Ginger probably originated in Sri Lanka and is mainly grown in China and India. But you don’t have to buy ginger from overseas – the rhizomes grow right here, and growing your own ginger is easy. © Laura Farag

Ginger is spicy and good for your health

In Ayurvedic medicine in particular, ginger is said to have many health-promoting effects. At the sustainable Green PearlsⓇ Hotel Gut Sonnenhausen near Munich, Germany, ginger is one of the most popular ingredients and is described as “immune-boosting”.

Ginger works wonderfully as a spice in soups, curries, lentils, desserts (gingerbread) and can be brewed with hot water as a tea.

Why grow your own ginger?

You can buy ginger rhizomes in almost any supermarket, but they have either traveled a long way or come from a greenhouse. It is therefore more environmentally friendly and cheaper to simply grow your own ginger – ginger is a plant that reproduces itself.

• All you need is a piece of ginger with vegetative nodes (these are the spots where new shoots sprout).
• Place the ginger in the soil, cut side down, and cover with soil and a glass to create a “mini-greenhouse” effect.
• The plant should be kept warm and sunny and will quickly grow to a height of almost 1 meter under these conditions.
• Once the leaves have turned brown, you can dig up the ginger bulb – it will have its typical flavor.