Detailed Explanation of Key Points for High-Yield Ginger Cultivation Techniques

Ginger is an indispensable seasoning in daily life. As the saying goes, “Eat radish in winter and ginger in summer,” which shows its prominent place in life. Many people grow ginger, but few achieve high yields. Below, let us take a look at the high-yield cultivation techniques for ginger.

I. Soil Selection

Ginger has a long growing period and high yield, so it requires large amounts of fertilizer. Because its root system is not well developed, with few roots distributed shallowly, it needs good soil environmental conditions. “Do not plant ginger unless the field is fertile.” The ginger field should be deep-plowed 30 to 40 cm. At the same time, we must choose sunny days for cultivation and strive to make the soil bleach and weather, creating a loose and fertile environment favorable for root growth. After deep turning, the beds are opened, generally about 100 cm wide. In order to promptly eliminate waterlogging in the ginger field, the depth of the trench between beds should be between 70 and 80 cm.

After leveling the ginger field, build trenches, plant the ginger in the trenches, and use the soil for earthing up. Because the earthed-up soil is high, the rhizomes will grow plump and the yield will be high. Generally, the ginger ridge is built 33 to 40 cm high, with a trench bottom width of 10 to 13 cm, a base width of 30 to 35 cm, and a top width of 15 to 20 cm, with steep walls on one side and a slope on the other. The ginger ridge should be compacted so as to facilitate field operations and avoid collapse from rainwater.

II. Fertilization

1. Fertilization timing: Regardless of the cultivation method used, when ginger has two relatively large side branches and the side branches are similar in height to the main stem (that is, three branches), after this period both the aboveground parts and underground rhizomes enter a period of vigorous growth. The main manifestation is an increased growth rate. On the one hand, a large number of branches appear, and the number of leaves increases accordingly. On the other hand, the underground rhizomes also expand rapidly, and large amounts of nutrients accumulate to form the product organ, so the demand for fertilizer and water is relatively great.

To ensure high yield of ginger, additional fertilizer should be applied. Fertilization at this time is called “three-fork fertilizer” or “turning-point fertilizer.” This additional fertilization plays an important role in promoting plant development and rhizome growth. According to different cultivation methods, the appropriate fertilization time is generally from early July to early August. As long as the ginger reaches the three-stage standard, fertilizer should be applied. Generally, open-field cultivation is earlier than small-arch greenhouse cultivation, small-arch greenhouse cultivation is earlier than cellar cultivation, and cellar cultivation is earlier than exposed ground cultivation. Remove the ginger shading grass before fertilizing.

2. Fertilization method: During this period, the amount of chemical fertilizer should be large, combined with soil cultivation, and together with organic fertilizer and longer-lasting fertilizer and quick-acting fertilizer, or use organic-inorganic compound fertilizer. Apply 80 to 120 kg of high-quality organic fertilizer and other organic fertilizers per 667 sq m, and 100 to 120 kg of high-nitrogen, high-potassium high-quality compound fertilizer; or 160 to 200 kg of 25% (12-4-9) organic-inorganic compound fertilizer.

According to the order of “small first, then large,” that is, apply 1/3 of the total amount as topdressing from July 5 to 20, and then carry out earthing up once; from 5 to 15 days before the beginning of autumn, then apply the remaining 2/3 as topdressing and carry out earthing up once. At this time, applying organic fertilizer as topdressing can both improve the soil and ensure that the ginger does not run out of fertilizer in the later growth stage.

3. Topdressing: In order to promote ginger plant development and rhizome expansion, autumn should be the time for “heavy topdressing.” The fertilization standard is: 3000 kg of decomposed chicken manure, 70-80 kg of cake fertilizer, and 20 kg of ammonium sulfate per mu (cake fertilizer can be replaced by 75 kg of cooked black beans or soybeans, and ammonium sulfate can be replaced by urea). For plots that have been topdressed with “diammonium” and urea, chicken manure can be supplemented with irrigation water. When ginger seedlings have more than 6 branches, carry out another round of fattening, applying 20 kg of ammonium sulfate (or urea) and 10 kg of potassium sulfate to prevent premature decline.

III. Watering

When ginger has a large number of branches and rhizomes, the amount of water required increases significantly. In order to meet the water demand during this period, water should be supplied promptly according to weather conditions. However, if watering is excessive or too frequent, it can also cause root rot and premature aging of stems and leaves. Therefore, in general, water once every 4 to 6 days (ginger planted under fruit trees can be watered less or not at all according to specific conditions), with the principle of keeping the soil moist.

IV. Weeding

The seedling stage of ginger occurs in the hot, rainy season, when weeds grow in profusion. With long-term good water and fertilizer conditions, weed infestation is also very strong. If weeding is not timely, weeds and ginger seedlings compete for fertilizer, water, and sunlight, and ginger seedlings are prone to poor development. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out timely intertillage and weeding to prevent premature aging of ginger seedlings caused by weeds.

V. Earthing Up

The roots of ginger require dark and moist conditions. In order to prevent the rhizomes from expanding and being exposed above the ground, soil cultivation must be carried out in a timely manner. In early autumn, combine the first soil cultivation with weeding and “heavy topdressing,” place the soil from the trenches at the base of the plants, and turn the trenches into ridges; afterward, carry out the second and third soil cultivations in conjunction with watering. The interval between the two soil cultivations is 10 to 15 days, with 5 to 6 cm of soil each time. The ridge surface gradually expands in thickness, creating suitable conditions for rhizome growth.

Growing ginger is very simple, but if you want a high yield, you need to have certain cultivation techniques. I hope these high-yield techniques can help you easily harvest a large amount of ginger.