So I have this ginger I don't know what do with...

We got this ginger a year or so ago, I forgot when. I think it was Escondido vegetable market special.

Don't know what to do with it, does it like full sun? It's in a very shady spot right now. Should I cut back the stems down to the ground or is it too late for that? We have a lot of yellow gingers of a common variety growing wild in our yard, we cut them down very low every fall and they spring back like mad in the spring and summer. So would we treat this one the same way?

I do know it has absolutely AWESOME yellow blooms but it looks terrible right now.
WWDD? (what would Dave do?)

I always cut my back this time of year, but I'm in zone 8b. I don't know if that would make a difference.

My thinking in waiting until spring to cut them back is to let the dead leaves protect the roots from the cold.

well if my other gingers are any indication, they don't seem to mind being cut way back every fall. I just have never cut one down in mid spring before.

I cut mine back on 3/20/07 and they are already coming back.

Well I'm about to cut it back and see what happens.

If it is the one I think it is...it will survive and THRIVE!!!

well which one is the one do you think it is?
Inquiring minds want to know! I think I see a new spear starting to shoot up out of the soil right next to it, it might be a yellow ginger or it might be a new sprout of this one.

I still haven't cut it down yet... but I might tomorrow. It's a ginger for crying out loud.

fof-it looks like the tops of the ginger stalks are wasted so they aren't going to bloom for you anyway-so might as well hack them back-they look pretty bad-was that damage from the cold that you guys got this winter? Winter sucks!! lol

From my experience with ginger, if you have 2 stalks and cut them back you'll have 4-5 new stalks come up. I cut mine back 3/20/07 and they are already coming back up.

It looks like it could be the yellow H. coronarium...or the white one. VERY tough plants. I agree with Jeri to cut them back...throw a bit of chicken manure on them.....

Carol

well I finally cut them back. Here in mid-April.
Let's see how they do. There's already a sprout about 6" tall coming out of existing root mass.
The flowers are yellow I do remember that, and they are amazing when they bloom.
Thanks everyone for the info about the Gingers. I'll post some pix when they blossom!

Here's a link of a pic of the kind of blooms of this one. VERY pretty flowers.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzepehus/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/hedychiumgarderianum.jpg

I got a start of Kahili Ginger when I was in Hawaii in Feb. and it looks exactly like FondofFronds.

Jeri

Yup...I would cut the stalks down. It will encourage new growth and make the plant stronger!!!

Carol

Old growth is gone... Just waiting for it to take off now. It's in a pretty shady spot, hope that is okay.
Would it do better out in the sun?

You will get more growth with more light...more flowers.

So I guess my next move would be to... move! Move that root ball out into a sunnier spot.
Will they do all right in full sun, or part sun, part shade?

I was give some protection...sun half the day...they are pretty tough...

Thanks Aloha!