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Ginger

 

August 20, 2016

Question

I was wondering if you could give me any tips on how to get my ginger plants to bloom.  I have quite a few, and they do great outside in the summer months.  I move them in every fall and treat them as houseplants over winter - they do just fine.  They have such gorgeous blooms when I purchase them, but after that, none, not ever, and I've had some of them for 4 or 5 years! 


AnswerDo you know what type of ginger you are growing? Most members of the Hedychium genus are winter hardy throughout central and southern Arkansas, with a bit of added protection needed in the northern tier.  Just mulch a bit more after a killing frost.  The hardiest and most common one in this genus is the white butterfly ginger, but there are some lovely orange and yellow blooming varieties as well.  If you are growing these they do best with full sun to partial shade. If they are in deep shade, they will not bloom.  They are just now beginning to bloom and should do so for at least 6 weeks.  Other species of ginger include the peacock (Kaempheria) which may overwinter in south Arkansas in the shade and the torch gingers (Etlingera) and Alpinia (Shell Ginger), the latter two are not winter hardy in Arkansas and would need to be moved indoors for the winter. 


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