Ginger: Zingy Vibes

Ginger  - Common Ginger, Luya, or Cooking Ginger

BOTANICAL NAME

Zingiber officinale

PLANT TYPE

Perennial Herb

SUN EXPOSURE

Full Morning Sun, Semi or Full Afternoon Shade

SOIL TYPE

Well-drained loamy or sandy soil; Moist soil

SOIL pH

5.5-6.5

FUN FACTS               

           

Ginger plant is known for its spicy aromatic swollen underground stems, called rhizome, which usually grow about 1.5-2.5 cm thick, whereas for the annual stem could grow up to 1-5 feet tall by 5 feet wide, at a fast rate. This is a flowering plant has a cone-shaped flower head with pale-yellow to yellow-green (or chartreuse) color. The alternatively arranged mid-green leaves are long and narrow. Ginger is in the family Zingiberaceae, to which turmeric also belong. This warm-climate plant had originated in the tropical rainforest in Southern Asia.

Culinary Uses

Ginger is best known as a hot, pungent, zingy-sweet, aromatic spice. This spice is produced from the rhizome or underground stem; hence the spice is sometimes referred as ginger root. The underground part of the ginger has a distinctive thickened and branched, from brown to tan-colored outer layer, and knotty is texture, appearing somewhat like a swollen hand. This skin is usually removed prior to cooking or consuming reveal a yellow, soft, juicy and fibrous meat.

The pungent principles in ginger rhizome are the non-volatile phenolic compounds gingerol, gingeridione and shogaol as many described a zingy sweet aromatic and lemon-like scent. A dried rhizome is twice as pungent as the fresh ones [1], could be grated and stored for later use. The rhizomes are widely used in many areas of the world as food and beverage flavoring and seasoning. It is a culinary ingredient added to create a mild-hot spicy flavor to dishes such as curries, chutneys, stir-fry, and soup-based like ‘Tinolang Manok’. The very young rhizomes are ideal eaten raw in salads, pickled in vinegar, and cooked in syrup and made into sweetmeats or candies, like ‘shoga no sato zuke.’ While dried powdered ginger root is used as flavoring in cakes and pastries, like gingerbread and cookies. They are also commonly used in beverage like beer, wine, coffee and tea, like ‘salabat’ [2]. Ginger oil, the oleoresin, an essential oil obtained from rhizomes is used to flavor in essences candies and beverages, like ginger beer and ginger ale.

The young leaves and shoot are slightly spicy can be eaten as a potherb or pureed, then used in hot sauces and dips. The leaves can also be used to wrap food whilst it is cooked bringing a fresh mint-like flavor.  

Medicinal Uses

The Ginger rhizomes or root, fresh or dried is commonly used in Eastern Herbal treatments, as evident in Chinese medicine used it as an ingredient about half of all of its prescriptions. As mentioned above, the root is rich in non-volatile phenolic compounds, as well as volatile oils responsible for it zingy sweet  aroma that stimulates the production of saliva and somehow promotes appetite believing it also aids in digestion and promotes bile flow from the gall bladder into the duodenum, or the first section of the small intestine. It is used as a folk medicine that helps control nausea and vomiting, which include morning and motion sickness but no conclusive evidence that it helps alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting [3]. While a warm ginger-broth believed to be carminative (stimulate flatulence) hence used to relieve indigestion and colic. It is also believed to be a stimulant, diaphoretic (induces perspiration), expectorant, and emmenagogue (stimulate menstrual flow). However, there is no clear evidence that ginger is not effective treatment for dysmenorrheal or menstrual cramps [4], and cause miscarriage or harm during pregnancy.

 Externally, the crushed root topically applied is due to analgesic and rubefacient quality, it warms and increases blood flow and helps calms the nerves, relieves spasms, cramps, pains and sprains [1].

Ginger is recognized as generally safe but the topical use of ginger may cause allergic reaction result as a skin rash [5]. Ginger can also cause heartburn and other similar side effects, particularly in powdered form [5]. Large quantities of unchewed fresh ginger may result in intestinal blockage and inflammatory bowel disease [5]. If an individual has already developed gallstone, it is advice to stay away from it, as it may stimulate the bile and cause some adverse pain [6]. It may have drug interaction with warfarin and aspirin, anticoagulants, and nifedipine, a cardiovascular drug [5]. Thus, it is advice to exercise some precaution.

NTS: This blog initially declined to present any medicinal uses of the plants as most are unfounded claim. For safety reason, felt compelled to provide the general proven and unfounded effects with the hopes that reasonable precaution would be taken when utilizing the plants. Moreover, this blog cannot take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of the plant. Always seek advice from a professional before using for medicinally purpose.

Other Uses

Ginger oil, an essential oil obtained from rhizomes is commonly used as an ingredient in perfumery, cosmetics and medicines.

PLANTING

Preparation

      A greenhouse if in seasonal zones; or a semi-shade or shady corner in a tropical zone

      Large 36-inch deep container

      Broken pottery for drainage

      Well-drained loamy or sandy soil; or a potting soil mix of one part sad and one part compost; sanitize and free form pest, fungus and parasites

Propagation

By Division

Part to cut:

      A firm rhizome, an underground stem, sometime referred as ginger root;choose the part that has bumpy bud eye

Length of cutting:

      About an inch thick or thumb size

When to plant:

After soaking the cut root in warm for 24 hours

Rhizome Depth:

An inch deep, with the bud eye pointing up, then water lightly

Rhizome & Plant Spacing:

12-15 inches apart

Days to Sprout:

14-21 days

When to transplant:

Plant directly on soil or a large container

By Cutting

Ginger has been successfully propagated at Kew, London using intermodal cuttings, but specifics on what and how to cut, length of cuttings and days it took for roots to grow were not shared. It has been noted that the cutting method produced vigorous plants.

CARE AND CULTIVATION

Care Level:

EASY

Watering:

Water as needed

In the tropics, water daily preferably when the soil is cool, in the morning or cooled down, in the late afternoon

When ginger producing rhizomes, about 3 months in, reduce water to allow soil to dry slightly at the time of production. This is to ensure a healthy rhizomes, then ensure that the soil remain moist, may add mulch.

Growing Notes:

Full sun in the morning but shady during hot afternoons

A mildly acidic soil for healthy growth and rhizome production

If using a store-bought potting soil, fertilize in a regular schedule every two, six or eight weeks. Fertilize with nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium rich compost mix, and calcium nitrate to prevent tip rot. Avoid fertilizing before a rainstorm.

Since ginger rhizomes develop under the soil, adequate coverage is require to protect the rhizome from elements above, guard against soil erosion.

Provide shelter from strong wind and rainfall          

Bring the container-grown ginger indoors when temperatures drop to about 50 degree Fahrenheit (10 degree Celsius)

Flower Blooming:     

From March to August, ginger produces clusters of white and pink flower bud that bloom into a cone-shaped flowering head of pale-yellow, yellow or chartreuse in color with a purplish lip that has yellowish dots and striations

Flowering stems are rare

Companion plants:

Shrubs in the legume family like red clover, peas a or beans

Lemongrass

Tumeric

Galagal

Cardamom

Cilantro – at the edge

Chili peppers – at the edge

Kaffir lime

Pests and Diseases:

Tip rot – indicates calcium deficient soil, therefore calcium additive may be necessary

Common garden snails – crushed egg shell around the plants

Root knot nematodes – pre-planting preparation sanitize soil

Mealy bug

Red spider mite

HARVEST

Days to Harvest:

About eight to 10 months of growing season, when leaves and stalks begin to turn yellow or wither [1]

Storage:

In a plastic bag refrigerated or frozen

Dried, grated and/or powdered dry

Cooked in sugar until soft, crystallized ginger

It is ‘Tinolang Manok’ time!

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As always enjoy all plants and gardening!

References

1. Bown, D. (1995). Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. London: Dorling Kindersley.

2. Hardon, A. (2001). Applied Health Research Manual: Anthropology of Health and Health Care. New Jersey, US: Transaction Publishers.

3. Ernst, E. & Pittler, M. (2000, March 1). Efficacy of ginger for nausea and vomiting: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. British Journal of Anesthesia, 84(3), 367-371.

4. Pattanittum, P., Kunyanone, N., Brown, J., et al. (2016). Dietary supplements for dysmenorrhoea. Cochrane Library Database (Systematic review). Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD002124.pub2/abstract

5. National Center For Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).  (n.d.). Ginger. [Blog post]. Retrieved From https://nccih.nih.gov/health/ginger . Retrieved on 2017, October 6.

6. University of Maryland Medical Center. (n.d.). Ginger. Retrieved from http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/ginger . Retrieved on 2017, October 6.