What to Do After Ginger Plant DivisionĪfter splitting a ginger plant, you should have several healthy viable roots or rhizomes. You can also store the rhizomes in peat moss in a paper bag until planting conditions are favorable. Ensuring that each piece planted has plenty of nodes is insurance in case one doesn’t sprout. These will be the source of sprouts and new plant growth. Take the healthy rhizomes and select all that have at least several eyes or growth nodes. Check each rhizome for damage from rot or insect/rodent damage. Use a sharp knife or root saw and cut away individual rhizomes. To separate the plant, dig it up carefully without damaging the rhizomes and roots. The majority of a ginger plant’s growth occurs when temperatures are warm and plenty of moisture is available. It adds a tropical aspect to the home interior if there is proper lighting or as an outdoor plant. Splitting a ginger plant once this occurs will keep the plant healthy and allow you to harvest those rhizomes, either for culinary use as in the case of Zinginber or just to create more plants. If you are seeing numerous rhizomes pushing to the surface of the soil, it is time to divide the plant. Therefore, it is the rhizomes you are harvesting during ginger plant division. It is from these growth nodes that new plant material will sprout. Rhizomes are underground modified stems which have growth nodes. Most gingers produce rhizomes near the top 3 to 4 inches (8-10 cm.). The prevailing wisdom on separating ginger points to dividing when the weather is warm but recent rains have occurred. Rhizomes are the part of the plant which is divided in order to make new plants or simply to separate old rhizomes from new and increase growth. Most are natives of tropical to sub-tropical regions and require well-draining soil, sun, and warm temperatures. The culinary ginger we know and love comes from Zinginber officinale but there are ornamental gingers in the genera Hedychium and Curcuma which produce beautiful flowers and attractive foliage as well. The trick is knowing when to divide ginger and how to do it without damaging the parent plant. You can use the rhizomes for flavoring and tea, or plant them anew to develop additional plants for your landscape or give away to a deserving family member or friend. Ginger plant division should be done when a container is crowded or when garden plants are at least three years old. Separating a ginger periodically will encourage new growth and can garner new plants from divided rhizomes. Gingeris a perennial herb that grows from rhizomes.

Caring for red button ginger