The Good and Bad Ginger Companion Plants

If like most people your garden has limited space, you would probably want to plant flowers, spices, and vegetables efficiently, together. One edible plant that does not encroach on your flowers’ space is ginger.

Good companion plants for ginger are Chili Peppers, Cilantro, Fruit Trees/Fruit Shrubs, Legumes, Lemongrass, Pigeon Pea, Spinach, and Turmeric. Ginger should not be grown along with Walnut.

Companion plants offer a mutually beneficial relationship with each other. This could be one way or both ways. Ginger can provide benefits to other plants that you will read about later in this post.

Best Companion Plants for Ginger

Here is a list of Good Companion Plants and the benefits they are bound to get when grown alongside ginger. 

Chili Peppers

Chilli pepper - Garlic companion plant

Chili Peppers and ginger are good companion plants that offer benefits to each other.

The chili peppers receive protection against pests from the ginger. While on the other hand, ginger receives a shady respite and shelter from the scorching sun.

Complete Ginger Growing Guide: Planting Ginger from Roots

Cilantro

In cuisines around the world, both Cilantro and ginger are dominant ingredients.  

Planting cilantro and ginger next to each other is the best way to reduce time spent in the garden! Collect your cilantro and ginger together instead of circling the garden to get both from different areas. 

Cilantro prefers the same soil and climate as ginger and if you plant Cilantro on the sides, it provides shade to the Ginger plant.

Fruit Trees/Fruit Shrubs

Shrubs naturally make a suitable location for ginger since they create a shady canopy under which ginger will prosper. Just a word of caution, make sure enough sunlight penetrates this canopy to allow ginger growth. 

Growing underground root plants such as ginger and turmeric under trees is a great idea to use up all vacant space around the garden. They do not require too much sunlight and prefer shade.

Legumes

Legumes such as beans and peas are a great ginger companion as they make ginger plants thrive with the nutrients they return back to the soil. These plants are widely known for their ability to fix nitrogen back into the ground.

Legumes usually grow as bushy shrubs that still allow light to pass through, the perfect setting for ginger plants to flourish. 

Factors to Consider Before Planting Ginger in Your Garden

Lemongrass

Lemongrass is like ginger, used in numerous Asian and Indian dishes. It is also a tropical plant that enjoys fertile soil that drains well thus making it suitable to grow in similar conditions.

The lemongrass stalks grow to a height that can create shade for the ginger plants. Ginger with its strong odor may repel pests making it a mutually beneficial relationship.

A hidden fact is that lemongrass can help to keep mosquitoes away!

Pigeon Pea

There are many benefits of growing the Pigeon Pea plant along with Ginger.

  1. Pigeon Pea is part of the legume family and will aid ginger by giving nutrients back to the soil.
  2. You can easily trim the pea plants to make nutritional mulch for the underlying ginger plants.
  3. The pigeon pea grows to an average height taller than ginger leaves. Therefore, it also acts as a shelter for the ginger plants and allows only some sunlight to pass through.
  4. Nearby plants may get damaged while harvesting ginger. This is not a problem with pigeon pea as it keeps growing. 

Spinach

Spinach is vulnerable to several pests during its growing phase. Ginger with its strong deterrent aroma discourages pests from gorging upon the spinach making them good companion plants. 

Turmeric

Turmeric is another spice just like ginger which has similar requirements for growth. This makes it easy for both of them to grow together. 

How and When to Harvest Ginger the right way? Easy Steps

What Makes Ginger a Good Companion Plant?

Ginger is considered a good companion plant. Here are a few reasons it is beneficial to other plants.

  • Ginger does not require full sunlight throughout the day and is happy to settle in shady areas that other plants hate!
  • With its pungent smell Ginger discourages pests making it a good companion plant. 
  • Ginger plants only grow to a maximum height of 3 ft. (60-90cm) and are perfect for growing under canopies of taller trees and shrubs.
  • The low maintenance needs of ginger make it easy to manage. You can instead spend time on a plant that has higher maintenance needs.
  • Ginger has no negative effects, making it great as a companion.
  • Soil conditions suitable for ginger are also suitable for a wide range of other plants.

How to Grow Ginger Indoors in Pots?

Bad companion plants for Ginger

Though Ginger is a good companion plant, still, it may not suit every plant out there.

Don’t plant ginger near plants or trees that can grow very large and block its sunlight.

– Walnut Trees

They release a toxin known as juglone that can be detrimental to the growth of the nearby plant. Thus it is not advised to grow ginger nearby a Walnut tree.

What are the requirements for Growing Ginger?

Ginger has very few requirements, making it one of the easiest edible spices to grow. Most of its needs pertain to factors like soil quality, climate, and water (moisture). 

Ginger needs soil that will fulfill all its nutritional needs. If your garden soil is not naturally rich in all the minerals, you can add compost to it.

Soil for planting ginger should drain well, root plants such as ginger could rot if too much water is retained by the soil. Preferred soil would contain minimal amounts of clay that creates water-logging. 

Shady areas that receive a few hours of sunlight are the most ideal setting for ginger plants. Areas of intense sunlight can lead to the scorching of ginger plant foliage. 

Best Climate and Soil to Grow Ginger

What is the Purpose of Companion Plants?

Many home gardeners wonder what is the purpose of companion plants and what role the traditional companion growing serves.

Here are some reasons why you should grow companion plants with ginger.

Space

In gardens where the soil area is in short supply, you will want to utilize all space available to you. Adjusting your growing patterns in a way that allows efficient use of space is advisable. 

Shade-loving plants like ginger should be planted in shady areas where most other plants will not thrive. Thus you can plant plants like ginger or flowers under trees and shrubs. You can grow other plants needing more sunlight in the rest of the garden.

Pest Control

It is a known fact that some plants can deter pests that would otherwise demolish a plant entirely. Garlic is one companion plant that gives such protection to other plants.

Pungent odors can be the reason for giving such properties to their companion plants. 

Increases Output

Many plants actually provide some form of nutrition to the neighboring plants or to the soil itself. Legumes actually recycle nitrogen back into the soil.

This abundance of nutrients helps in the long run to increase the output of vegetables and edible plants in your garden. 

Save Money!

Growing more edible companion plants at home together helps to cut down the shopping list. This, in turn, helps you to save money that can be spent on other things. Owning a vegetable garden is not only fun but also saves money.

FAQs

Can ginger plants grow in shade?

Ginger grows best in partially shady conditions but not in full intense sunlight. Sunlight also helps to create the warmer temperatures that ginger is known to prefer.

Can I plant ginger and turmeric together?

Yes, you can plant ginger and turmeric together. Both have underground roots that share the same requirements making them compatible companions. They both should be grown in nutrient-rich soil with good drainage. 
But, if your soil is not right, you risk spoiling both your ginger and turmeric. Perform a soil test before planting heavy feeders such as edible root plants.

How do you increase the yield of ginger?

You can increase ginger output by providing a complete fertilizer consisting of all the required macronutrients. Provide adequate shade and sun with moist soil that drains well. These conditions are bound to reap the benefits of heaps of large ginger. 

References

  1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1439179119302816