Any tips on growing ginger and galangal?

[Ariel301]

Very interesting, I have been wondering about growing my own ginger. I'll have to pick up some more next time I go grocery shopping and try to sprout it. We've got all the right conditions here too except for the humidity, but I have a raised bed with a plastic cover where it might do nicely.

 

[hoodat]

I found my galangal in an out of the way corner of a small nursery. Poor thing looks starved but I'm sure I can bring it back.

 

[ripper039]

Hi,
How is your Galangal doing? I am growing it here in Banning, California.
I have been growing it for 4 years. I have the greater galagal plant and it even flowered a few years ago. I have been growing it in a large container with well draining rich soil. I recently planted some in the ground and seems to be doing pretty good here. The aroma of the leaves are very aromatic.
Ronald

 

[beavis]

Mine's not doing so well here in Ramona, CA. Leaves are yellowing.

 

[hoodat]

My galangal is doing nicely but it's nowhere near the 6 feet the books say. More like 1 foot.
If your leaves are yellowing it's probably getting too much sun. Mine were yellowed at first till I planted two tomato plants to shade it, then it greened right up. It seems to like a lot of water and fertilizer.

 

[ripper039]

Mine's not doing so well here in Ramona, CA. Leaves are yellowing.

I have mine in full sun, I water it everyday twice during the hot summer. I fertilize it weekly. They seem to like lots of water and fertilizer. I use a sieve to sift all the powder out of the potting soil. Soil I use, I make myself with fine bark mulch, perlite,sharp sand, steer manure, compost and peat moss. The sieve I use is a bonsai soil sieve I bought off of eBay. Once you get all the powder out of the soil you can't over water because the drainage will be perfect but you have to water and fertilize more often than usual. Since using the sieve I have recycled all my old potting soil and mix it with new soil when I make some. Has to be dry to sieve it though. Is your soil soggy or too dry? If the soil does not drain well when you water that could be a problem, they like lots of water with well drained soil. Could be Nitrogen, iron (Lilly Miller vitamin b-1 has the trace elements and chelated iron from Walmart) or magnesium (Epsom Salt 1 tbsp per gallon of water) deficiency.
Ronald

 

[ripper039]

My galangal is doing nicely but it's nowhere near the 6 feet the books say. More like 1 foot.
If your leaves are yellowing it's probably getting too much sun. Mine were yellowed at first till I planted two tomato plants to shade it, then it greened right up. It seems to like a lot of water and fertilizer.

Good to hear yours is doing well, my plant has not gotten 6ft, I just planted some in the ground this spring, maybe it will get bigger after it establishes a few seasons in ground. I know the lesser galangal is a shorter plant. Is yours the greater?
Regards,
Ronald

 

[hoodat]

My galangal is doing nicely but it's nowhere near the 6 feet the books say. More like 1 foot.
If your leaves are yellowing it's probably getting too much sun. Mine were yellowed at first till I planted two tomato plants to shade it, then it greened right up. It seems to like a lot of water and fertilizer.

Good to hear yours is doing well, my plant has not gotten 6ft, I just planted some in the ground this spring, maybe it will get bigger after it establishes a few seasons in ground. I know the lesser galangal is a shorter plant. Is yours the greater?
Regards,
Ronald

I've probably got the shorter variety. The label on the pot just said galangal.

 

[wifezilla]

"Spice Description
The galangals are fascinating ginger-like spices used in South East Asia.

Greater Galangal (laos): Used as a flavouring throughout Indonesia, Malaysia and parts of India. Orangey-brown skin with pale yellow or white interior. The rhizomes are longer than lesser galangal. Available as slices, 3mm (1/8 in) thick or powder.
Bouquet: Gingery and camphorous
Flavour: Pungent but less so than lesser galangal.
Hotness Scale: 5

Lesser Galangal (kencur): Used as a flavouring in Indochina and Indonesia but not in Chinese cooking. The 8 x 2cm (3 x 3/4in) rhizome has a red-brown interior. The texture is fibrous. Available as slices or powder.
Bouquet: Aromatic and gingery
Flavour: Aromatic and pungent, peppery and gingerlike.
Heat Scale: 6

Kaempferia Galangal: Used as a flavouring in South East Asia. Often identified as greater galangal. Red skin and white interior.
Bouquet: Sweet and sickly with pungent undertones.
Flavour: Like Bouquet but much stronger.
Heat Scale: 5"
http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/galangal.html

 

[hoodat]

Just an update. my plant has reached around 2 feet tall now and is spreading a bit. It has long sword shaped leaves so I think it's the greater galangal, which is supposed to be best for cooking. My Pillipino neighbors tell me not to harvest the whole root, just dig down to expose the tip of the rhizome and cut off what you need. Supposely that will cause it to branch at that point.