****I am new but dont know how to tell you in the little box (sorry)*****
Hi there i have planted a ginger in my polytunnel this year and have no idea what to expect from it. It came from the veggy shop and started sprouting so i planted it can anyone offer any ideas on what i should expect from my rhizome please.
Many thanks
Deadlyart
http://www.llamaseven.com
This message was edited Sep 29, 2006 5:25 PM
my first ginger
Im not quite sure if i can help you with the information your looking for but wanted to say that I loved your Website especially the Fence Post Tops. Its also refreshing to see that you use the left overs from your art in such a productive way. Good for you.
Hi deadlyart (love the name!), I have been growing a ginger rhizome bought from the veggy shop, they do take a long time to start growing but if you do it correctly the plant will increase in size.
Keep it moist until the weather turns for the worst, then you will have to bring it indoors and let it remain nearly dry while it goes into dormancy over winter. The old stem will eventually drop off, leaving a new rhizome which should have developed at this time of year and will possibly continue to grow a little once brought inside. I find the rhizomes start to grow well in late August/ September, ready for next year.
When the weather improves late in spring next year, put it back in the polytunnel and water slowly but make sure it is in good growth before you water it too much or the rhizome will rot. Once the new growth gets going, the old rhizome will die back and make new ones, getting bigger as the new growth increases. That's what mine has done anyway. I will get a pic of it later to show you, mine was started last year.
Here it is, and doesn't the greenhouse need a wash! It looks worse in the night flash!
Many thanks to everyone for your wonderfull comments and your advices on the ginger plant. Mine is looking like wallaby's at the mo but I wondered if it might flower? I will do as suggested and see what happens. I love the aroma of my plant. Its a struggle to stop my littlen from pulling up though nearly lost the whole thing the other day, caught him just in time. thanks once again. deadlyart
It may flower when it's big enough, I would expect mine to throw bigger stems next year, not sure if I will get flowers but they do flower. It will need time to develop a good rhizome first.
Keep an eye on that little'n!
I will wallaby keep an eye on my littlen that is , and i will look forward to the possability of a flower on my plant. thanks once again. What is that stuff you have on your greenhouse window?
It's just a sort of dried green gunge from the warmth and moisture, it gets morning sun and afternoon shade, I get huge chunks of moss growing between the panes too! Great conditions for growing!
so is a polytunnel the same as a greenhouse? (I'm just an ignorant yankie)
Hi hj, I doubt in Florida you would have need for one, so you are forgiven!
A polytunnel is mostly a plastic covered, long tunnel shaped structure with a curved top. The 'poly' being polythene.
and is it used primarily the way a greenhouse is used, or does it have another purpose? just curious!
Heather
Yes, it's basically a way of having a larger greenhouse for less cost, many commercial nurseries use them.
I think its the same thing here, but we just call them greenhouses. Thanks for letting me know!
Many here call them hoophouses but from her on I will think of them as polytunnels. LOL
Hi there all, think I have lost my ginger it was looking very brown today, think a mole has uprooted it in passing, oh well off to the veggie shop to get another.
Deadlyart
www.llamaseven.com
Deadly, it might be best to wait until spring now, it won't have time to root and grow.
I keep mine in a pot, no moles there! Much easier to control the water too.
If the rhizome is still ok, then you could probably get another shoot out of it. Follow Wallaby's advice and plant it in a pot at least until it gets to a good size.