On Wed, 05 Nov 2003 05:03:28 GMT, Not the Karl Orff
wrote:

In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:


It needs to be warm, in my experience above about 24 degrees C (~75F),
this is best done in spring, keep the root damp but not soggy. Make
sure you start with a fresh plump rhizome not a withered dried-out one.
Plant into a sheltered spot with full sun or nearly full sun and keep
the water up to it once the leaves appear. If your air temp is too cold
or very dry you will not succeed. The plant is native to the tropical
parts of SE Asia so if you are in a cool/cold temperate area forget it
without a hothouse or equivalent.

Thanks. I tried growing it in the shade here during the summer. Have
no trouble getting normal ginger to sporut but this one will not. The
ones at theindian market have not sproutd though they have not been
refrigerated.

FWIW, I have two 30 gal nursery containers into which I throw "used"
planting mixes when transplanting or repotting seedlings and other
plants. They sit in a brightly lighted portion of my greenhouse. I
have ginger, galangal and turmeric growing in them. Here (Central
Texas) the galangal thrives even when the GH temps drop to the upper
30's (F) (I only heat in emergencies). The ginger turns brown and
loses its upper growth as soon as the soil termp drops into the
50s.(F). The turmeric is somewhere in between. Last year it kept the
top growth but was so sorry looking that I cut it off. As the inside
temps get into the 80s (F) in spring, all of them resume growth.

The tumeric is a pretty, roughly 5 foot, plant with very nice flowers.
Unfortunately they are hidden at the base of the plant rather than
being at that top was with most gingers.