How to Grow Turmeric

How to Grow Turmeric.

By now you’re probably aware of the beneficial properties of turmeric. It’s also an important spice used in the preparation of a variety of fragrant and delicious Indian dishes. Although turmeric can be found in its dried form at your local supermarket, there are advantages to growing turmeric on your own.

Turmeric is derived from the rhizome portion of the plant which appears similar to the more commonly seen ginger rhizome seen in your grocery store. The best turmeric flavor comes only from fresh rhizomes with the flavor dimension rapidly declining during the drying process due to evaporation of the essential oils. When turmeric is ground is also becomes bitter, preventing you from experiencing the true flavor potential it posses when you buy it dried from the supermarket. One solution is to grow turmeric in your own garden or greenhouse.

Turmeric grows well only in moist, hot climates. You can probably grow turmeric successfully outdoors if you live in the Sun Belt region as long you plant it where it will receive the most direct heat from the sun. If you live in a less hospitable environment, you can grow turmeric in a greenhouse although they may not achieve the same stature as the plants grown outdoors in hot, humid climates.

Growing turmeric can be as simple as purchasing the fresh roots. You may be able to purchase fresh roots from a local Asian market. If not, turmeric plants can be ordered online or from some local nurseries. If you’ll be using fresh turmeric roots, select ones that have fat fingers since you’ll be planting the fingers in the soil to start your turmeric plant.

Once you have your fresh roots, remove the fingers and plant them in well drained, fertile soil in direct sunlight. Keep the soil moist but not wet enough to allow water stagnation. Watch for turmeric shoots to appear in about two months. You can also grow turmeric in a greenhouse by planting the roots in pots with well drained potting soil. Make sure the soil remains moist but don’t over water so that water pooling can occur. You can also grow turmeric outdoors during the warm months of the year and bring them indoors when the weather turns cold. During the growing season, feed the plants with a general purpose fertilizer.

The rhizomes are usually harvested eight to ten months after planting when the leaves and stems of the plant become dry. To do this, carefully dig out the plants after removing the leaves. Lift out the turmeric clumps and manually remove the dirt. They can then be soaked in water to remove any additional soiling and dried naturally. The clumps should be stored in a cool place without excess moisture. Stored clumps can be replanted in the spring.

Growing turmeric can be a great way to enjoy the considerable health benefits this herb offers. Plus, you’ll have the pleasure of knowing you cultivated it yourself.

Turmeric: Spices of Life (Woodland Health Series)

Spice of Life: Magical Healing Power of Turmeric

The Golden touch of Turmeric: Turmeric (Curcuma longa), a perennial shrub that belongs to the ginger family, has long been regarded as an important spice ... saffron.: An article from: Vibrant Life

Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine: Turmeric

The effect of turmeric extracts on inflammatory mediator production.: An article from: Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy & Phytopharmacology

Spicing up your life: can turmeric, the spice that adds color and flavor to Asian foods, play a role in preventing Alzheimer's disease? Scientists are ... An article from: Saturday Evening Post