Ginger - 2023 Herb of the Year

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been named 2023 herb of the year. Most of us are probably familiar with the part of the ginger plant found in our restaurants or grocery stores, sold fresh or in ground form- often called ginger "root."

Even though the word "rhizome" comes from the ancient Greek word for "mass of roots," ginger is not a root at all, it is a rhizome. What is a rhizome? It is a form of a stem that grows underground and sends out roots and shoots from nodes. They can grow both horizontally and vertically. Some plants you may be familiar with that grow from rhizomes are Lily of the Valley, Irises and asparagus. Ginger is an herbaceous perennial that grows annual stems which are the leaves you see above the ground. The roots keep on growing year after year, but the stems and leaves grow, then die every year.

Ginger was introduced to Northern Europe by the Romans who got it from Arab traders. Ginger thrives in tropical climates, such as Southeast Asia, India, China, Nepal, Tropical Africa, parts of Central America, and the Caribbean. It takes about 8 - 10 months from planting to harvesting the crop.

Growing Your Own Ginger:

In our area, ginger can be planted in containers and later moved outdoors. Ginger rhizomes can be purchased from the grocery store, but organic ginger is best because the grocery store variety may have been treated with a growth inhibitor. Purchase organic ginger to increase your chances of success. When purchasing ginger, buy a large piece that is firm and plump and has visible eye bud nodes from which the stems grow. Your container should be at least 12" deep and 18" in diameter. The width is more important than the depth. Your soil for growing ginger should be loamy, rich organic soil with a pH between 5.5 - 6.5. Use a 5-5-5 fertilizer mixture which is five parts phosphorus, 5 parts nitrogen and 5 parts potassium. Prepare the ginger for planting by cutting into 1-2" pieces, making sure each piece has at least one eye bud. Let them sit out for a few days to allow the cut ends to form a callus. This procedure is similar to preparing potatoes for planting. Once the cuttings are ready and your soil is prepared, dig a hole about 1- 2 inches from the top of the soil and place the root in with eye bud facing upward. Cover with soil and give a light watering. Place your container in a warm place where it will get 2 - 5 hours of direct daily sunlight. Keep the soil most but not wet. After a few weeks, shoots should emerge. Once the leaves appear, keep soil evenly moist but not soggy. If you start your ginger in early spring it can be moved outdoors to harvest baby ginger or green ginger. These young rhizomes have thinner skin so be careful when digging them up as to not bruise them. If you would like larger rhizomes, move them inside before the first frost. Ginger will go dormant and lose all their stems with onset of winter days. The rhizomes can be stored over the winter by leaving them in the container with soil, or digging them up, cleaning, and storing the rhizomes in a brown paper bag in a cool, dry place. Do not refrigerate rhizomes for replanting. Growth will resume with new shoots in early spring if you keep them warm and in a bright spot. Ginger can be grown in Pennsylvania. See the Penn State Extension website below for more details and information.

Problems that you may encounter:

If the tips of leaves are browning, more water is needed.

Yellowing leaves may indicate your ginger may need more nutrients.

Ginger grown in containers rarely flowers.

If you choose to move your ginger outdoors, make sure night temperatures do not go below 50 degrees.

Once you have tasted home grown ginger you will be glad you grew your own. Try using ground ginger to make an eggless, no milk and no butter cake.

For more information, see Growing ginger: add a little spice to your life

Gingerbread Crazy Cake (No Eggs, No Milk, No Butter!)

One of the Easiest gingerbread cakes you can make made with ingredients right from the pantry! This super moist, dense, lightly spiced cake has no eggs, no milk, no butter and doesn't require a mixer! Dairy Free, Egg Free, Vegan.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• ¼ cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
• ¼ cup molasses (unsulphured)
• 1 cup water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the water and molasses - stir until completely blended, set aside. In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix well.

Make 3 depressions in the dry ingredients, 2 small, 1 large - add vanilla to one small depression, vinegar to the other small depression, then add the oil to the large depression.

Next, pour the water/molasses mixture over top and mix until well blended and the batter is smooth. Do not over mix.

Pour batter in prepared baking dish. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for approximately 35 minutes. Check with toothpick to makes sure it comes out clean. *Baking times will vary depending on oven.

When ready, remove and allow cooling.

Serve cake plain or with a dusting of powdered sugar, topped with your favorite vanilla or butter cream frosting, a dollop of whipped cream, caramel sauce, or lemon sauce.

Wonderful served warm fresh out of the oven, or served cold.

Author: Kathy Rohrbaugh, Master Gardener

Kathy Rohrbaugh is a Master Gardener in York County. Penn State Master Gardeners are volunteers for Penn State Extension. For more information, go to YorkMG@psu.edu or contact the Master Gardener office at 717-840-7408.