Many of us know the root of ginger as a spice, giving dishes and drinks a special piquancy. In addition, he is incredibly useful . However, few people think where it grows and in general - whether ginger grows in Russia or it is brought to us from overseas countries.
In fact, the birthplace of ginger is Southeast Asia and Western India. There it grows in abundance. Unfortunately, the wild ginger is almost replaced by its cultivated brother, who is cultivated on huge plantations on an industrial scale. The plant is actively grown in Vietnam, Japan, China, Argentina, Brazil and Jamaica. But where is ginger grown in Russia, and are they growing?
Growing ginger in Russia
In the wild, you are unlikely to encounter ginger in our latitudes, as the plant chooses a warmer and humid climate. But in gardening and on the windowsills of some desperate agronomists ginger grows in Russia. And with due care of them, everything is quite successfully obtained.
Planting ginger is necessary in open sunny places, where there is no stagnation of groundwater. You can grow it in vases or large boxes on the veranda or the windowsill. In any case, you will be able to get a decent harvest if you provide a plant close to the usual microclimate.
Of course, the harvest of ginger grown in the central strip of Russia will be different from, say, Brazilian or Vietnamese - after all, the climate is colder here. Nevertheless, it is still possible to obtain roots that are usable.
How and where does ginger grow in Russia?
If you decide to cultivate this beautiful and useful plant, consider that at home it grows like an annual plant. Reproduction is by dividing the rhizome. Plant them in early spring - in March-April, as soon as the warm weather has settled.
To grow ginger, buy a root with several well-developed kidneys. A fertile loam with a high percentage of humus content is suitable as a primer.
In open ground it is necessary to plant the segments up with vegetative buds and sprinkle with fertile soil. Soon ginger will sprout, there will be straight stems, similar to reeds. Ginger blossoms with orange-yellow or brown flowers, like spikelets.
The roots of ginger will be ready for use 6-7 months after planting, when the ground part of it turns yellow. They are dug and allowed to dry in the sun. In the section, the root should be light yellow. If the root is inside white, this indicates that it is not ripe.