1. High Tunnel Production of Fresh
Ginger Root (Zingiber officinale)
Reza Rafie and Chris Mullins
2. The funding to promote the
production and marketing of
Virginia grown ginger was
provided by a grant from the
Virginia Department of Agriculture
and Consumer Services (VDACS).
3. Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
The official name Zingiber drived, using the Indian Sanskrit
name for ginger - singabera, or shaped like a horn.
Other spices in the same family with ginger are Tumeric and
Cardamom.
http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_ginger.htm
4. Ginger plant
The ginger plant has a long history of cultivation, having
originated in Asia. Ginger is considered a tropical plant,
has dark-green erect steams and lanced-shaped leaves
that produces underground rhizomes. The plant may
reach 2-4 ft in height.
5. General Information
The ginger is the most widely cultivated spice around the
world. There are countless varieties, shapes and sizes,
India has an estimated fifty varieties of this versatile herb.
Depending on the conditions of the soil and the manner of
its cultivations, each and every variety of the ginger
possesses its own distinctive flavor and aroma. Africa is
reputedly the home of the most pungent ginger, while the
milder varieties are grown mainly in China.
The general agreements is that culinary applications will
likely use milder ginger varieties, while the stronger and
more pungent varieties are best to prepare ginger
beverages and for use in therapeutic herbal remedies.
http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_ginger.htm
6. Medicinal Use of Ginger
•Stimulate the circulatory system.
•Useful in controlling high blood pressure.
•Reducing fevers.
•Alleviate persistent coughs and all kinds of colds and
flu.
•The ability of the ginger to alleviate nausea and
vomiting is famous.
7. Why Ginger
• Ginger rhizome is an aromatic, pungent spice which is used
for cooking and its health benefits, and well know than any
other spice around the world.
• Total volume and value of imported fresh ginger to the U.S.
2000-2009
45,000 $40
40,000
$35
Total Volume
35,000 China
$30
Value
30,000
$25
25,000
MT $20
20,000
Million
$15
15,000
$10
10,000
5,000 $5
0 $0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Year
8. Why Ginger
Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. that commercially produces
ginger, However, ginger wilt caused by a bacterium known as
Ralstonia solanacerum has caused sever reduction not only in
Hawaii but in all countries with commercial production.
Acreages and farm value of ginger production in
Hawaii, 1997-2008
300 $9.0
$8.0
250
$7.0
200 $6.0
A
c $5.0
150 Million
r $4.0
e 100 $3.0
$2.0
50 Acres
$1.0
0 $0.0
Farm Value
1997 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Years
9. Old Friends Farm sells its ginger to several restaurants
in the Amherst area. For those interested in trying it at
home, it can be purchased from Old Friends Farm. For
those lucky enough to get their hands on a piece of the
small harvest, the ginger sells for $15.00 to $20.00 per
pound. http://www.edibleboston.net/content/pages/articles/fall08/beansCreatingTopics.pdf
It is logical to believe that there is
a considerable niche market
opportunity for locally grown
ginger, mostly targeted toward
consumers shopping at local
farmer markets and to those
restaurants seeking only local
products.
10. Growing Ginger in Virginia
It is not possible to grow ginger in Virginia
under field conditions as it takes 9 -10
months from planting to the harvest.
However, planting it early in FEBRURARY in
a greenhouse and transplanting the plantlet
at the end of APRIL in a high tunnel, would
allow season expansion, and mature ginger
can be harvested in January and February of
the following year.
13. Ginger Seed Rhizome
- Use only mature, clean, disease-free ginger hands
- Cut the selected hands into 2-4 oz
sections, sterilizing the knife after each cut
- Each seed-piece should have two to four well
developed “eyes.”
-Surface-sterilize the seed-pieces in a 10% solution of
household bleach (1 part bleach in 9 parts water) for
10 minutes
-Cure the seed-pieces in a clean, disease-free area
for three days or more before planting
(Hepperly, P. and Francis Zee, 2004)
14. In April the potted plants are
ready to be transplanted in
the high tunnel.
In February, plant the seed piece
in a one gallon pot ½-¾ filled
with soilless potting mix (2 parts
Compost, 2-4 parts Sphagnum
Peat Moss, 1 part Perlite, and 1
part Vermiculite). Maintain in a
greenhouse.
19. Fertilizer
• Ginger responds well with adequate
fertilizer application.
• For detail of fertilizer need see
• http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/SCM-8.pdf
20. Mounding (Hilling)
Is the periodic covering of the upward-expanding
rhizomes. It is an important process in ginger
production.
