Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Can ginger be grown in aquaponics?

For the past two years I've been growing it (in Perth, Australia) in large tubs filled with potting mix. However, it needs watering on a daily basis, especially in summer.

Thus I've thought that maybe this year I should grow it in my aquaponic system instead, so I don't have to water every day ... instead the system will do it every hour!

If it can grow, at what depth should I plant the ginger rhyzomes?

Thanks,

Bill

PS. In my potting mix beds, I generally plant in June/July, it shoots around October and I harvest in late June, and dry out the remaining rhyzomes for about a week before replanting. It grows in partial shade so as not to get fried in summer.

Also, I found out on a ginger-factory tour in Queensland, that you can peel fresh ginger and store it in the freezer. Then grate (while frozen) as required! Works a treat! To prevent freezer burn, I package into small vacuum bags before freezing.

Hi Bill,

Well I tried some ginger last winter in AP but it did not turn out too good... the ginger somewhat rotted... but I believe I put them in at the wrong time. Possibly best in spring, especially because the AP water tends to be colder than the soil would be...

But I think since ginger takes about 8 to 10 months to grow, it would be best grown in the ground... the growing root would somewhat either interfere with other quick growing veges or plants root system and maybe reduce the yield in both instances... less yield for ginger and less vege/plant growth...

Consider either a self-watering pot or have a wicking bed installed, so that the nutrient water does not run off to waste...

a wicking pot sounds like the best way to go, I have raised it in outside beds, as well as in greenhouse, it likes moist soil but most crops with rhyzomes I would allow a dryer environment then a flood and drain one. Its worth working with just for the fragrance.

Mitch bought some ginger here to work a couple of weeks ago. He had grown it in his aquaponics system at home and harvested a clump bigger than my hand in only a few months. I told him to take a photo but I think he is too busy playing in the garden to bother at the moment. It certainly was a good looking piece of ginger.

Yep, he had some very nice ginger grown in gravel in his growbed.

yes All root crops/ bulbs can be grown they just need a lowered overflow pipe so they send their roots down for the water.... If in clay balls they will stay cool and wnot dry out as the clay holds some moisture even when no water in the beds

I have/am doing ginger garlic spring onions french onions beets celery also likes this way of growing ...I am planting some tumeric and arrowroot tubers today to see how they go...

Be careful growing arrowroot DD, that stuff is so aggressive.

Hmmm might give some a go in the greenhouse

i've grown both tumeric and ginger in aquaponics. 3/4 river pebbles. I made no adjustments, just let them have at it. got over a kg of tumeric from a single plant, and a similar amount of ginger. interestingly, the tumeric never flowered, but we had a very strange weather year this year, so i'm not sure if that wasnt the reason.

i have an alternative to lowering the water level, i went to the local B got hold of some of the very affordable (77c) made in NZ (couldnt belive that) buckets and cut out the bottoms sat this arround my potato plants and raised the bed up around the plant instead, this is just a it of an experiment but im going to try filling one with straw and one with gravel ( cause thats what ive got) but id say that it would work with other root crops as well

Cheers
pete

Have found that dont plant the Ginger too deep, just lay it on top of the gravel and let the roots chase the moisture. Also great for striking cuttings just poke them in and forget.

Apparently they water ginger all the time commercially (in ground)
My ginger was doing really well in the ground even flowering then the bush turkey dug it out and ate it.
mmmmmmmmm ........Ginger marinated bush turkey does sound delicious
buggers too fast even tried to dig out my vanilla, blood orange,curry plant and paw paw

he eats the neighbours bananas green fron the tree
My AP will need to be BT Proof

Hey bush turkeys are nice GRILLED.......I caught one on the front my car grill and took it all the way to town well done by the time we arrived 1 hr later.....

I really done envy you guys up there with those mongrel birds. We saw what they were like when we took the kids to seaworld up there.

whats wrong with bushturkeys you haters

best recipe ever

1 Bush turkey
8 bush rocks. Boil 6 hours.

Season with salt and pepper.

Throw away turkey. enjoy eating the rocks