Even if the foliage freezes, the roots may still survive.
Just because your 's foliage died back with the first freeze does not necessarily mean that it is damaged. Ginger's winter hardiness depends largely on the variety. The roots of some domestic varieties like culinary ginger or variegated-shell ginger often die when left in frozen soil. Other, hardier varieties like varieties of wild ginger have roots that are hardy down to growing zone 3. If you don't know the variety or growing needs of your ginger plant, the best way to save it from further freeze damage is to dig it up.
Instructions
1. Cut the foliage back to ground level with a pair of pruning shears. Throw it away, chop it up and use it as mulch or toss it in the compost pile.
2. Dig the ginger tuber out of the soil carefully. Damage at this juncture will compromise the plant's winter storage. If the ground is frozen solid, it is likely too late to save your . Your best bet is to lay down a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch, wait until spring and hope to see new shoots growing.
3. Pack the ginger rhizomes in dry pine bark mulch in a large plastic container. Surround them with at least 1 inch of mulch on all sides. Place them somewhere like the garage where temperatures remain around 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Check on the ginger plants after 48 hours when they've had time to thaw. Prune away any soft, mushy, frost-damaged parts of the tubers with a sharp knife--but only if less than 30 percent of the root is damaged. Pruning away any more than 30 percent of the tuber is likely to kill it. Extensively damaged tubers are best thrown away.
5. Lay the ginger tubers flat in a cool dark area until the cut wounds dry out. Then place them back in the pine bark mulch. Check on their condition once every two weeks or so (throw out any rotting tubers) then replant in spring.
Tags: bark mulch, ginger plant, pine bark, pine , your ginger