds has very reasonable prices, I hope they also have fresh seed
Thanks again
For as long as you have to wait for seed to sprout and then be an adult sized blooming plant, I think sprouted rhizomes from adult divisions are the way to go, and you know you are getting what you want. Seeds are not always true, if the blooms was cross pollinated with something else you could just end up with some inferior hybrid. that's why I dead-head all spent inflorescens heads, so nothing sprouts that shouldn't. i have to keep everything in the pots true to what the tag says.
Liz
I just saw the post about the ginger grower in FL, very reasonable prices, I think Im going to order the 24 pack of rhizomes. I have several wild ginger clumps and one unknown that I got at a going out of bus. sale only labeled as "cold hardy ginger", other than that gingers are very difficult to find in our area of oregon. so when I found the seed for 1$ I thought Id try. if anyone wants to trade some gingers that will do ok in z8 I have several asarum canadense for trade, Thanks Caleb
