Do you know that the finest ginger root is grown in Jamaica? Did you also know that you can grow it yourself?
It isn’t hard to start the ginger plant. The first thing to keep in mind is that the ginger plant needs lots of moisture. It is native to the tropical forests in Asia. For this reason, it loves warmth and moisture. You can achieve this affect easily by applying plenty of peat moss around the ginger plant or compost and by making sure that the soil is moist.
You could go to your local nursery and pick up a ginger plant all ready potted and ready for you to display. But if you want to start the plant all by yourself, all you need to do is to go to your local food market and buy a piece of fresh ginger. Plant it in a pretty pot and you are ready to go.
You should place it is a warm window, where it will get a lot of sun. As the seasons changes, be sure that the ginger plant is still getting enough sun light and water.
As the ginger shoot grows shoots will grow from it, this helps give it a tropical look. You can allow your plant to grow, moving it to a bigger container as needed. You can even harvest the ginger and use it in your recipes or home remedies. It usually takes about five months for a ginger plant to harvest. If you choose to harvest the plant, you don’t have to unearth the whole plant. All you have to do is poke holes in the soil and with a knife cut off what you need of the plant.
You can use ginger to flavor many things including meats, vegetables, deserts and even drinks. Some people will even use the herb for medicinally purposes.
People use ginger for many medical purposes such as tummy aches and morning sickness. Ginger is made of a substance called gingerol that decreases substances in the gastrointestinal tract that can cause nausea. Ginger can also be used for treating migraines and arthritis. It can block substances that causes inflammation from forming in the brain and in joints. Some researchers even believe ginger can help kill ovarian cancer cells.
Ginger is easy to used for medicinal purposes. All you have to do is add it to your cookies, teas or other recipes. It only takes about one third of a teaspoon to equal a serving.
You can also crystallized ginger and turn it into a nice sweet and spicy candy. You make the crystallized ginger from the rhizomes of either tropical or cold hardy gingers. All you need to do is boil the rhizomes pieces in water until they soften. Then you add equal amounts of sugar to the amount of rhizome root pieces you have and boil again until the roots become translucent (clear in appearance). Drain off the excess liquid, which is now a form of a syrup which you may also want to use. Then roll the remaining pieces of root in more sugar and now you have your own homemade ginger candy.
Remember if you choose to raise your own ginger plants, to keep it warm and to keep it moist.
Otherwise, if you don’t want the work of a plant, you can still buy ginger at your local store in the form its fresh form or powder form.
No matter if it is sitting in a pretty planter on your window still or sitting in your cabinet in its powder form, you are sure to love how ginger makes your food taste. You may even find that it may even make you feel a bit better.
