The first baby ginger of the season is coming in now, and I had forgotten just how delicious it is. The timing was perfect, as we started a year round farmer's market this past Saturday and even people who didn't buy any, stopped to say how beautiful it was. It is always nice to hear your work is appreciated. < g >
Truth is not what you want it to be; it is what it is. And you must bend to its power or live a lie.”― Miyamoto Musashi
"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens." ~ Jimi Hendrix
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”― Stephen Hawking
The first baby ginger of the season is coming in now, and I had forgotten just how delicious it is. The timing was perfect, as we started a year round farmer's market this past Saturday and even people who didn't buy any, stopped to say how beautiful it was. It is always nice to hear your work is appreciated. < g >
That is nice to hear! Around here everyone is whining about something, everything has to be perfect looking and half the price of Walmart!
Your Ginger looks wonderful! What is the best way too use it that you have found?
Gallagher.
"I always put off what I can until tomorrow, because a little part of me says I could be dead by then!"
"When I die bury me deep, lay my bicycle at my feet, strap a helmet to my head, so I can ride when I'm dead."
"The artist must possess the courageous soul that dares and defies."
kate chopin.
I understand what you mean about some people...though there is nothing wrong with looking for a bargain, buy from Walmart. Our stuff is organic, fresh and locally grown and we found markets where those attributes are appreciated. Of course, we have a distance to travel to get to them, both markets we do are more than an hour and a half away.
The ginger and turmeric crop is doing well. It is a shame you don't have a better market. I know from reading and talking to people at the market, farmers are growing baby ginger as far north as Maine. One visitor told me they knew of someone in Nova Scotia growing it. It would be just the high valued crop you need for the wind tunnel, which is how those in the northern climes are doing it. The ginger you see in stores takes about ten months to mature and ships well. The baby ginger needs no peeling and isn't fibrous, so it cuts like butter....with all the ginger flavor still there. And it is too tender to handle shipping, so is generally found only at local markets. BUT it can be harvested in 3 to 4 months. Your new wind tunnel should make that possible.
Truth is not what you want it to be; it is what it is. And you must bend to its power or live a lie.”― Miyamoto Musashi
"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens." ~ Jimi Hendrix
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”― Stephen Hawking
Hey Rainblood.... truth be told, the rhizomes actually look very nice. To put it succinctly, I'd say the two most important factors that determine yield are the amount of plant started and time. From my readings, the expected return for a ginger harvest runs (depending on source) from 6 to 12 pounds harvest per pound of seed ginger planted. The mention of 'seed' is important in that you can get a single hand, that ways nearly a pound, or you can get 'seed' and have about nine starts to the pound. So i have to ask, what was it you planted?
Length of time is also a crucial factor.....the 6-12 lb harvest thing I suspect is on letting the plant go to term; under natural conditions, ginger has a ten month grow period, followed by a two month rest....give or take. It is not tied to photoperiod or temperature ( per se) but rather an adaptation to the dry period in its native habitat. I have no idea where you are growing, but odds are slim that you have a ten month season....so while you are able to harvest the prime 'young' ginger....it does reduce the yield. A large reason that in northern markets young ginger sells for upwards of $25 a pound.....it doesn't have a long shelf life and without the thick skin and fiber content of the 'mature' hands you find in stores, some of which can be two years old.
So to end my ramble, you can start more stock to begin with or get a heat mat and pre-sprout to extend the season and get a heavier weight from the same starts.
Truth is not what you want it to be; it is what it is. And you must bend to its power or live a lie.”― Miyamoto Musashi
"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens." ~ Jimi Hendrix
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”― Stephen Hawking
Seeds? I bought some ginger at the Asian market, broke it up and then buried it in the ground
I'm in GA...I planted in Spring and nothing happened until around mid-Summer and then I harvested in October, so I guess relatively short.
There was a flower bud that started growing on one, but it did not have time to bloom.
It is 'seed ginger',in the same sense you get 'seed potatoes'.....plantable size chunks. You may want to find a more reliable source. Sticking to the potato analogy, commercial ginger is often sprayed with a chemical to inhibit sprouting, that may have been part of your problem, because given soil temps over 60, they should sprout within a couple weeks.. Whether the chemical is contact and can be washed off, or systemic and you need to ride it out, I don't know. But you might want to find some organic stock.
As for flowers.....you didn't really miss much. < g >
Truth is not what you want it to be; it is what it is. And you must bend to its power or live a lie.”― Miyamoto Musashi
"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens." ~ Jimi Hendrix
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”― Stephen Hawking
Rain, I will be ordering a large amount of organic(ish) ginger seed for the next growing season, I you want some I will sell some to you for what it cost me. Let me know.
Beautiful bloom Craig!
Gallagher.
"I always put off what I can until tomorrow, because a little part of me says I could be dead by then!"
"When I die bury me deep, lay my bicycle at my feet, strap a helmet to my head, so I can ride when I'm dead."
"The artist must possess the courageous soul that dares and defies."
kate chopin.
When are you planning to get the ginger seed? I am working at timing a shipment of certified organic seed to arrive mid-November. I have to fly up to NC and would be great to have it at the cargo area when I return. It will be a smallish sixty pound shipment....I am determined to figure a way to grow it year round and can't risk losing too much if I fail. < g >
I do have some turmeric just going into bloom now, so if cool temps hold off a little longer, it looks as though I will have a spring harvest. I dig it fresh every week and bring extra to the market, because no one like to buy the "last" piece. What to do with leftover turmeric? I dry and grind it and see the powdered for. < g >
Truth is not what you want it to be; it is what it is. And you must bend to its power or live a lie.”― Miyamoto Musashi
"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens." ~ Jimi Hendrix
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”― Stephen Hawking
The way our temperature has been I may be able to grow turmeric here! LOL The weather has been nuts lately, in the mid 80's!
I am thinking I may try pre sprouting my ginger, and also may try grow a little bit in some containers outside the high tunnel. This first year there will be a lot of experimenting.
I need to get the name of that Peru ginger guy from you.
Gallagher.
"I always put off what I can until tomorrow, because a little part of me says I could be dead by then!"
"When I die bury me deep, lay my bicycle at my feet, strap a helmet to my head, so I can ride when I'm dead."
"The artist must possess the courageous soul that dares and defies."
kate chopin.