How to Grow Ginger in the Desert

Prepare the growing area. If you are growing ginger in a pot, fill the pot with potting soil. If you will be planting the ginger in a garden, find an area with light shade and use a spade to dig up the area to a depth of about 1 foot and a width of 16 to 16 inches, removing the soil. Combine one part compost with one part soil from the ground and fill the hole.

Soak the ginger in water overnight when the temperature is appropriate for planting. Plant ginger once daytime temperatures regularly exceed 75 degrees Fahrenheit and do not descend below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Plant the ginger root in the soil and cover it with a thin layer of soil. Make sure that the buds face up. If you want to plant more than one ginger plant, cut the ginger root into multiple pieces (ensuring that there is a bud on each piece) and plant each in a separate location. If you plant multiple root pieces, space them 6 to 8 inches apart.

Water the root well. Monitor the soil frequently in order to ensure that the soil remains moist. Do not overwater, as this will wash away nutrients. In desert conditions, it will be easy for the soil to dry out, so water the plant regularly.

Cover the ground with a thick level of mulch once the plant has put forth a stem and roots. This will help the soil retain moisture. Mist the plant regularly to fight off the effects of dry air.

Continue to water and mist the plant regularly until it starts to die back at the end of summer. At this point, reduce watering frequency and allow the ground to dry out, encouraging the plant to put its efforts into storing energy in the roots.

Harvest the ginger 9 to 10 months after it has started growing. Dig up the plant, remove the roots and discard the rest.