Think, Eat, Be Healthy

The Backyard Ginger Plant II – The Harvest

My first ever ginger plant got its first leaf at the end of July and was harvested in early December.

My first ever ginger plant got its first leaf at the end of July and was harvested in early December.

Fresh ginger root is a strongly anti-inflammatory whole food that I try to eat nearly every day. This past spring I planted several pieces of organic ginger root purchased at the local farmer’s market.

I first wrote about my ginger plant in the backyard garden in early August. At that time it had one leaf and I had no idea what to expect. That first leaf had taken several months to appear and I had never grown ginger before.

Today I decided it was time to harvest ginger and see just what was there. This was an experiment, done on a lark just to see what would happen. Could fresh ginger root be one more whole food grown in the garden? I like to eat local food whenever possible and no food is more local than what you grow at home.

Fresh ginger root from the backyard garden

Fresh ginger root from the backyard garden

First, I carefully knocked the growing bucket out into another pot. Then the ginger roots were separated from the loosened soil. I picked the fine roots off of the tubers. The ginger seemed firm and well formed. There was not as much as I expected but the plant was small and it had only grown for a little more than five months. The color was stunning, more orange than golden, and reminded me of turmeric.

I cut the plant free of the tubers. As much loose soil as possible was brushed off by hand and it was put in a bowl to take into the house. Once in the kitchen, I soaked the tubers in cold water for thirty minutes to loosen the remaining soil, then rinsed it well.

 

Fresh ginger root, harvested young, is the ultimate in local food.

Fresh ginger root, harvested young, is the ultimate in local food.

The color now was even more impressive. I cut a thin slice to taste. It was quite mild, distinctively ginger flavored and just slightly bitter at the end. The skin was tender and not noticeable when raw and fresh from the ground.

I am declaring the great home grown ginger experiment a success and will be planting more in the early spring of next year.

 

2 thoughts on “The Backyard Ginger Plant II – The Harvest

  1. David Riddington

    Hi, I saw some maggotty looking things at an exotic greengrocers in the market. Reminds me of wireworms or creamy coloured mealworms, but a bit fatter. No sign or price, but told they were ginger roots. They had no idea how to cook them, so bought something else that did have a name (Thai yam bean). This website is the closest thing to finding out about these “ginger roots”. Any idea about cooking them? Would love to serve them up to the grandchildren and then gross them out by eating maggots. David

    1. John Rivard Post author

      David, Without seeing exactly what was at your exotic greengrocer, I can’t tell you if it was ginger root or not. Fresh ginger root can vary from almost white to tan to golden colored. When cut, it is juicy and fibrous and has a distinctive ginger odor.

      You might be more familiar with dried powdered ginger as it is usually sold in the spice section of grocery stores. Fresh ginger is a little more potent and is not usually cooked or eaten as a vegetable, but instead used to flavor other dishes. I prefer using fresh ginger root over the powdered form and it has a long(weeks) shelf life when refrigerated.

      I like to add a few thin slices to a cup of tea or a glass of lemon water. It can be grated and added to sauces and curries. Ginger has a real anti-oxidant punch and has been proven to be as good a pain killer as most of the NSAID over-the-counter drugs. It is also great when added to smoothies and BBQ sauces.

      But please don’t try to cook it and eat it as a vegetable.