How to Harvest Ginger

Ginger root is a tough, knotty and fibrous rhizome that is a bit odd-looking, but is filled with spicy sweetness. It can be harvested early, as baby ginger, or when the root is fully mature and the tops are tall and yellowing. Ginger is a creeping perennial that will grow 3 to 4 feet tall when it is mature. Once it is harvested and dried, it can be sliced and grated for use in soups, stir-fries, cakes, cookies and many other recipes. It also offers a number of medicinal benefits, including the ability to soothe colds and sore throats.

Shovel
Bucket
Screen (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the top growth of the plants down to 1 inch above the soil, using scissors. Ginger harvest generally takes place during fall. The top growth will be yellowing or dying back at this point, signalling that the rhizomes are fully mature.
- 2
  Using a shovel, dig up the plants and root system, allowing a few inches around and below each plant. Pull up ginger plants one by one, making sure to avoid breaking the rhizome system, and put them in a bucket. If you are growing the herb in containers, simply dump the whole container into a bucket or large plastic tray.
- 3
  Wash the ginger thoroughly in fresh water, rubbing off any dirt that might be stuck to the thick rhizomes. Drain excess water from the bucket or container.
- 4
  Place the ginger on mesh screens to dry for four days. If you have a large harvest or the sun is harsh, cover the rhizomes with a polypropylene row cover when sun-drying.
- 5
  Store dried ginger root in plastic bags in a refrigerator to keep them fresh for weeks.

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