A strange question.
I know that ginger is usually propagated from rootstock.
However, does Zingiber Officinale (edible ginger) produce viable seeds? I know they produce flowers, but planting seeds is never mentioned.
Thanks a lot for the answer,
Alex
I have read quite a bit about ginger and not seen any reference to growing from seed. This doesn't prove that it can't be done but if it is then it is uncommon (like potato). Some references say, in passing, that cultivated ginger is sterile and that the wild ancestor is no longer found. I haven't been able to track this down to an authoritative source but I suspect that it is correct.
David
To the best of my knowledge, it is only grown in the tropics.
"Billy" schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au...
I have access to some land in the tropics. Which is why I'm asking - growing from seed would be a lot cheaper than buying rootstock.
Alex
I know that Zingiber does produce flowers. And you do read about 'ginger seeds' for food, but I haven't seen it for sale.
You could be right that the seed is sterile, but I haven't read that either.
Alex
No seed and sold out.
This is a different plant, Zingiber mioga not Zingiber officinale.
David
How mant plants are thinking of growing?
David
This link says you can propagate by cuttings, seed, or rhizomes.
passing further down and includes a whole lot of material that seems barely relevant. This looks to me like the text was copied and pasted and not well edited. I am not sure I would believe this source.
David
Actually, I didn't read it very closely. Much of the hits I got refer to the rhizome as the seed, so a lot of false hits for this particular search.
This paper seems to say propagation by seed (not rhizome) is theoretically possible: "Breeding of ginger is seriously handicapped by poor flowering and seed set. It is propagated vegetatively through rhizome."
also:
"Most of the cultivars are sterile i.e flowers are rarely seen and is mainly grown for the rizome. "
"Wallace" schreef in bericht news:i1b58c$tpt$ snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org...
Thank you very much. I am following up on this link with their website right now.
Alex
Probably starting with a hectare, 72 hectares max.
Alex
Commercial growing is often done from clones and if you want to go into it commercially, you have a lot of information you need to gather ahead of time.
I have seen such clones work done with orchids (had a friend in the biz), but not with ginger and cannot say how simple or complicated it is, although I do believe it'd be similarly done.
Perhaps a search on cloned ginger will get you started on information.
"Boron Elgar" schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...
It would be really easy (and cheap) to have seed, so it could be broadcast. Sowing rootstock you need to buy rootstock (expensive) and use a potato planter (and harvester) - more investment.
Alex
As I said, if you have intentions of doing this as a business, it pays to investigate the most cost effective means of production. Commercial production is not done from broadcast seed. In fact, if you read up on its production, you will see the term "seed" used, but it refers to rhizomes.
Seed may be cheap (assuming you can find it or product it yourself). Broadcast may be cheap. Getting a crop that is worthy of a harvest, however, may be better undertaken with the more usual production procedures.
This is a plant that is in wide production in many countries. Feel free to re-create the wheel at any time. Write it up and let folks know you have a better method.
Boron
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