Enjoy the Health Benefits of Ginger and Start Your Own

Enjoy the health benefits of ginger then grow your own for a bit of garden therapy.

Steep some finely chopped ginger into a cup of boiling water for several minutes. Then sip away an upset stomach, pain and inflammation.

Save a portion of the ginger root, actually a modified stem known as a rhizome, to start your own plant.

Select a plump piece with several bumpy nodes where new sprouts will form. Soak the rhizome overnight in warm water.

Plant the ginger rhizome with the bumpy nodes pointing up in a wide shallow pot. Cover with several inches of potting mix and water.

Move the container to a warm location and keep the soil moist, but not wet. Be patient as it can take several weeks or more for the ginger to sprout. Move the plant to a sunny window as soon as sprouts appear. Continue to water as needed.

A bit more information: Ginger contains hundreds of healthful compounds that aid in digestion, soothe nausea, fight colds and flu and so much more. Add it to your soup, create a glaze for white fish, include it in stir-fries and baked in desserts.