Detailed Explanation of Key Points of Ginger Planting and Cultivation Techniques

Ginger, abbreviated as jiang, also known as huangjiang, with the ancient name jiang; it originated in China and tropical regions such as Southeast Asia. It is now widely cultivated in subtropical and tropical regions around the world, mainly in Asia and Africa, and commonly in Europe. Next are Jiangxi, Anhui, Sichuan, Hunan, Hubei, etc., with a total planting area of about 20,000-30,000 hectares. In the north, Shandong is the main production area; in addition, Henan, Shaanxi and other places also cultivate it more.

1. Plot selection. Ginger prefers warmth and tolerates shade. Choose slightly acidic or neutral soil that is deep, level, loose and breathable, fertile, and convenient for drainage and irrigation.

2. Apply sufficient base fertilizer and balanced fertilization. Before planting ginger, apply 5000 kg of high-quality barnyard manure per 667 sq m, and apply 120 kg of soybean cake, 50 kg of ternary compound fertilizer, 50 kg of potassium sulfate, 1 kg of boron fertilizer, and 2 kg of zinc fertilizer in furrows. Mixed application of boron and zinc fertilizers has a better effect than applying them alone.

3. Carefully select ginger seed and cultivate strong buds. At the last sun-drying of ginger at the end of February and the beginning of March, select healthy ginger blocks that are plump and full, bright in skin color, fresh in flesh, not shriveled, not rotten, not frozen, and free from pests and diseases as seed. Soak the seed in 100-fold 40% formalin for 10 min. Carry out sprouting in a sprouting bed in an earthen kang. The bed height is 60-70 cm, and its length and width depend on the amount of ginger seed. First spread 10 cm of sun-dried wheat straw inside and around the bed. The temperature should be high first and then low (22°C in the early stage, 25°C in the middle stage, 20°C in the late stage). After about 10-12 d, the young buds begin to sprout, and after another about 10 d, when the ginger buds grow to 0.5-1.5 cm, plant them.

4. Plastic film mulching and timely early sowing. Generally, planting begins when the soil temperature stabilizes above 15°C. With plastic film mulching, it can be advanced to early April. Water promptly at planting, spray Jiangsuan Caoke herbicide, using 100 g per 667 sq m mixed with 45 kg of water, then cover with film, and press a soil mound every 5 m to prevent strong winds. Remove the plastic film in early July.

5. Planting density. For high-yield ginger cultivation, use a row spacing of 60-65 cm and a plant spacing of 20 cm, planting 5500 plants per 667 sq m.

6. Timely shading and earthing up. Ginger is a shade-tolerant crop. The seedling stage occurs in late spring and early summer, when the weather is hot, sunlight is intense, and the air is dry. It can grow well only under dappled shade. That is, after planting, insert 70-80 cm high straw or vertical perforated black shade netting on the south side or west side of the ginger furrow.

7. Reasonable fertilization and watering. Apply light fertilizer to promote seedlings, heavy fertilizer at the branching stage, and supplementary autumn fertilizer. When ginger seedlings grow to 30 cm and have 2-3 branches, combine with watering for the first topdressing, applying 25 kg of urea per 667 sq m. In mid-to-late July, apply a complete fertilizer with lasting effect and a quick-acting fertilizer, applying 50 kg of ternary compound fertilizer and 50 kg of potassium sulfate per 667 sq m, and water once every 4-5 d.

8. Late-stage arched shed protection. Appropriately delay harvest. For open-field cultivation, ginger is harvested in late October. Late-stage arched shed protection can delay the harvest period by 20 d, and attention should be paid to ventilation. Keep it at 20°C-25°C during the day and not lower than 8°C at night. Water once 2-3 d before harvest to keep the soil moist, which is beneficial for harvest and gives ginger a good color.

9. Pest and disease control. The main disease is ginger blast, and the pests include ginger stem borer and beet armyworm. For pests, spray with 2000-fold 25% Kuishaling emulsifiable concentrate for control. For ginger blast, practice crop rotation, select disease-free ginger seed, remove diseased plants, disinfect with lime, and remove diseased soil.