Huns Garden

2008 Ginger Growing experiment in Kansas City Kansas Farm

Ginger Production Trial Ginger is a tropical, long-season plant. We wanted to see if we could grow it in the

midwest using: High Tunnels for heat and season extension Straw mulch & peat moss for moisture

retention & ease of harvest Raised beds (cinder blocks) to hold high-peat

moss soil, ease of harvest, moisture retention

Ginger Production Trial One bed in high tunnel, planted in late

April One bed in high tunnel, planted in mid-

May (post frost) One bed in field, planted in mid-May (post

frost)

Sprouting process Ginger is a 2-3 year

crop New plants grow

from the rhizomes To grow ginger roots,

you sprout new plants from the rhizomes

Sprouting process Put rhizomes in

gallon zip lock bags, sealed with 10-20 milliliter of water.

Sprouting process cont. Once sprouts grow

higher than the plastic bag, open & water once every other day.

New high tunnel The high tunnel with the

early ginger planting got blown away by 90 mile per hour winds.

The peat in the bed inside was blown away.

We abandoned this bed and did not rebuild.

Raised bed preparation Single layer of cinder

blocks for walls Beds 4½’ wide, 90’

long

Raised bed preparation Recycled plastic laid

under blocks, then middle cut out to expose soil

Laying cinder block (inside)

Raised bed preparation 150 lbs chicken manure

per 4’ x 90’ bed Cover with peat moss 6-

8” (top of cinder block)

Transplanting ginger Plant sprouted

rhizomes about 4” down

Spacing originally planned for 12” apart, but because of loss of third bed, we planted at 8” spacing.

Transplanting ginger Cover soil with 2-3”

of straw

One month after transplant: outside Mid-June, outside

plants minimal growth

Inside row didn’t grow as well as the two outside rows

One month after transplan:t inside Mid-June, sturdier

and nearly double in size, higher survival rate

Inside rows didn’t do as well, the same as outside beds

Farm tour 2008 July 4, outside crops

still small and not vigorous

September: Inside Middle row died

entirely Outside rows are

alive, about 1½’ tall(typically, ginger plants are 3’ tall at harvest)

September: outside No irrigation Plants same height as

inside high tunnel, but smaller rhizomes at harvest

Harvest Pull whole plant and

roots together

Yields: outside Weight is 0.97 lbs The old roots are

about 0.08 lbs, new are .89 lbs

(Sell old roots & new roots separately)

Yields: outside This is 1.28 lbs with

the old root

Yields: outside This is 0.8 lbs with

the old roots

Yields: inside This root is 2.92 lbs

including the old roots

Yields: inside This one

weighs 6.24 lbs, including the old roots

Financial cost break downExpenses Ginger root stock (75 lbs certified

organic ginger at $6.99 lb from Whole Foods ($525.00))

 High tunnel (20wx96lx10h) $2,500.00

 Drip irrigation supply $250.00 Straw mulch $60.00 plus City

Market donated 10 bales  Cinder block 260 blocks

@2.99/bock plus taxes, $780.00 Potting soil for raised bed, 35 bags

@13.99 each $489.00Seasonal cost: $899.00Infrastructure cost: $3,280.00

Income Sold at $3.99 lb 20 lbs/ wk for 9 wks,

plus 30 lbs for CSA

Approximate income: (210lbs X $3.99= $840)

Final note Base on our observation of post harvest, we noted that the crop inside the high tunnel is about twice in size, compare to the crop outside.

The outside raised bed was too wet because of excessive rain

The inside raised bed was in some places too dry, in some “just right” and those had high yields.

Next year: Charge more per pound Increase yields by providing

more consistent moisture inside

Plant wider beds