Ginger: The Growth Process & Holistic Properties

Ginger is known as the universal medicine for its versatility and healing properties. It increases agni (digestive fire), neutralizes toxins, helps digestion and absorption of food. Ginger brings a ton of spicy and sweet flavor to any dish such as tea, soup, stew, and appetizers.

At Left: Vintage watercolor illustration of the ginger root, some different types of ginger, leaves and flowers.

Every day on the Goronson Farm, we are looking for new things to grow that have healing or restorative properties. One holistic plant we plan to grow is ginger; and now we finally will!

Ginger has numerous medicinal properties. When considering a ginger plant, we usually talk about ginger rhizomes, but the flowers produced are also edible. These flowers add a spicy/sour base to stocks and stews. When consuming the flower, just cut away the petals and keep the bud. When preparing, make sure to blend or chop finely as the bud is very hard.

We will grow ginger in our greenhouse so it can have access to filtered light, a warmer temperature, high humidity, and moist soil. The best time to plant ginger is late winter/early spring. When growing ginger, it is important to water and mulch frequently so the soil stays moist but not waterlogged.

With perfect conditions, ginger can begin to be harvested after 4 months of planting, but the best time to harvest is 8-10 months once the leaves have begun to die down.

You’ve probably heard your mother or grandmother talk about ginger tea and how it will help you. What you might not have known, is that it isn’t an old-wives tale but the truth!

Ginger is purported to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. The enzymes in ginger helps the body break up and expel gas that forms in the intestinal tract during digestion. In addition, it can also relieve nausea.
Some studies suggest that due to its anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, ginger can be an effective supplement when battling a cold or the flu.
Ginger reduces multiple types of oxidative stress. This stress occurs when too many free radicals (toxic substances produced by metabolism and other factors) build up in the body. The body needs to eliminate free radicals to prevent them from causing cellular damage that can lead to many diseases, such as cancer. Ginger may play a role in breaking up the stress caused by free radicals, allowing the body to more easily fight back .

Ginger: The Under-estimated and Under-appreciated!