In our latitudes, the tropical ginger plant can only be cultivated in a bucket during the summer season. In order to have ginger from your own cultivation also available in winter, you can preserve the tubers by drying them after harvesting.

Drying ginger is a cheap and easy preservation method

If you have enough space in your freezer, you can also freeze the fresh ginger bulbs in cut and pre-portioned form. However, a large part of the natural aroma is retained in the ginger bulbs even when they are dried. The dried ginger slices are easy to grind with a spice grinder for use in tea making or as a spice.

Air drying

If ginger is exposed to the air at room temperature for a little longer, it can also dry out all by itself. So that it does not spoil during this process, it should first be cut into slices and stored in a dry room climate with good ventilation. You should also check and turn the ginger slices regularly during the week-long drying phase so that there is no mold or rot.

Dry ginger in the oven

For drying in the oven, the ginger root should first be cut into thin slices so that the liquid can escape from the root and evaporate more easily. Even in the oven at around 40 - 50 degrees Celsius or in a special dehydrator, it can take a few hours before you can determine the degree of dryness you want by hand. As soon as no more liquid escapes when the discs are pressed, they are dry enough for longer storage.

Save ginger for new planting in spring

If, after harvesting the ginger, you are supposed to save part of the tubers for a new planting next spring, you should make sure that the tubers overwinter properly. To do this, after digging it out of the ground, rub the moist soil off the ginger with a dry cloth. Then place it in a well-ventilated, cool and dark basement room where it will not dry out too much during the winter months and at the same time cannot become mouldy.

tips and tricks

As an alternative to drying, you can also preserve ginger by candying it. To do this, cut the peeled tuber into slices and cook before adding the cane sugar to the pot. Repeat the boil, adding sugar, for a few days at a time to achieve the desired level of candy.

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

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Vegetable garden