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Chelsea holding a homegrown ginger plant by the roots, outside in winter.

Harvesting Homegrown Ginger & 6 Ways to Preserve It

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I recently experienced a moment in the garden that felt like a significant step forward in my self-sufficiency journey. I managed to grow enough ginger here in my northern garden (Zone 3) to last our family for nearly the entire year.

Ginger is a tropical plant, and for a long time, I didn’t think it was possible to cultivate a meaningful harvest in our short growing season. However, with the right timeline and a bit of protection, it is entirely doable.

Today, I want to share exactly how I managed this harvest, and more importantly, the five different ways I preserved it to stock the pantry.

Growing Ginger in the North (Timeline & Method)

The secret to growing ginger in a cold climate is starting early and maximizing heat. Here is the timeline I followed to get fully mature rhizomes:

  • Late February/Early March: I started the ginger indoors in my grow room. It needs a long head start before the weather warms up.
  • Spring: Once it was warm enough, I moved the pots out to the high tunnel (hoop house).
  • Summer: It spent the entire summer in the heat of the high tunnel.
  • Late September/Early October: When the temperatures started to drop, I brought the pots up to the house and placed them in a sunny, south-facing sliding glass door.
  • Total Time: It takes between 8 and 10 months for ginger to fully mature.

You know it is time to harvest when the leaves begin to die back. One lesson I learned this year is that you do not need a deep pot. Ginger roots tend to stay near the surface and spread horizontally rather than digging deep. Next year, I will use wider, shallower containers to maximize the yield.

Harvesting & Prepping Young Ginger

When you harvest home-grown ginger, you will notice immediately that the skin is incredibly thin and tender compared to the cured ginger you buy at the grocery store.

Because of this, you do not need to peel it for most recipes. A simple scrub is usually sufficient. The scent of fresh ginger is absolutely incredible—far more potent and floral than anything store-bought.

You can follow along with me as I harvest, prep, and transform this fresh root into six delicious recipes in the video below.

Recipe 1: Homemade Ginger Honey Cough Drops

I make honey cough drops regularly in the winter, but adding fresh ginger elevates them to a potent remedy for sore throats.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
Homemade ginger honey cough drops hardening on parchment paper, a natural remedy and one of the 6 ways to preserve ginger.

Instructions:

  1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the honey and grated ginger.
  2. Heat the mixture gently. You can strain the ginger out halfway through if you want a milder flavor, or leave it in for a spicy kick.
  3. Continue cooking the honey until it reaches the “hard crack” stage, which is 300°F (150°C).
  4. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, watch for the color to turn a dark, rich caramel—but be careful not to burn it.
  5. The Snow Method: If you live in a snowy climate, you can take the pot outside and pour small drops directly onto clean, packed snow. It hardens instantly! Otherwise, drop small rounds onto a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

Recipe 2: Ginger Syrup (Zero Waste)

I hate to waste anything, so I use the “nubs,” end pieces, and off-cuts to make a rich ginger syrup. This is excellent for making homemade ginger ale with club soda.

Ingredients:

  • Ginger scraps and off-cuts
  • 3 cups honey (or sugar)

Instructions:

  1. Place your ginger scraps in a saucepan.
  2. Cover with about 3 cups of honey (or sugar, if you prefer a traditional simple syrup).
  3. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes. If using raw honey, keep the heat low to preserve its beneficial properties.
  4. Strain the liquid into a jar and store it in the fridge. It will last for up to a month.
A mason jar filled with golden ginger syrup made from the scraps left over from harvesting homegrown ginger.

Recipe 3: Candied Ginger

This is a treat that my husband particularly enjoys. It’s spicy, sweet, and chewy.

Instructions:

  1. Slice ginger into bite-sized pieces (no need to peel if it’s young ginger).
  2. Simmer the slices in a sugar syrup (approx. 1 cup sugar to 1 cup water/liquid) for about 30 minutes until tender.
  3. Remove the ginger slices and place them on a wire rack to cool and dry slightly.
  4. Once tacky, toss the slices in granulated sugar to coat them.
  5. Let them dry overnight on the rack before storing in an airtight container.
A handful of sugar-coated candied ginger pieces, representing one of the 6 ways to preserve ginger.

Recipe 4: Pickled Ginger for Sushi

For pickled ginger, texture is everything. You want it paper-thin. While I tried using a vegetable peeler, I highly recommend using a mandolin for consistent results. Unlike the other recipes, I do recommend peeling the ginger for this one to ensure a smooth texture.

Instructions:

  1. Peel and thinly slice the ginger.
  2. Pack the slices into a jar.
  3. Create a brine using approx. 2/3 rice vinegar and 1/3 water, plus a teaspoon of pickling salt.
  4. Heat the brine just enough to dissolve the salt, then pour it over the ginger.
  5. Store in the refrigerator.
A hand holding a small mason jar of sliced pickled ginger, one of the 6 ways to preserve ginger from the garden.

Recipe 5: Fermented Ginger in Honey

If you have made my fermented garlic honey before, this process is exactly the same.

Instructions:

  1. Fill a jar with fresh ginger pieces.
  2. Pour raw honey over the ginger until it is completely submerged then put the lid on the jar.
  3. Place the jar on a plate (it may bubble over!) and leave it on the counter for 7 to 14 days.
  4. Flip the jar once or twice a day to ensure all ginger stays coated, and “burp” the lid daily to release gases.
  5. Once fermented, this is incredible in tea or taken by the spoonful for immunity.
A mason jar of ginger fermenting in raw honey created after harvesting homegrown ginger.

Printable Checklist: Ginger Success

  • Start ginger early (Feb/Mar) indoors and move out only when warm.
  • Harvest when leaves die back (approx. 8-10 months).
  • Young homegrown ginger does not require peeling for most recipes.
  • Use the “hard crack” stage (300°F) for cough drops.
  • Save all scraps and nubs to simmer into a zero-waste syrup.

I hope this encourages you to try growing ginger, even if you live in a cold climate like mine. It is incredibly satisfying to pull those tropical roots out of the soil when there is snow on the ground outside.

If you have a favorite way to use ginger, please share it in the comments below. I am always looking for new ideas for the harvest!

See you next time!

Chelsea

2 thoughts on “Harvesting Homegrown Ginger & 6 Ways to Preserve It”

  1. the ginger honey instructions dont say to put a lid on the jar, but it does say to flip it over. sounds messy 😀
    does it need a tight lid? a fermentation lid?

    Am definitely wanting to try ginger growing here in SK with your instructions! Thanks.

    Reply

    • Oh no! Thank you for catching that. I’ll update it now.

      It will need a lid that seals the jar so that when you flip it over it doesn’t leak, but it’s not a very active fermentation like pickles or kombucha, so you don’t have to worry too much about it bubbling out of the jar. It could happen if you fill the jar too full or forget to burp it, but I found this process to be very quiet in comparison to other ferments I’ve done.

      Reply

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