As a native maritime herb, you must mimic this tropical climate closely to get the right spice from your ginger. These plants like temperatures of 70-90 degrees and high humidity; give them full sun in cooler areas and partial shade in warmer areas. Use well-draining soil and water enough so it’s consistently moist but not soggy. In the spring, keep watering low until new growth starts. This will reduce rotting.

One reason people love ginger is that it’s very pest-resistant. Predators are almost non-existent in cold areas; in warm regions, the main predators are caterpillars, thrips, scale insects and nematodes. The main concern is diseases which include soft rot, fusarium yellows, leaf spot and bacterial wilt.

You should start propagating ginger in the late winter or early spring. Get some ginger rhizomes (i.e., roots) and break them into 1-3-inch pieces with multiple healthy buds. Soak the pieces in water for an hour or two, then plant about one inch deep in trays or four-inch pots with a bud facing up. Water regularly and maintain a 70-80-degree soil temperature (a heat mat may be necessary). A lid will help with humidity levels. Buds should start growing in about two weeks, and ginger is ready to transplant when it has green shoots.

You can transplant ginger seedlings or directly plant rhizomes about three weeks after the final spring frost. Space the seedlings or roots every 6-12 inches in rows three feet apart; in raised beds, aims for 10-12 inches of spacing. For hot climates and indoor planting, you can sow ginger anytime. If you’re potting ginger (outdoors or indoors), the container should be at least 12 inches across and deep with good drainage holes. Larger pots can accommodate multiple plants.

Ginger benefits from some fertilization, but it is not as needy as other plants. Add slow-release fertilizer or compost during planting, then fertilize every 4-6 weeks. Apply a balanced fertilizer or one high in phosphorus; seaweed extracts and fish emulsions are good organic options. Fertilize every 3-4 weeks if you’re using a liquid fertilizer or growing container plants. Testing will determine what micronutrients are necessary or if your soil is deficient in certain macronutrients.

Ginger is a perennial plant but is frost-sensitive. To help your ginger plants survive the winter in-ground, add a 3-6-inch layer of mulch, water sparingly and use frost blankets or row covers on cold nights. In the coldest region, you can dig up rhizomes before the first fall frost and store them in a cool, dry and dark place for replanting come spring. Container plants should be brought inside once nighttime temperatures fall below 55 degrees.

The main pruning necessary is to remove dead, damaged or spent leaves and stems. You can also prune for shaping. Do so in the spring before new growth or after the flowering season and use sharp tools.

When the plant foliage starts to turn yellow and wither or fall off, the ginger is mature and ready to harvest. This can take 8-10 months for the initial crop. Gently dig them up around the roots and rinse off the soil. Fresh ginger will last 2-3 weeks, and it will keep for longer with drying or freezing.