The growing process of the ginger plant
Ginger root is a popular spice that comes from the ginger plant. Growing ginger, also known as Zingiber officinale, is an intensive process that requires a lot of attention and care. If the growing process goes well, it can result in one of the most versatile spices in the world. Ginger is widely used in curries and soups, for example, but also to make ginger tea or a ginger shot.
Read more about the versatility of ginger and turmeric here!
The ginger plant originally grows in tropical climates such as in Asia, but is now cultivated worldwide. When growing ginger, the amount of light is very important for a successful crop. A warm and humid climate is also needed to grow ginger well. That’s why ginger is now also grown in Nigeria, Brazil and Peru.
Read more about ginger from different regions here.
The process starts with planting pieces of ginger root in the ground. The ginger plant starts to grow from the ginger root. This ginger plant can grow to a height of about 1 metre, with small fragrant flowers growing on it. After flowering, rhizomes grow underground. These rhizomes are the familiar ginger roots.
The whole process in our hands
What makes Go Now special is that we manage the whole process. We manage our own organic cultivation where the ginger grows. The pieces of ginger root are planted by hand in May. Every year in October, the fully grown pieces of ginger root are harvested by hand again. The harvest takes as long as 3 weeks.
Once the fresh ginger has been harvested, it still needs to be stored to let the skin harden. That’s why, until 10 years ago, freshly harvested ginger was still stored in caves. Did you know that this ginger skin also contains lots of nutrients? The ginger was also stored in the caves to keep it fresh. The caves were at just the right temperature and had the ideal humidity for this. This technique for storing ginger was used for centuries.
Today we have our own facilities close to the ginger fields to wash and dry the ginger. Near the fields there is modern equipment to process the ginger. There are climate-controlled storage rooms with the right temperature and humidity to protect the ginger against mould and drying out. That way the ginger can be stored safely. Once all the ginger is properly dry, it is ready to be packed and transported. It is packed by hand in boxes of 13.6kg so that the fresh ginger doesn’t get damaged. When the ginger arrives in the Netherlands, it is thoroughly checked for quality. Once the fresh ginger has been thoroughly tested, it is pressed into pure ginger juice.
An interesting and intensive process
All in all, growing ginger is an interesting process that requires a lot of attention and care. So it’s clearly not easy to grow a beautiful ginger root from a ginger plant. As well as the right weather conditions, it’s also important to water the ginger plant regularly and remove weeds. Ginger is susceptible to disease, so it’s important to inspect the ginger plant thoroughly. If the process goes well, it can result in a delicious spice that can be used in countless recipes. An added bonus is that ginger also has lots of health benefits!
