When I started growing cooking ginger I just bought a healthy looking root at the grocery store and then immediatly planted it in a mid sized plastic flower pot in good soil. Then I placed the pot under my large oak tree and forgot about it. That was several years ago and it's still growing well and has even bloomed a few times. I use it in cooking from time to time but have never made tea from it.

Boy am I glad to find this post!! I bought some Hawaiian store bought ginger and am trying to find some info on how to get it started. I've read several different ways but all to no avail. Is it a slow starter? Right now I have a hunk soaking in water vertically with toothpicks on the side. I also have two other pieces in dirt under gro lites and on a heat mat. I don't have it covered. Should it be? I also read to just place it on top of soil and press down about 1 inch. Should this be covered. I'm sitting here with at least four pounds of ginger and cannot find any info. I also read to put it in a paper bag and place on a heat mat to get it started...then what...do I put it in potting soil covered? If so...do I lay it horizontally and completely cover with soil and then cover with a baggie or something? I do apologize for all the questions but just wanted to give it the ol "college try"..any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! Linda

Yes, you will be able to cut a portion of the rhizomes whenever you want to. But you'll probably want to leave some in the ground to keep the plant going. I have one in a pot and I scrape away some of the soil to expose the rhizomes, then use a knife to cut off the portion that I need. What other plants can be grown from dinner trimmings? Not sure what you mean by that. Do you mean from grocery store produce? If so, then seeds of any store-bought fruit such as citrus, pomagranite, star fruit, avocado, mango, durian (though not all will grow true to the original variety), root crops (ginger, galanga, taro, etc.), cuttings of sugar cane, etc. There is an Asian market near me that sells quite a variety of unusual produce. That's where I find the coolest stuff!

I made it yesterday and it was a little tough -- should have cooked it longer, I think. Still I used it in my cranberry conserve. Recipe below: Cranberry Conserve 2 (10 oz.) strawberries frozen w/syrup, thawed 1/2 C. sugar 1/4 C. water 1 (12 oz.) pkg. fresh cranberries 2 oz. crystallized ginger cut in slivers Peel of one orange cut into slivers 2 cinnamon sticks Drain liquid from strawberries into 3 qt. saucepan, reserving berries. Add sugar and water - bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, ginger, orange and cinnamon. Return to boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in reserved strawberries. Remove from heat, cool. Spoon into jars, cover and refrig. up to one month. Yield: 1 quart I had several jars of canned spiced apples that I added to mine just to use them up.