Grow Your Own Turmeric (Curcum longa)

Grow your own turmeric in the garden or a container. The lush foliage adds a tropical flare to your garden and the nutritious rhizome can be used in a variety of recipes.

Purchase transplants or start your own plants from the fleshy rhizomes that resemble ginger.  Hardy in zones 8 to 11, turmeric can be grown as a perennial there and as an annual in colder regions.  It prefers morning sun with afternoon shade and warm humid conditions. Grow turmeric in moist organic soils with adequate drainage and fertilization. The edible rhizomes are ready to harvest in 8 to 10 months when the leaves begin to yellow and dry off. Use a portion of the harvest to start new plants.

Those in colder climates need to dig, cure and store the rhizomes or move potted plants to a cool dark location just like storing your cannas for winter.

A bit more information: Turmeric is also known as Indian Saffron due to its yellow coloring. A one-inch section of fresh turmeric makes about 1 tablespoon of freshly grated turmeric and 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric.