Ginger
Ginger is a herb in the Zingiberaceae family. It grows best in part shade with medium to wet moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 8-12. Plants reach harvest about 240–300 days after planting and sit about 12 inches apart.
Varieties
1 · sorted by days to maturity▸Ginger240–300 days
PROPAGATION CATEGORY: Rhizome (not currently in seed catalog). Use: Edible/aromatic rhizome used fresh or dried. Harvest: Harvest rhizomes 8-10 months after planting.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a tropical perennial grown for its pungent, aromatic rhizome. Grown from a piece of fresh rhizome, it needs warmth, humidity and a long season. Hardy in zones 8-12; grown in containers or as a season-long annual in cooler climates. Below zone 8, start the rhizome in a pot indoors 6 to 8 weeks before planting out. It needs the head start to size up before fall frost.
Growing notes: Botanical name: Zingiber officinale|Hardiness zones: 8-12|Propagation: rhizome|Sun needs: Part shade|Water needs: Medium to high|Mature height: 2-4 feet|Spacing: 12 inches|Harvest: Harvest rhizomes 8-10 months after planting
Plant spacing
In a square-foot bed, space ginger about 12 in apart — that fits 1 plant in each 1-foot square (1×1). Wider rows or containers space the same.
Plan your ginger planting
Add ginger to a free GardenDraft garden and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.
Start your free plan →At a glance
Storing & preserving
Refrigerate stems in water, or wrap in a damp towel for a few days.
- Dry: Dehydrate or air-dry, then store airtight away from light.
- Freeze: Freeze chopped in oil or water in ice-cube trays.
General home-preservation guidance — for tested processing times and safety, follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Growing timeline
Care & troubleshooting
No curated care & troubleshooting advice for ginger yet. Our extension-service library currently focuses on common edible crops; we're expanding it over time.