I always tell my DH that gardening teaches patience. :)
I have a Curcuma zedoaria in part sun (mostly bright shade). It's in it's 4th summer and has never bloomed. Don't care - foliage is gorgeous.
I've been told that shell gingers rarely bloom in zone 8. Apparently they need a longer period of warmth and if they're in a climate where they die back over winter, they won't bloom. I have two, and they come back bigger and bigger, but don't bloom.
It's like ginger roulette in my garden. LOL. I never know what'll do what. :)
Deb
What kind of fertilizer do you use on your gingers?
Last year my first year shampoo ginger bloomed. This year so far it doesn't look it will. The one you brought, Randy, has 4 stalks now instead of 1 and has had a large bud right in the middle for a week. Can't wait. What color is it RJ?
PK
It's the butterfly ginger Christi...smells like Gardenia.
My butterfly ginger did bloom the first year. I did fertilize it regularly with fish emulsion. they loved it.
My Shell Ginger gets a pretty good blast of sun..it's extremely tall. Here is an interesting note. Because the ginger is so close to the deck and stairways to the garden, it blocks alot of light. I have a spot light by them, and wanted to see the effect of red light shining up the stalks, so I took out all of the lower leaves, and indeed the lighting had a great effect- but the gingers (I think as a result) bloomed as they have never before in all the years they've been there. Just exploded with blooms. I'm trying the same on some of the other gingers now, some of which have already started blooming. I'm thinking it gives them more energy to bloom.
Hmmmm. RJ, you're giving me ideas. Cut that out! LOL.
humm! Giving me some ideas too! lol
Well rj, what an idea. As long as our red lights don't blink, I think the neighbors wouldn't mind. :) Is it just a red light bulb? That sounds real pretty. I wonder if it is the color or the added light at night or the heat? Hmmm, inquiring minds want to know.
LOL...My rule, is you can never see the light source, only the light. The light is underneath the deck shining on up the shell ginger stalks, so all you see is gentle red light glistening up the stalks and dispersing into the leaves.
LOL! You guys are so funny! So glad I found this thead.
Oh, and my butterfly ginger did not bloom the first year. I didn't even realize they had seeds. I guess that's how they're multiplying like rabbits!
RJ, that sounds really nice (the red lights).
Also, I meant to ask: Do you plant your ginger tubers deep? If so, how deep? I have some that are showing partially above the dirt and they are still growing fine, but the stalks tends to fall over after the rain 'cause they are so heavy!
This message was edited Jul 10, 2008 7:27 PM
I've gotten very creative with the lighting ..
Here are some photos, but ..keep in mind translation to picture seems a bit less ambient that it actually is to the eye
http://davesgarden.com/community/blogs/t/rjuddharrison/1992/
The seeds from the Butterfly gingers are not that virule.. I've only grown a couple that way.
Talked to my ginger guru friend: he uses Chicken Manure...says it is the BEST!
My goodness rj, no wonder your plants are blooming. You've thrown them into a hellucinagenic state. Reminds me of the 70's and lava lamps. I love the up light on the palm and the dollar store light is beautiful. What a lot of work. That ought to be enough light warmth for winter too for your tropicals. Is it? Or do you still have to cover them or bring them inside.
Thanks for letting me know about the seeds. Do the same apply to canna?
LOL drapelady! Maybe that's the secret...get the gingers "high" and they'll bloom!
Rj, very cool indeed, I love the picture of the pond a dawn!
if I fertilized gingers, any ginger, they would eat my house, my pets, maybe even me! I do topdress with compost but nothing else. In fact, I do nothing on purpose, as a way to control growth.
I'm always excited this time of year because gingers take center stage, even my new globbas are peeking out. ahhh
Agree with vossner. They are like weeds! I have tons but have not had time to dig and divide. Will give some away in the fall!
Randy, the butterfly ginger you brought to my house is blooming and multiplying like mad!!! Yay!!!!
Christi
Does it smell good!?
very good
Lilimerci, keep me in mind when you divide your "weeds"!
Me too! LOL!!! I would love to get some different kinds of gingers.
They are just plain white butterfly ginger. But the smell is incredible and they multiply like crazy in my zone so I can't even imagine what it will do in some of yours. But yes, I will give you plenty of tubers.
yeey! : )
Great, where do I sign up! LOL!!!
Lilimerci: May I ask where yours are planted? Mine are two years old and have multiplied, but no sign of a bloom. They are in fairly bright shade most of the day, with about 2 hours of direct sun in early afternoon.
Deb
When I'm ready to dig and split them up in the early fall, I'll try to remember to post here first and post another in plant trade. If for some reason you don't see a posting by late October, drop me a Dmail. I hate digging out plant. If the weather is cooler, it won't be so bad, but when it's so hot - hate it!
Hello DebinSC, my father has a house just a little bit past downtown Summerville SC. Actually, these gingers came from an uncle in Monks Corner :) What a small world.
I have a group in full sun and a group in shade (indirect sun). I don't think mine bloomed the first year I put them in the ground AND they did not bloom for me in a container. However, they tends to bloom very late in the summer, almost into fall. The ones in full sun tends to wilt with the heat, but some water will perk them right back up. The ones in the partial shade will also bloom, but I don't get as many blooms and they do not multiply as fast as the section in the full sun.
This message was edited Jul 26, 2008 5:40 PM
LiliMerci: Thanks for the info. If the oldest ones of mine don't bloom this summer, then maybe I'll move a couple to a sunnier spot.
And yes, it sure is a small world. I live in the "suburbs" of Summerville and have many friends in Moncks Corner. :)
Deb