Ginger is a tropical crop most people are very familiar with in the kitchen, but mostly unfamiliar with in the garden. It’s one of the few shade loving food plants we can grow. Ginger is a heavy feeder so it needs to be planted in rich soil and new compost should be added to the area through it’s growth period. Ginger will grow throughout summer and be ready for harvesting in the winter or spring. Throughout summer the plant will send up many leafy shoots forming a small clump, which do not grow taller than 2 feet. In the Fall when the leaves begin to die back and the plant does not make new shoots, it is a clear sign that the plant is sending its energy into the rhizomes and will be ready for harvest in the following months. Ginger is an amazing herb and medicinal plant to have in your garden. Not only is ginger delicious to cook with and for making herbal teas, its also a powerful medicinal plant that aids in digestion, alleviates menstrual cramping, improves immunity, and can even be used topically for skin care. If you have a ginger plant in your garden you can also use the leaves for cooking and making tea, or just hang a bundle of them fresh in your shower for a delicious steam aroma.