Climate and soil Requirements
Climate and soil Requirements
Soil Requirements:
- Ginger adapts well to variety of Soils ranging from peat to light clays, but performs best on light textured soils.
- Soil should be loose and friable so that little resistance is encountered as the rhizomes develop.
- A friable loam, rich in humus is ideal for ginger while stiff clay is unsuitable
- It is important that the soils are well drained to avoid root rot.
Climatic Requirements
Growing outdoors in the tropics, it needs a minimum annual rainfall of 150cm, temperatures of 30°C or over, a short dry season and a deep fertile soil. It usually takes nine months to produce a crop.
- Ginger thrives in a hot moist climate.
- Annual rainfall in excess of 3,000mm accompanied by a prolonged hot season is preferred.
- Ginger requires a moist climate for optimum growth during the early Rapid growth phase.
- Ginger also requires along hot period for the development and maturity of rhizomes
Ginger requires tropical, subtropical and humid climate for its commercial production. It can be successfully grown to an altitude of 1500mt.
A well distributed rainfall during growing season and dry season during the land preparation as well as before harvesting is required for good growth and yield of the crop.
Dry weather with a temperature range of 28-30 degree Centigrade for about a month before harvesting is ideal.
High humidity throughout the crop period is necessary. Ginger prefers good garden soil, rich in humus, light, loose, friable, well drained and of at least 30 cm depth. Rhizome growth is better on slightly acidic soil.
Seasonality
- Ginger is a seasonal crop
- Land preparation begins in July/ August followed by planting in September to November before the onset of the wet season.
- Mature ginger takes 9-11 months to mature and is harvested from July-December.
- Planting of immature ginger is usually completed by the end of September and the crop is harvested April.
Varieties
Most promising varieties of ginger are Himgiri, Varad, surbhi, suruchi, Ernas, Nadia, Maran, Rio de jenerio and China.
- Canton Group
Preferred for fresh export because of its largest rhizome “knob” size with pale yellow flesh attractive appearance and is highly suitable for the fresh ginger market. Also commonly grown by Asian and Hawaiian producers.
- Fijian Variety or Fiji Tall
Rhizomes have medium size elongated knobs and end to be high yielding. Cut rhizomes have a strong citrus like Aroma. It’s part of the Chinese group and in Australia includes”Queensland Ginger”. The latter is the fact believed to be originally Fiji ginger by origin.