High Tunnel Grown Ginger-Root as An Alternative Niche Crop for Southern Virginia Growers

Ginger rhizome is an aromatic, pungent spice which is used for cooking and has many health benefits. Ginger is one of the many spices that has crossed over to mainstream American consumers. In 2008, the U.S. imported 41,468.3 MT of ginger with a total value of 37.2 million dollars. Hawaii is the largest and the only commercial producer of ginger in the United States. Hawaii grew 18 million pounds of ginger in 2001, and due to ginger wilt caused by a bacterium known as Ralstonia solanacerum, the production has been severely reduced to only 1.8 million pounds in 2008. Ginger rhizome is traditionally grown under tropical conditions and it requires 9-10 months of growing time from planting to harvest. Therefore, it is not possible to grow ginger under field conditions in temperate zones. However, it is possible to grow ginger in a temperate zone under high tunnel conditions where it allows season extension. In 2008 and 2009, observational trials were conducted at the research facility of Virginia State University, and ginger seed rhizomes were planted in one gallon pots in a greenhouse facility in March. In mid-April, the plants were removed to a high tunnel and the plantlets were planted in the ground. A total of 25 plants were grown in the high tunnel for 11 months, and plants were harvested in mid-February of the following year. On the average, each plant produced seven pounds of marketable ginger. Growing ginger in a high tunnel is attractive because it provides an alternative niche crop for Virginia growers who sell directly to consumers.