Ginger is a strong, potent herb that can be used either fresh and dried to complement food dishes. Commonly used in sushi recipes, health drinks and tea, ginger is said to help reduce pain and ease stomach aches and to boost metabolism. Ever wonder how to grow ginger indoors? Ginger can easily be grown inside and harvested year-round. Read on to learn tips for growing ginger indoors.

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Instructions for How to Grow Ginger Indoors:

Start with a living ginger root. These are available from nurseries, garden centers or seed companies. If you have a friend with a ginger plant, a root cutting from that may work as well. Choose a root that is firm, plump and has tight skin with several eye buds on it (like the bumps you find on a potato). Roots can be cut and sectioned at the buds and planted so that each will grow into an individual plant. Soak the ginger root in warm water overnight to prepare for planting. Fill a shallow, wide plant pot (ginger roots grow horizontally) with rich, well-draining potting soil. Place the ginger root with the eye bud pointing up and cover it with 1-2 inches more of soil. Water lightly. Place the pot in a spot that stays warm and doesn’t get a lot of bright light. Keep the soil moist, being careful not to over-water. Ginger is slow to grow. Be patient. After 2-3 weeks, you should see some shoots coming up. A few months after growth begins, small pieces of ginger can be harvested. Move the soil at the edges of the pot to find some ginger rhizomes (the term for an underground, continuously growing stem) beneath the surface. Cut the desired amount off a stem toward the edge of the pot and then replace the soil to allow it to continue to grow.

If you follow these steps for how to grow ginger indoors, your supply can be grown and harvested endlessly.

Are you a fan of fresh ginger? Now that you know how to grow ginger indoors, you never have to be without it again!

This post was first published in 2016 and has been updated.

FAVORITE FRESH GINGER RECIPES: