[REVIEW] GROW GINGER IN A PLANT POT

This is my journal about the experience harvesting ginger grown in a plant pot this summer.

This is my first time growing ginger.

I started to cultivate common store-bought ginger in April and it looks like this is the harvest timing so I decided to harvest them.

Freshly harvested ginger is soft and is not very spicy, and it becomes spicy and more fibery which you know while storing for about 2 months.

THE JAPANESE ENJOY GINGER ROOTS IN DIFFERENT STAGES

• “FUDE” SHOGA
• “HA” SHOGA
• “SHIN” SHOGA and “NE” SHOGA

“FUDE” SHOGA

Fude-shoga is harvested in an early stage of growing ginger which has a few fresh green leaves and tiny baby pink ginger roots. Generally, marinated fude shoga in sweet vinegar is served with grilled fish to refresh your mouth.

“FUDE” means “a brush” in Japanese and the name comes from that the tip of a sprouted ginger is cut into a brush-like shape.

“HA” SHOGA

The baby ginger with 6 or 7 leaves harvested in the summer season (later than FUDE shoga) is called “HA” SHOGA in Japan.

Generally, it is sold attached with leaves and stalks.

“HA” means “leaves” in Japanese.

“SHIN” SHOGA and “NE” SHOGA

“SHIN” SHOGA refers to “young ginger” in English, known for the raw material for sushi ginger.

“SHIN” shoga is generally available at the beginning of summer in Japan and has a pinkish base of the stem.

“SHIN” means “NEW” in Japanese.

Also, grown ginger roots harvested in fall before the first frost has yellow matured ginger has fresh juicy ginger, but, we call it simply “Shoga” or “NE” Shoga.

“NE” means “a root/roots” in Japanese.

The common ginger available year-round is fresh ginger that has been stored after harvesting.

PLANT GINGER ROOTS

Ginger has a unique spicy flavor and aroma and is useful as a secret ingredient or condiment for cooking.

It is resistant to pests and diseases and can be grown in half-shaded places.

Depending on the harvest season, you can also harvest leaf ginger, young, and mature ginger roots.

WHAT’LL YOU NEED

• 1 or 2 store-bought ginger roots (fresh and have a few nubs)
• A plant pot, more than 7-inch depth
• Potting mix
• Pebbles for placing the bottom

WHEN TO PLANT GINGER

Plant ginger roots in the early spring after the climate gets calm and warm. They don’t like cold weather.

HOW TO PLANT

Fully cover the roots with soil, then lightly press down the soil with your hands and water thoughtfully.

WATER & FERTILIZE

Leaves will come up in around 2-3 weeks after planting.

Give plenty of water since the ginger roots like water.

Especially in the summertime, keep your eyes on the soil and never dry out.

Give fertilizer a month later and repeat every two weeks.

HARVEST THE GINGER ROOTS

Harvest ginger roots in the fall before the first frost. If you like young ginger, dig up the roots in early summer.

Cut off the stems and roots.

Clean off the soil and wrap the harvested ginger with wet kitchen paper, then, put them in a store bag.

Store them in a fridge.

If you want to keep the harvested ginger at room temperature, avoid rinsing off the soil.

Sun-dry them for a few days and wrap each root with paper.

Spray water and keep them in an insulated styrofoam cooler and store it in a cool and dry place.

MY FIRST ATTEMPT: REVIEW

I planted the store-bought ginger in April and seems they kept growing quite healthy.

I gave them fertilizer every two weeks in summertime which was the same time I gave it to my flowers. (liquid fertilizer)

Once I was going to transfer the plant pot, the roots already reached to ground and still growing.

I should have waited to harvest for more than a month or so.

Yet, they are good-looking as “young” gingers.

I wish I had a yard garden to plant ginger roots, so they may grow bigger.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF GINGER ROOTS

MAKE SUSHI GINGER AT HOME

HOMEMADE GINGER SYRUP