[Calou]

A friend of mine very kindly posted a little parcel to me which I received today, inside were some ginger roots with a note saying "Congrats on your new plot". Well, she lives in Spain and I was under the inpression that ginger only grew in hot climates so my question is............
Has anyone grown it here in the UK and if so how?

[WG.]

Stick to Ginger in the Biggles books.  

Some varieties grow 18ft tall BTW.  Have a search on these forums though since it has been discussed before.

[Trillium]

There's a variety of ginger grown here in Ontario which isn't large, about the size of smaller pepper plants. However, they must be shaded, no exceptions, so the growers all make latticed covers for them which they can walk under to check plants. Don't grow it myself as I don't eat that much ginger.

[DD.]

Here y'are.........

Growing Ginger In The UK

[WG.]

This one suggests 15ft high : http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150163988883&ih=005&category=42217

Several other google results only 6ft so it is evident that there are several different varieties since DD's link says 'low growing'.

[Calou]

Thankyou kindly for your replies. I'm thinking, nothing ventured, nothing gained so what the hell, I'll chuck it in the soil and keep everything crossed! lol I am surprised that none of you have had a go at it yourselves.

[muntjac]

try it in the greenhouse over winter

[Fat Hen]

There are different varieties of ginger.  I have had edible ginger growing on my kitchen windowsill for a couple of years, though it never seems to procuce much "root", just lots of foliage.

My brother in law gave me an ornamental ginger last year which I have in the greenhouse with my chillis, that has done very well and produced more "root", and presently has beautiful orange, perfumed flowers on it.

They do seem to be sensitive to direct sunlight, the one in the greenhouse enjoys a shady position as my g'house is up against a fence & shed.  I keep wondering if the ornamental ginger is edible as it's produced a fair sized growth this year.

Neither plant is much above a metre/yard & a bit, in height.

[gobs]

Thankyou kindly for your replies. I'm thinking, nothing ventured, nothing gained so what the hell, I'll chuck it in the soil and keep everything crossed! lol I am surprised that none of you have had a go at it yourselves.

Chucking it in....hmmmm!

All, right, we had, just not that proud of the experience, you see. But once you insist:
Scen1 - nicely chitted and growing and all, dead in autumn
Scen2 - same as above, sulks all winter, no roots
so there. Have better luck and let us know!

[fletch]

Fat hen, from what I understand the ornamental ginger rhizomes aren't edible, but very nice exotic looking garden plants all the same. I have a few varieties in my garden.

I have an "edible" ginger plant about 12" high at the moment in my unheated greenhouse which I was expecting to croak over winter but if you say you grew them in the house I may bring it indoors  

[shaun]

theres a village near me and most of the kids have ginger hair  :?

[frazzy]

  let us know how you get on like you say nothing ventured nothing gained.

[mushroom]

Thankyou kindly for your replies. I'm thinking, nothing ventured, nothing gained so what the hell, I'll chuck it in the soil and keep everything crossed! lol I am surprised that none of you have had a go at it yourselves.

I think for it to "produce", it needs a soil temp of 28C or above - it's a proper tropical plant. Still, you might get some leaf growth at cooler temps. I've got ginger root wet before, and it's sprouted but not much else.

[splodger]

i grow my ginger - from old roots from the supermarket - just pick roots with lots of eyes on them.

they are tropical plants - so like it humid - and they don't like direct sunlight (i have mine in my wet-room/bathroom) nice and steamy in there  

don't overwater - but don't let them dry out either - other than that - ginger is very easy to grow (but they can grow quite tall if you let them go)

[mushroom]

wouldn't that be wonderful - a wet-room with sunny aspect that had ginger, lemon balm and a small lemon tree.   - i'd love that kind of thing in my tiny rented flat :cry:

why travel miles to go on holiday? I'd just holiday there  :!: