Detailed Explanation of Ginger Seed Preservation Methods and Technical Points

Ginger is also called large ginger, and it is the golden seasoning for everyday stir-frying, one of the indispensable seasonings in the kitchen. Eating more ginger can strengthen the spleen and stomach, and also dispel wind-cold, and it has many benefits for the human body, so ginger is quite popular among urban users. In the process of growing ginger, many steps are involved, and among them, many people are not very clear about how to preserve ginger seed. Below we will take a look together at the technical points for preserving ginger seed.

I. Growth habits of ginger

1. Temperature

Ginger is a vegetable plant that likes warmth and cannot tolerate cold. Seed ginger begins to sprout above 16°C, but sprouting is extremely slow and the sprouting period is very long. At 22—25°C, the young buds grow at a suitable speed and are easy to cultivate into strong buds. Under high-temperature conditions above 28°C, although sprouting is fast, the young buds are often thin and weak rather than plump and strong. During the stem and leaf growth period, 20—28°C is relatively suitable. During the period of vigorous root tip growth, in order to accumulate a large amount of nutrients, a certain temperature difference between day and night is required, with about 25°C during the day and 17—18°C at night being suitable. Growth stops below 15°C, and stems and leaves die immediately upon exposure to frost.

2. Light

Ginger is a light-loving and shade-tolerant crop, and its light requirements differ at different growth stages. During sprouting it requires darkness; during the seedling stage it requires medium to strong light, but it is not tolerant of strong light. Therefore, in production, shading measures should be taken to create dappled shade to facilitate seedling growth. However, during the peak growth period, because the population is large and the plants shade each other, stronger light is required. Large ginger does not have strict requirements for day length, and rhizomes can form under both long and short daylight, but rhizome yield is higher under natural light conditions, and excessively long or short daylight both affect yield.

3. Water

Ginger is a shallow-rooted crop with an underdeveloped root system, and it cannot fully utilize water from deep soil layers. Its absorptive capacity is relatively weak, and the protective tissues of the leaves are also underdeveloped, so water evaporates quickly. Therefore, it is not tolerant of drought and has strict water requirements. Generally, during the seedling stage the growth amount is small and water demand is low, while during the peak growth period a large amount of water is needed. In order to meet its growth needs, the soil should always be kept moist, and maintaining soil moisture at 70%-80% of field maximum water-holding capacity is suitable.

Large ginger is not tolerant of drought and is also extremely intolerant of waterlogging. Under drought conditions it can survive, but growth is poor, yield is greatly reduced, and the rhizome fibers increase, deteriorating quality. Likewise, soil moisture must not be excessive. If the soil accumulates water, in mild cases sprouting and emergence become slower and root development is poor, while in severe cases it triggers ginger blast disease, causing reduced yield or even total loss.

4. Soil and nutrition

Ginger is suitable for fertile loam with deep soil layers, loose and fertile texture, rich organic matter, good aeration, and both irrigation and drainage capacity, and with a slightly acidic reaction. Large ginger is not very strict about soil texture and has strong adaptability. It also has relatively strong adaptability to soil pH, and within the range of pH 4-9 there is no major effect on seedling growth. During the period of vigorous stem and leaf growth, pH 5-7 is most suitable, and saline-alkali low-lying waterlogged land is not suitable for growing large ginger.

II. How to preserve ginger seed? What are the technical points?

1. Harvesting seed ginger

After seed ginger sprouts, the nutrients it contains are not completely consumed, nor does it rot, and it can still be harvested back, which is called “harvesting mother ginger” or “stealing ginger.” Mother ginger can be harvested together when the new ginger matures, or it can be harvested separately first during the growth period, when the seedlings are 15 cm-18 cm tall and have 4-5 leaves. In the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, harvesting is done from Summer Solstice to Minor Heat. The harvesting method is to first dig away some of the soil on the seed ginger, press down the main stem and branches of the ginger plant with the fingers of one hand so that the ginger block does not move, and use a narrow long knife or bamboo stick with the other hand to dig out the seed ginger. Take care to dig as little soil as possible and damage as few roots as possible. Immediately after harvesting, earth up and apply topdressing to promote growth. The recovered seed ginger generally loses 3%-6% compared with the seed ginger at sowing time, and in some cases loss can be 10%-30%.

2. Harvesting tender ginger

In the Yangtze-Huai region, tender ginger harvesting begins at White Dew; at the earliest it is also harvested at Start of Autumn, and the earlier the harvest, the lower the yield. Tender ginger tissue is soft and tender, contains more water, has less pungency, and has low yield, with only about 600 kg per mu (1 mu = 667 sq m).

3. Harvesting old ginger

Old ginger is generally harvested when most stems and leaves begin to wither. At this time the underground rhizome has fully expanded, and ginger used for seed preservation should also be harvested at this time. In the Yangtze-Huai region, harvesting is about from Frost's Descent to Start of Winter. Generally, 1000 kg-2 000 kg per mu (1 mu = 667 sq m) can be produced, and high-yield plots can reach 3 000 kg-5 000 kg or more.

4. Seed preservation

For ginger preserved as seed, old mature ginger blocks with high yield per plant, large ginger blocks, and no pest or disease damage should be selected as seed. About half a month before harvest, around late October, stop watering, carry out seedling roasting, and dig out diseased ginger, then harvest before the first frost arrives. As long as there is no freezing damage, harvest as late as possible to increase yield. Choose a sunny day when the soil is relatively level for harvesting. Use scissors to cut the ginger stalks flat at 2 cm-3 cm from the ginger block, that is, cut flat above the central terminal bud of each ginger stalk, without damaging the terminal bud, so as not to affect the sprouting of seed ginger next year. In addition, fibrous roots need to be cut off and the mother ginger peeled away. Store in the cellar immediately after harvesting. If it cannot be stored in time due to rain, it can be aired indoors, spread about 30 cm thick on the ground, and covered with moist fine sand 3 cm-6 cm to keep warm and moist, then stored again when the weather clears and turns warmer.