All About Galangal
There are two types of galangal you could choose to grow, lets compare them. One type of plant is more popular than the other.
Greater Galangal
The most familiar type of galangal is probably the one used in culinary applications. This plant is originally from Indonesia and typically reaches a height of about 6 feet with its wide, blade-like leaves. The small flowers have a greenish-white color with a dark-red tip that has veins. The flowers produce red berries. Galangal is grown as a perennial, and the roots are harvested and used after about 1 year.
Galangal is used in many Asian cuisines, is the main ingredient in making Thai curry pastes, particularly those used with seafood. It can be used in the same way as ginger, but it is much more dense and hard. This quality makes it easy to grate rather than chop. The rhizomes taste like ginger but are more peppery with a piney aroma. These rhizomes typically are pale yellow to white in color but some varieties exhibit blue-tinged coloring, which has resulted in another name for the plant being blue ginger. When dried they have a light brown color.
Lesser Galangal
Instead of using it for cooking, lesser galangal (Alpinia officinalis) is most often used for medicinal purposes. It has a more pungent and medicinal flavor. The rhizomes are a light brown to orange color. It only reaches 3 feet in height and has thinner and longer leaves. Flowers are also white with red streaks or tips. Its native territory is along the southeast Chinese coast.
Propagation
The flowers on galangal plants are usually sterile, so you won’t be able to find viable seeds. If there are any viable seeds, they won’t grow true. Stick to dividing plants, or planting transplants or tubers.
Make sure your soil is ready for the plants before you choose a method. If your soil is sandy or clay, you should improve it by adding well-rotted compost. This plant likes loose, loamy, well-draining soil.
If you do not have access to ideal soil, think about using raised beds or containers that are already filled with purchased soil.
By Division
If you want to create more plants, you can divide an existing plant to create two or more new ones.
This can be done by digging up the entire plant, roots and all, in the spring or fall. To remove the plant, insert a large garden fork at least a foot away from the base of the plant, and gently pull the handle towards yourself to lift up the roots.
You need to remove the soil so you can see the rhizome. You can do this by knocking the soil loose or rinsing the dirt away with a hose. You can use a garden saw or a sturdy knife to cut the rhizome into pieces. To propagate a plant, you need a minimum of a four-inch piece, and it’s best to leave as much foliage attached as you can.
To replant the pieces, follow the steps for transplanting a plant.
From Rhizomes
Is it possible to plant rhizomes from the grocery store to grow a new plant? Yes, it is. You can also find rhizomes at nurseries or online.
If you’re looking for a good source for fresh Hawaiian-grown galangal, Kejora sells one-pound or two-pound packs of it via Amazon.
Plant a rhizome that is firm and not shriveled. Cut it into four-inch pieces.
Directly plant the seeds in the garden during the early spring season. If that is not possible, then plant them in a gallon-sized container indoors. It is important to remember that the earth needs to be well-draining, fertile, and loamy in order to be healthy. A water-retaining potting mixture is good to use if you’re growing plants in containers.
I recommend using Tank’s Pro Coco-Soil Potting Mix if you aren’t sure what potting medium to use. The soil mix contains coco coir to help retain water and improve drainage, as well as compost to create a more porous, nutrient-rich medium.
Pick some up at Arbico Organics in 1.5-cubic-foot bags.
Position the rhizome three inches deep in the medium. Place rhizomes at least 18 inches apart if you have multiple ones. If starting indoors, plant one rhizome per gallon-size container.
Water the soil well and keep it moist. What does moist mean? If it feels dry, it’s time to water your plant. If the top inch of the soil feels dry, it’s time to water your plant. It should feel like a well-wrung-out sponge.
Indoor plants should be placed in an area where they will receive at least six hours of bright, indirect sunlight each day. Outdoors, cultivate them in a partially shady spot.
After a week, you should see that new shoots are coming out from the rhizome. Once the shoots have grown a few inches and have produced a few leaves, they will be ready for transplanting. You can transplant your indoor starts to the outdoors when they are big enough.
Before you plant them, harden the starts off by putting them outside in a protected area for about an hour. Then, bring them back indoors. Put the plants outside for longer and longer periods of time each day. After a week, they’re ready to go.
Transplanting
If you can manage to find a galangal plant at a nursery, you will be able to transplant it into your garden. This method is quicker than others to move from planting to harvest, but it costs more.
To plant, dig a hole in your garden that is twice as wide and as deep as the container in which the plant came. The galangal root should be taken out of its packaging and lowered into the hole. After digging a hole, fill it with soil and compress it.
Water well to settle the soil around the roots.
How to Grow
Galangal plants need soil that is loose, well-drained, and rich in nutrients in order to thrive. It requires a pH between 6.0 and 7.8.
Part shade is ideal, but it can also survive in nearly full sun. If a plant is in full sun during the summer, it may get sunburned.
Keep the soil moist, like a well-wrung-out sponge. Don’t let the soil dry out.
Galangal can be grown in containers, but the tubers will only grow to a limited size unless the container is five gallons or larger. Fill the container with soak-retaining, spongelike potting soil, and check the pot regularly to make sure it doesn’t dehydrate.
You should increase the size of the container as the plant grows. If you are growing the plant in the ground, you should dig up and harvest half of the rhizome yearly to keep it contained.
Adding a layer of straw mulch an inch thick around your plants will help keep the soil cooler and moister.
The plant will enter a growth hiatus in winter, during which the leaves will remain green. At this point, you should water less often, letting the top inch of soil dry out in between watering.
Place your potted plant near a window where it will receive three to six hours of sunlight each day.
Galangal grows well with other plants that have similar requirements, such as some varieties of orchids, lemongrass, and ginger. You can also improve the quality of your soil by planting red clover. Red clover will help to add nitrogen to the soil.
Whatever you plant galangal with, it will grow tall and may overshadow smaller plants. Would you like to plant herbs that can tolerate moist soil and partial shade? If so, you might want to consider planting mint, cilantro, and sweet woodruff.
Plants that require a lot of sun should be avoided, such as melons, eggplants, tomatoes, and chili peppers.
Growing Tips
- Keep the soil constantly moist.
- Plant in partial to full sun.
- Add an inch of straw mulch to help retain moisture.
Galangal Plant Care
Both types of galangal are low-maintenance garden plants and have similar conditions.
Sun and Temperature
Choose a spot in the garden that gets a lot of sun during the day, especially in winter. Galangal is a plant that is native to tropical areas and grows best in warmer climates. If your plants are getting too much heat, water them more frequently to provide afternoon shade. This is especially important if your plants are young. When it’s winter in cooler areas, galangal will need to be grown in a greenhouse or indoors. Galangal is very sensitive to frost and cold conditions.
Water and Humidity
Galangal will require regular ample water in the beginning. The plants will need less moisture once they are more established during the fall and winter months. Water frequently and deeply to establish those roots. A drip or soaker hose is very helpful. If the plant is established, dial back the watering so that the soil is just moist. This plant prefers humid conditions, so if you live in a dry climate, consider placing it near a fountain or pond.
Soil
To grow galangal, you’ll also need well-draining soil. When you are creating a garden, it is important to have a mix of organic matter so that your plants will have adequate drainage while still being able to retain moisture. The soil should stay moist, but not too wet or water-logged. Periodically top-dress with compost and mulch.
Fertilizing
Galangal will benefit from regular balanced fertilizing. Water your plants with liquid fertilizer once a month, or when their leaves look droopy. Amping up the water will also help.
Pruning
To keep your galangal plant healthy, prune away any brown, dead leaves or bloomed-out flower stalks. New growth will continue. However, galangal will not wither away and die like ginger does. Browning leaves can be a sign that the plant is not getting enough water.
Managing Pests and Diseases
Although it is often said that a plant is easy to grow, it can be frustrating when you are unable to keep one alive that is supposed to be easy to care for. Galangal is an easy plant to grow.
There are few pests or diseases that want to eat it.
Insects
While you are not likely to encounter the most common pests, you might come across spider mites. If you have a lot of these pests, they could ruin your harvest, but even if you don’t have many, it’s still a good idea to try to keep them away.
When it’s dry, especially indoors, spider mites can show up unannounced. These arachnids measure just a few millimeters in length and belong to the Tetranychidae family. You’re more likely to see the webbing that the mites leave behind than the mites themselves.
Yellow stippling on the leaves, which comes from the holes left behind by the mites’ piercing mouthparts, is the damage on plants that appears in the form of. These small pests drink the liquid out of plants, which can tired them or make the leaves turn yellow and die.
To get rid of mites, spray your plants with water to knock them off. In order to make a difference, it is important to introduce and encourage beneficial insects, such as ladybugs and predatory mites.
What can you do to attract predatory mites to your garden? One way to solve this issue is to spend money on it.
At Arbico Organics, you can purchase packs of 2,000 to 10,000 mites.
If you are having difficulty, try using a horticultural oil such as SuffOil-X. It comes in 2.5 gallon jugs.
This spray kills insects and gets rid of diseases like rust. To use, mix with water and spray on plants. Make sure that your galangal plant has enough water when you are using this product.
Disease
Although diseases aren’t prevalent, infections can occur sporadically. The main problem you’ll have with growing this delicious plant is that it is susceptible to fungi. You can avoid most fungal diseases by practicing good garden hygiene.
Water your plants at the soil level so the water can be absorbed better. If the plant’s foliage becomes too dense, thin the plants out. Plants should be spaced apart to allow for good air circulation.
Root Rot
Although Galangal loves moist soil, root rot can occur if the plant is exposed to standing water. That’s why well-draining soil is essential. Root rot is a disease caused by a fungus. There are two things that can cause the fungus to grow and cause the disease.
This is due to the roots not being able to reach the oxygen they need as they are sitting in too much water. If you come across a problem, it is unlikely that you will know what is causing it. Therefore, we need to take care of both possibilities.
The damage from this disease happens underground, so you might not notice it at first. If the leaves start to turn yellow and wilt, that’s a sign that your plants have the disease.
If you see the plant wilting, take it out of the ground or pot immediately. Cut away any leaves that are brown or mushy, as well as any roots that are unhealthy. After that, use a fungicide like Bonide’s Revitalize Biofungicide on the roots.
You should replant in either fresh potting soil or back in the ground. You will not be able to replant until you fix the problem with poor drainage. If you want to improve your soil, you should either work lots of well-aged compost into it, or create a raised bed. Choose containers that have enough holes for drainage.
After you have planted your tree, you will need to water it with a mixture of fungicide and water. Wait two weeks before doing this. Repeat in a month.
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