Fresh "Baby" Ginger Grown In Virginia

Fresh Baby Ginger Grown In Virginia CROPS Miscellaneous Ginger is a tropical crop but Mike Clark grows it in Virginia In a good year he can sell it for $15 to $20/lb if he gets it to market With 4 years of experience he admits he’s still learning “We sell it as baby ginger before it develops the papery sheath ” says Clark “It is creamy white and can be sliced like a water chestnut It has no fiber and melts in your mouth ” Clark had been trying to raise ginger as part of his market garden business for years without much success With the help of Dr Reza Rafie horticulture specialist Virginia Cooperative Extension Clark finally got the right seed and advice “I needed high temperatures to start it growing and then it has to stay at 75 degrees ” says Clark “If the temperatures cool down it gets disease Cool rainy nights double the stress ” Clark grows his ginger in beds of composted soil under high tunnels in the mountains of Virginia He says other growers in sandy coastal soil report good results planting in soil beds Rafie advises starting plants in early February in a heated environment in 1-gal pots “Seed stock should be at least 2 oz in size clean and solid with eyes on the rhizome ” says Rafie “The bigger the better ” Once the ginger has emerged each is transplanted to 15-gal pots in high tunnels at the end of April They can also be planted direct to the soil in high tunnels Harvest of baby ginger can start as soon as September Rafie suggests baby ginger will produce 2 to 3 lbs of ginger root per plant when harvested early compared to mature plants that produce 5 to 7 lbs by January or February Clark typically harvests his ginger from October through January He sells it in small amounts to chefs and through farmers markets He also markets his vegetable crops including ginger in season and ginger seed stock from online stores including his own website “There are lots of disease problems if temperature and moisture aren’t just right ” says Clark “The first problem is just getting clean uncontaminated seed stock You can have a beautiful crop but then watch it crash ” Clark has also suffered with greedy growers He notes that one year hydroponic growers dumped ginger on the market Although it was watery and soft and didn’t hold up it crashed the market Even with all the problems Clark suggests baby ginger can be a good niche crop for the right producer He sells ginger seed for $3 95/lb Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Planet Earth Diversified 165 Earth Way Dr Stanardsville Va 22973 ph 434 985-3570; Michael3786@planetearthdiversified com; shop planetearthdiversified com

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