Topic: Turmeric

[plotstoeat]

Not expecting any replies on this but bought some turmeric tubers today for cooking with and wondered about planting some. Look like ginger root but much smaller and redder. Don't suppose anyone has tried this 

[johhnyco15]

no but would love to know how you get on

[George the Pigman]

I tried it once in the greenhouse but nothing grew. But it may have been a grotty summer. Have had a bit of success with ginger root but nothing spectacular. I suspect they both need much higher temperatures.

[Jayb]

I've grown them a few times, though they never produced anything much. Funnily enough I'd bought some recently and was going to pot them up.

Found it was best to get them started somewhere nice and warm, propagator or airing cupboard works for me and then grew them on in the greenhouse or poly-tunnel. They make nice looking plants and I expect they would be fine outside somewhere nice and sheltered during the summer months. They need somewhere inside to overwinter them. Let us know how you get on, I'll be planting mine up in a few days, when I get the chance.

[Digeroo]

I also have had some success growing ginger.  It grew quite tall on a sunny south windowsill.  It became rather top heavy, so suggest a good few stones in the bottom of the pot.  It did not produce a great deal, but was a great talking point.  I do like the flavour of the immature rhisomes.

It had already started to sprout when I potted it.  Never seen a sprout on a turmeric.  Suggest you try buying one that has already sprouted.

Turmeric is grow in some parts of Kashmir, so I wonder whether some is more genetically suited to slightly cooler climes.  Though it produces very little, and I suspect it exports very little. 

You have got me interested.  Found this
http://growyourowncurry.co.uk/gyo-ginger-and-turmeric/

I think that there may be Himalayan varieties of gingers which are frost tolerant.  Maybe there are tumerics as well.

[plotstoeat]

Great to get so many interesting replies and useful tips. I also did some googling and it seems that turmeric is a WONDER FOOD curing everything from cancer to arthritis. I exaggerate, but there seems to be a lot of scientific research in support of these claims. So I'll be having grated turmeric on my muesli every morning from now on.

[johhnyco15]

I've grown them a few times, though they never produced anything much. Funnily enough I'd bought some recently and was going to pot them up.

Found it was best to get them started somewhere nice and warm, propagator or airing cupboard works for me and then grew them on in the greenhouse or poly-tunnel. They make nice looking plants and I expect they would be fine outside somewhere nice and sheltered during the summer months. They need somewhere inside to overwinter them. Let us know how you get on, I'll be planting mine up in a few days, when I get the chance.

jb please post some pics this season so i can see  the transformtion

[Jayb]

Will do. (Bet they won't sprout now!)