NOTE: Common Ginger may be referred to as Zingiber officinale in this article, in fact, those are the same plants, Zingiber officinale is the botanical name for Common Ginger.
The ginger root, also known as common ginger, is a perennial native to Asia and is commercially grown. One of the most popular spices used worldwide is the fat, knobbly, underground rhizome of the plant. Although the shoots can produce flowers, they aren’t considered ornamentally significant, and container plants rarely bloom.
Why does my Zingiber officinale roots have rot?
Root rot on your Common Ginger (Zingiber officinale) can be fatal if not treated with care. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you follow our guide to keep your plant alive if the symptoms occur: Root soft and blackened.
Why does my Common Ginger have gray mold spots?
Gray mold spots are a type of fungus that is found a lot in flowers, and spreads quite rapidly. If you notice brown (or gray) spots, it is probably this fungus. Don’t ignore these symptoms, as they may end up killing your plant.
Our Solution
When you understand the root of the issue, the solution makes perfect sense. The majority of the time, it is caused by the Zingiber officinale being overwatered. We urge you to cut off the infected roots and leaves, remove the affected sections of the plant, and then repot your plant in a fresh container with sterile potting soil.
Why does my Common Ginger have leaf spots?
This type of disease is one of the most frustrating for Common Ginger owners, we give you all the leads to spot and save your plants that present symptoms such as leaves that suddenly change color, or wilt/droop.
Why are my Common Ginger leaves turning yellow?
Yellowing leaves are arguably the most prevalent issue in the gardening world. Overwatering or a lack of nutrients are the 2 main causes of this issue.
When it’s overwatering, simply reduce your watering frequency, and if you think it’s a nutrient deficiency, here’s how to check it:
Here are some signs of yellowing caused by the many deficiencies on the Zingiber officinale in question:
- Magnesium deficiency starts as yellow patches between leaf veins on older leaves. Veins stay green as yellow moves from the leaf center out. Leaf edges turn yellow last.
- Another indicator of iron deficiency is yellowing between leaf veins, but young leaves on plant tops and branch tips are first affected.
- The newest leaves are first affected by sulfur deficiency, rendering them completely yellow.
- Insufficient potassium causes the leaf edges to turn brilliant yellow while the interior of the leaf stays green. Older leaves show the symptoms initially, and the leaf edges quickly darken.
- A lack of nitrogen is indicated by a widespread yellowing. Older, inner leaves are the first to yellow. As the yellowing progresses, it eventually touches young leaves as well.
Our Solution
You only need to act in accordance with the symptoms listed above. You can address a potassium or nitrogen deficiency by buying a particular soil, and a gardening store consultant will be able to advise you on how to do that. Furthermore, you can also limit how frequently you water your plants.
Is my Common Ginger sunburned?
It is simple to determine whether your Common Ginger (your Zingiber officinale) has sunburn. Your plant will change color in this instance, beginning to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.
As we saw above, if your Common Ginger receives too much water or not enough light, the leaves may also change color.
The bottom of the yellow leaves with a shaded area closer to the base can be examined to determine if they have been sunburned. If this part remains greener, the yellow leaf is most likely sunburned and not something else.
Why are my Common Ginger leaves turning brown?
Most of the time, leaves of a Common Ginger that turn brown is a sign that your plant has been sunburned, it has probably been exposed to too much direct sunlight. Don’t panic, your plant probably won’t die from this, but its growth will take a hit.
Should I leave my Zingiber officinale in direct sunlight?
No! Don’t leave your Zingiber officinale (or Common Ginger) in the sun if it displays the symptoms mentioned above; that’s why it’s in such a bad situation.
Our Solution
As stated in the paragraph above, the cure is straightforward: simply position your plant’s Common Ginger so that it is out of direct sunlight. With proper watering and this method, your plant should quickly come back to life.
Why are my Zingiber officinale leaves drooping or wilting ?
When you become dehydrated, this usually happens. Large plants are more vulnerable since they need more water on a regular basis than smaller plants.
Whether your Zingiber officinale plant’s pot appears light, the soil and roots are likely fairly dry and need water, so you can readily tell if it needs to be hydrated.
Our Solution
If the soil in your plant’s pot is completely dry, you will need to start by moistening it so that the roots will also benefit from the water. A common mistake is to drown the Common Ginger right after a dry period thinking that it needs a lot of water.
This is true, but the easiest way to end it is to give too much water at once. Instead, you should water the soil properly, returning to a peaceful watering rhythm.
Caring Tips for Zingiber officinale
Water Occasionally
Your plant needs water to survive, but it’s crucial to balance the amount and timing of watering. As we previously mentioned, overwatering could be catastrophic for your Zingiber officinale.
Touching the soil will let you know whether your plant needs water or not; if it still feels damp, it’s generally best to wait a few more days.
Always keep temperatures stable
Maintaining a consistent temperature for your Zingiber officinale is also a good idea, especially if it is kept indoors. At GreenShack, we typically advise reserving a temperature between 65 and 85 degrees F. Of course, avoid positioning your Zingiber officinale close to air conditioners, radiators, or other sources of hot or cold air.
Keep your Common Ginger Dust-Free
This one concerns indoor plants, just like on your furniture, dust is also deposited on the leaves of your indoor plants, the problem is that it can prevent them from receiving the necessary light, this would slow down (or even stop) the photosynthesis process, and eventually, they would lose their colors.
This would also make the pests happy, a real descent into hell for your Common Ginger.
To remove the dust from the leaves of your plant, take a microfiber cloth and gently rub the leaves. You can wet the cloth to make it easier to remove the dust, but never use corrosive products (such as rubbing alcohol!)
Keep drainage in mind
If you have a tendency to overwater, you need to keep an eye on your drainage, we advise you to opt for a pot with drainage holes if it is not already the case and a saucer.
You can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the interim if your pots don’t already have holes in them. This will help to form a channel so that the water doesn’t pool there for too long (preventing the rot of the roots!).
