I purchased a Shell Ginger rhizome today and I was wondering how to plant, in the ground or in a pot? I live in zone 7b, the winters are sometimes cold here but usually not very harsh.
If I put it in a pot, how fast will it grow so I will know about what size to put it in? Thanks for any info that you can give me!
Wanda
This message was edited Jul 12, 2007 12:55 PM
Shell Ginger
Wanda,
It should freeze and come back for you with no problem, especially if you mulch well. If you want it to bloom you will need to keep it in a pot, to keep the tips from freezing. Alpinia zerumbet blooms on 2 year old growth. I have mine outside and sometimes it blooms and sometimes it doesn't, but I like it for it's foliage as well as the blooms.
In a pot you don't need to plant it but about 2 inches deep. In the ground I would plant it about 4 inches deep and mulch in the winter with pine needles or some other organic material approxiamately 12" deep to keep the rhizome from freezing.
Alpinia zerumbet is a very hardy ginger, especially for an Alpinia, the foliage is very cold hardy. It has to get below freezing for several hours before it usually damages the foliage. It is close to being evergreen in zone 8b even.
Liz
Thank you! I will keep it in a pot then, can't wait to see it bloom. I have always loved the Gingers but have never had any experience with them. Hopefully this will be the first of many.
Wanda
You started with a good one, can't beat a vigorous grower for your first time out. Soon you'll join the ginger geek club, it's an awesome group of people...lol
Liz
If you'd ever like to pictures of some of mine let me know.
That is gorgeous!! I would love to see more pics of your gingers!
Maybe you could suggest some more that would be good for me to start out with?
Wanda
Liz, help!!! I have a shell Ginger, and in Houston, right now it is blooming. I had brought it up to Canyon Lake, Tx. and it is now 7 yrs. old, 2 are in big pots, and 1 is in the ground, none have bloomed! What do I need to know to make it bloom? Thanks, Krispi
Have the tips been damaged by forst or freezing temperatures? A zerumbet blooms on 2 year old growth. I use time released fertilizer (retail known as: Dynamite) along with some milorganite, triple phosphate and lquid feeding once in awhile won't hurt. Dynamite 2 times a year and the others once a month from early spring until late saummer would be fine.
Liz
I planted a "clump" of Shell Gingers in my yard 5 years ago and have gotten lush,8-9 ft. growth for the last 5 years but no flowers until this year.Earlier in the spring I dug in Azomite (mineral supplement) and got flowers on 8 stalks.
My question; will these stalks bloom again or will just new stalks produce flowers?
With gingers, each pseudostem produces an inflorescence with blooms.
With Alpinia gingers it is no different, although Alpinias do bloom off of 2 year old growth, so if have had any frost damage to the tips or if they have ever been cut back then that would have an affect as to wether your Alpinia zerumbet has ever bloomed or not. In zone 10a I would say that you should have had blooms every year on your Alpinia zerumbet, since you would not be in any danger of hard freezes. Definitely feed and water your ginger and do NOT cut off any pseudostems that have not bloomed yet; they will bloom for you next spring.
Liz@gingerlandtropicals.com
Liz, thanks for your reply. They did freeze back to the ground this past winter, so none of the stems are 2 yrs. old. I will have to get some Dynamite for this next year. The plants are just lush and full. If we do not get a freeze, then you are saying this next spring maybe they will bloom. Thanks, Krispi