This should take place in the fall, rather than the spring. I had to be out of town for a few months (family stuff) and unfortunately my husband didn’t give the poor thing a drop of water while I was away. I would remove all the dead stalks, but leave those with some green still on them. How and Where to Cut: Be sure to cut on a fairly steep angle, because, if the cane stands straight up, and the cut gives it a flat top, this will allow water to sit on top of the cane, and gradually seep into the stem. For that reason, I suggest digging up some of them and planting them elsewhere in your garden. I typically trim ginger approximately three times a year. Maybe someone else has more info on that. Drop by anytime. This should take place in the fall, rather than the spring. It's about to enter it's 3rd growing season and looks awful because of my poor trimming techniques. It could also be used to dilute strong coffee or tea before using them on plants. New canes will grow back quickly. A Few Final Notes For People In Cool Climates. A beloved spiral ginger among gardeners in the deep south of the U.S. and in Central and South America, the Red Button Ginger is easily cared for by beginners and offers year-round interest. Feel free to … They also look good mixed in with more traditional foundation plantings. It may can be saved by giving it lots of water, unless it rains, of course. How far should I space plants We always lived in apartments in NYC so I didn t have gardening experience plus had no idea how this plant would develope. You might as well cut them down now because if the middle leaf of a stalk is dead, the stalk is not going to bloom. Alpinia’s pendulous orchid-like flowers provide a great addition to cut flower arrangements, as do the large green-and-yellow striped leaves. Be sure to cut on a fairly steep angle, because, if the cane stands straight up, and the cut gives it a flat top, this will allow water to sit on top of the cane, and gradually seep into the stem. For information on growing and caring for your ginger plants, check out my article entitled. These leaves should be removed individually, leaving the cane which will grow new leaves. Grasp the base of the stem with the dead or dying blossom. Discolored around the edges with or without spotty damage, this is likely frost damage or damage caused by a light freeze. Even though many times the flowers aren't truly blue, they are so beautiful you may have a tendency to forgive whoever bestowed the name on the plant. Variegated Shell Ginger Latin: Alpinia zerumbet 'Variegata' Variegated shell ginger is a bold plant with bright, colorful foliage that makes a statement in the garden. I know we are supposed to wait, but I … This is unsightly, and … amzn_assoc_linkid = "54c19a3f202796d8576fe776fdf229a4"; Great blog ! The plant is evergreen in frost-free zones. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Just tidy up the dead shoots and they’ll be back again come spring. Alpinia needs a lot of water, so during a drought, be conscientious about caring for this plant, while complying with state and local watering restrictions. If planting around a palm, come out about 3 feet. If the soil is poor, mix 2 to 4 inches of compost or manure into the top 8 inches of the soil. Tricolor is a stunning plant with dramatic variegated foliage with different colors on the upper and lower leaf surfaces. I apologize for not being on top of things (long story) and taking so long to reply. In climates where variegated ginger is not evergreen, annual pruning can be combined with lifting rhizomes for the year. Hi Tomi, thanks for visiting my site. Do wait a few days after a freeze before pruning, however, to see the full extent of the damage. I have a space 20 ft by 6 ft I started my spring pruning in early February. First, about the flowers: each stalk will bloom in its 2nd year. Blue ginger (Dichorisandra thyrsiflora) is an exception. Jennifer P. told me of her variegated ginger, and how tall it has grown. Variegated ginger only blooms on 2-year-old stems. Hi! © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. This is also the case for leaves that naturally die back throughout the season. Looking forward for your reply, Jack. ... Variegated ginger is moderately drought tolerant once established, and easy care as long as you've planned well for the plant's eventual size. All the ornamental ginger varieties are evergreen in the tropics, meaning they don't die down like the culinary ginger. Both the regular shell ginger (Alpinia Zerumbet) and variegated shell ginger (Alpinia Zerumbet Variegated) if heavily frosted will stop growing and terminate. Alpinia zerumbet is a tender herbaceous perennial in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) grown throughout the world for its attractive flowers and foliage.This plant native to open woodlands of tropical eastern Asia is frequently used as an annual foliage plant in colder climates, with a variegated cultivar native to India the most common type available in the Midwest. Hello! Variegated shell ginger plant needs rich, well-drained soil. Again, always take out the weakest canes, or any that may be turning yellow or brown. To achieve a shorter, more compact plant, remove the tallest canes at the ground. Place them 4 to 5 feet apart and allow at least 4 feet between a ginger and the nearest shrub. Just remember to put them in either full shade, or in a spot where they get only morning sun. This week's plant spotlight is a cool houseplant that can handle some seriously cold temps! The plant's green and yellow leaves are broad ovals that measure 2 feet long and 5 inches wide and grow along stalks that can reach up to 10 feet tall, though only 3 to 4 feet tall in containers. Ginger plant division should be done when a container is crowded or when garden plants are at least 3 years old. Will cutting back help or do I need to transplant a few of these for spacing ? That will cause rot, and invite disease and pests. Reed was editor of the "Grand Ledge Independent" weekly newspaper and a Capitol Hill reporter for the national newsletter "Corporate & Foundation Grants Alert." The fruit is not ornamentally significant. Ginger is grown from rhizomes, or enlarged roots, regardless of the variety. amzn_assoc_title = "My favorite loppers, my garden kneeler, and more"; I also planted a grouping of the red-leafed banana's behind the variegated shell ginger which gave my south Mississippi front yard a truly exotic look! Trim last year's stems (the old growth) only as needed. Remove freeze-damaged canes a few days after the freeze, allowing time for all damage to become apparent. Often it will become top heavy, and lean over onto other plants, or it may simply be taller than you would like. With its lush, striped foliage and dangling shell-pink blossoms, variegated ginger (Alpinia Zerumbet "Variegata") adds a touch of the exotic to gardens in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11. Flowers, which begin blooming in the spring in frost-free areas -- summer elsewhere -- should be deadheaded as they fade. In my garden, I trim shell gingers to maintain their size in relation to the rest of the landscape. Now you can plant them in a pot like this one. Ginger plant stems only produce one blossom before dying, so pruning these off makes the plant more attractive. Garden Perennials & Shrubs to Prune in the Fall. Assess each stalk to determine the height you desire. Variegated ginger, also called shell ginger, grows from rhizomatous roots that can be also be planted in pots and overwintered indoors or lifted and stored where temperatures drop below 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Prune these stems continuously throughout the year each time a … You can cut the tallest canes back to the ground, if you want, or you can cut them just above a leaf, at the desired height. Individual leaves that turn brown can often be removed with your hands. There's also a pretty variegated ginger with white and green striped leaves. 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