You may already have some mint or basil growing on your windowsill, but did you ever picture ginger being part of this group too? It definitely can be. Ginger often gets added to your shopping list—it could end up there as an ingredient for a tea blend, a cooking dish like a stir-fry, or simply due to a viral claim on TikTok suggesting it has healing properties almost strong enough to mend broken hearts.
What if that gnarled root had purposes beyond languishing in your refrigerator or fruit bowl for weeks, pondering why it hadn’t been born as an onion instead? This idea was explored in a video by Jacques.
@Jacquesinthegarden
The video on YouTube mentions that if your purchased ginger has a small bud at the end, it’s prepared for growth. With some simple procedures, this rhizome can transition from being an unused item in your spice drawer to becoming a thriving indoor plant with various advantages. Follow these instructions to begin:
1. Check for Eyes
Pick up some fresh ginger from the supermarket and search for tiny protrusions or “eyes” at the ends. These resemble the beginning of a sprouting potato or make the ginger appear as though it’s attempting to develop eyes. These small growths indicate vitality. Whether the ginger is organic isn’t important.
As per Jacques, the important thing is that it’s noticeable.
eye
—that’s where the new development will originate. Even the simplest grocery store ginger can suffice if it includes those initial sprouts.
2. Soak It Overnight
Ginger from grocery stores is frequently subjected to treatment with a
growth inhibitor
To prevent it from sprouting during storage and transportation. This process can linger and postpone growth even after being planted.
To get rid of it, soak the ginger in water overnight. This helps break down the chemical coating and rehydrates the root, making it more responsive once it’s in the soil. Skipping this step might mean waiting weeks for any sign of life—or none at all.
3. Divide It Into Segments to Cultivate Additional Plants
If your ginger root has several buds, cut it into segments—with each segment containing one bud. You don’t need to use a knife; simply divide them manually as though snapping apart crackers. Every section with a bud will develop into a new plant. Preparing additional portions can lead to increased sprouting.
4. Place the Sections in a Large, shallow Container with Minimal Soil
Grab a wide,
shallow pot
With drainage holes, fill the container using a blend of compost and potting soil. Since ginger prefers spreading horizontally rather than growing deeply downwards, you don’t require an oversized planter; something more modest will suffice.
Position the pieces facing upward on top of the soil, then gently cover them—just enough to conceal them as if you were tucking in a child with an insufficiently long blanket. Moisten the soil until it feels moist but ensure it isn’t waterlogged.
5. Keep It Warm and Bright
Ginger thrives in warmth just as people enjoy cozy heated car seats during winter. Place the pot in a location that receives plenty of light and heat, such as a sunny windowsill or close to the stove where the sun beams in.
You won’t see anything for a few weeks. It usually takes about a month for those green shoots to show up. Don’t panic—it’s not ghosting you. It’s just slow to commit. In time, little green shoots will poke up, and that’s when you know it’s working.
How to Harvest
When your ginger plant begins to grow, what appears above ground isn’t what you’ll ultimately collect. Fresh roots gradually expand and spread beneath the surface from the initial section you sowed. There’s no need to pull out the entire plant to use it; simply dig carefully along the sides, cut away a portion of the new rhizome as though pilfering a treat, and then conceal it again.
The plant continues as though nothing occurred. It’s among the handful of crops that allow you to indulge without guilt.
Read more
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Quit Spending Big Bucks on Store-Bought Herbs — Cultivate Them for Peanuts!
