Is it possible to keep gingers growing under lights indoors over the winter without them going dormant? I have a few I would like to have get bigger this year. Will they still *know* its time to go dormant even if the temps don't drop and they have light? Thanks
Can You Keep Gingers Growing Under Light in Winter?
I hope so, I have one in a window trying to get it bigger. Hope somebody comes along and answers you.
i have one in the bedroom under a plant light, but i don't know if it will work. maybe someone will come and let us know
I tried doing that with a potted hedychium that I had purchased late and a couple helliconias. Their foliage died back and the helliconias did not make it :( Perhaps it's because I failed to maintain a temp. of high 70's. They were also under direct light.
Hope a ginger expert comes along.
~Jaye
I hope so too. I mostly want to keep my peacock ginger k. 'grande' under lights because an insect or something got into some of the tubers so I separated the good parts and repotted them back up and put it under lights in the house. It looks so good now and getting all new leaves so I'm hoping for them to get some size B4 going dormant.
Also thinking about overwintering the siam tulip ginger because it isn't all that big yet either.
mine are still doing fine (keeping my fingers crossed). i'll let you know what happens
With any evergreen ginger that is fine, but if it is a ginger that would naturally go dormant you are not doing the plant any favors at all by keeping it from going dormant as it would in it's natural environment. I have known people who have tried it with gingers that have a normal dormancy period and they have no luck, as far as the plant producing above normal. The ginger that should go dormant needs to be allowed it's rest period or else it will not produce up the normal standards of it's genus. From my own experience, if it goes dormant where it is native to then you should allow it the same opportunity in your garden.
Liz
liz, thanks for the info. will take mine back outside
I can't take mine back outside---it's freezing out there!!
Liz, I thought Hedys and Heliconias don't go dormant in their native trops., so I tried "forcing" them to extend growth. Apparently, it's where they're at, that's the characteristic they'd adopt! Guess I should had let their foliage die back, NOT water and they'd be fine come spring.
Thank you for your wise explanation.
~Jaye
Thanks for the info. Liz, I really thought I was helping my poor little babies get bigger LOL! Glad you set me straight. I will just let nature take its course then and let them sleep in the garage. I can really use the other space for different plants and cuttings anyways.
Hiya Jaye :) I took a photo of your baby purple and yellow flavicarpa passies yesterday, that I rooted for you.
I need to get it on my 'puter and send it to you.....I've been so lazy lol.
This message was edited Nov 20, 2007 4:50 PM
Jaye,
You are absolutely correct in the fact that Heliconia and most Hedychium do not naturally go dormant. My Hedychiums stay evergreen until we get a frost or freeze.
You may have just been experiencing older pseudostems dieing off from old age. When that happens just cut the older spent pseudostems down at ground level and this along with adequate food and water will encourage new growth. The cooler you keep your gingers in the winter the less water, as they don't use quite as much as they do during their growing seasons.
Liz
Wow Liz, thanks for shedding some light!!! Now I understood why this hedy I have in the gh now hasn't died back! It's a young rhizome!!
I gave up on heliconias! Not the zone for it, but there are so many other new "toys/plants" that I can enjoy here.
Thanks again Liz.
~Jaye