How to Grow Tender Ginger for High Yields? Key Cultivation Techniques Explained

Ginger softening cultivation builds on normal cultivation: first, increase planting density; second, strengthen shading and cooling measures, thereby achieving the goal of harvesting tender ginger. This way, tender ginger not only has a long harvest period and high yield, but is also fresh, tender and crisp, with thin skin and sparse nodes, and has a fresh ginger aroma when eaten.

1. Site selection: Choose fertile soil where ginger has not been grown for 3 consecutive years.

2. Seed selection: Choose fresh ginger rhizomes that are large, have many buds, and are free of pests and diseases. Each 667 sq m requires 300 kg of ginger seed.

3. Ginger seed treatment: First soak the ginger seed in 100 times diluted 40% formalin for 30 minutes to disinfect, then cover with gunny sacks and let it sit for 3-6 hours, then sun-dry for 2 days, turning it once each morning and evening every day, then pile it indoors for 4 days, keeping the temperature at 15°C. Repeat this cycle of sun-drying and piling 3 times; this helps the ginger seed sprout.

4. Sprout forcing: Moisten air-dried wheat husks, rice husks, etc. with 1% lime water (a moisture level of 70% is ideal), and spread a 10 cm thick layer on the ground inside a shed or greenhouse as bedding. After the last sun-drying of the ginger seed, while the ginger seed is still warm, place the ginger seed on the bedding, arranging it layer by layer, building up to a height of 1 m, cover the top layer with 5 cm thick clean rice straw, then cover with plastic film or plastic sheeting, keep the temperature at 20°C and the humidity at 75%, and force sprouts under light-shaded conditions. When the ginger sprouts grow to 1 cm, they can be sown and planted out.

5. Preparation before planting out: First cut the sprouted seed ginger into pieces, leaving 2-3 buds per piece. After cutting, dip the cut surfaces in fresh plant ash: first, to disinfect; second, to supplement potassium nutrition. Then prepare the land and make beds. Apply 5000 kg of high-quality coarse manure per 667 sq m. After spreading the fertilizer, deep plough 40 cm, level the land, and make beds 1 m wide, then cover with plastic film to warm the soil. Plant out when the soil temperature stabilizes above 15°C.

6. Planting out: Open furrows at a row spacing of 50 cm and a plant spacing of 15 cm, and plant, with 2 rows per bed. When planting, point the sprout tips south, with the depth such that the sprout tips are level with the soil surface, then spray warm water just enough to moisten the ginger pieces, then cover with a thin layer of fine sand, just enough to fully cover the ginger sprout tips, then cover with plastic film to keep warm and retain moisture to promote sprout growth.

7. Field management: Before emergence, keep the bed temperature above 15°C; after emergence, provide appropriate shade to prevent strong light. When the ginger seedlings grow 3 side shoots, topdress and water: apply 1000 kg of 50% diluted manure water and 10 kg of urea per 667 sq m. During the peak period of stem and leaf growth, topdress once every 20 days.

8. Pest and disease control: The main disease of ginger is ginger blast. To control ginger blast, disinfect the ginger pieces with 200 times diluted compound ginger blast disinfectant; in the early stage of the disease, drench the roots with 200 times diluted compound ginger blast disinfectant every 10 days, using 300 kg of liquid per 667 sq m. The main insect pests harming ginger are ginger borers and cutworms; spray 800 times diluted 90% trichlorfon once every 10 days for control.

9. Softening measures: First, hilling for softening. Generally, after each topdressing and watering, hill soil around the ginger roots to prevent lodging and promote ginger softening. After 3-4 hillings, the ginger beds gradually become ginger ridges, which can further promote ginger softening. Second, shading for softening. Before the high-temperature season arrives, set up shading frames over the ginger ridge beds and cover with shade netting to prevent strong light from directly hitting the ginger seedlings. This can lower temperature and retain moisture, and also plays a role in shading and softening.

Ginger grown by softening cultivation should not be harvested for mother ginger; only tender ginger can be harvested. Generally sown in April, tender ginger can be harvested in August and can be harvested until the end of October. Each 667 sq m yields 3000 kg of tender ginger.