If you want to know how to grow turmeric, my latest video shares how in less than three minutes:
It doesn’t have the song in it like my older video, but I do include shots of turmeric growing in one of my new shade garden areas, plus show you how simple it is to plant.
Here’s the previous video with the Meredith Brooks cover:
Though a lot of people have no idea where the spice turmeric comes from, it’s actually just the root of a simple-looking little ginger plant.
It’s also ridiculously easy to grow wherever you can grow other gingers.
Here’s how I do it.
How To Grow Turmeric
In my observations turmeric seems to be somewhat more tolerant of sun than its culinary and decorative cousins; however, I still find it’s happiest with half-sun or less.
Plant turmeric in a shady spot with rich soil and mulch and you’ll have it for years to come.
In the fall (like right now), you can plant roots here and there like I did in my old food forest.
They won’t emerge until right around the beginning of summer and will sleep happily beneath the mulch until then. You can plant turmeric anywhere from 2-6″ deep and it still comes up. I like to go for about 4″ down.
Don’t be anxious in the spring for it to show up. It won’t. You’ll think it’s dead, you’ll be sad, you’ll doubt your gardening ability, you’ll give up on your faith…
…and then, sometime in June, little shoots will emerge and you’ll repent of your doubt.
Growing turmeric is a great idea for multiple reasons.
It’s an anti-cancer herb, it’s easy to grow, it’s high-value and it’s a wonderful culinary spice. (EthnoHerbalist.com has more on the medical benefits here and some turmeric recipes here)
It’s also pretty in an edible landscaping plan. Just know that it sleeps half the year!
Mine dies down in November and comes back year after year in a bigger clump.
Make sure your turmeric aren’t getting too much water during their winter dormancy. Though it hasn’t happened to me yet, I’ve heard that can induce rot and kill your plants. Wet summers and dry winters are perfect for growing happy turmeric.
Harvesting Turmeric
Which leads me to the one downside of growing turmeric: it takes two years for a good clump.
You may grow it faster in the tropics but in zone 8/9 where I used to grow it I couldn’t get a good yield until two years after planting. I harvest when the tops die back in fall. Fortunately, it’s so easy to grow and takes up so little space that you can pretty much plant turmeric and forget about it.
When you pull up the roots, wash them, let them dry a little, then store in the crisper drawer. They’ll also keep on the counter for a few weeks but are subject to drying out.
Note: If you live north of zone 8, turmeric also grows EASILY as a potted plant. Just bring it in during the winter and don’t give it too much water. After two years, dump out the pot and voila – roots!
And that, my friends, is how to grow turmeric no matter where you live. Grab some live roots from the local ethnic market and get planting. Or you can always find live turmeric roots on ebay.
SPUDOMETER RATING: 3 Spuds!
Name: Turmeric
Latin Name: Curcurma longa
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Nitrogen Fixer: No
Medicinal: Yes
Cold-hardy: Leaves are not – roots survive under mulch
Exposure: Shade/partial sun
Part Used: Roots – leaves can be used for tea and seasoning
Propagation: Division of roots
Taste: Spicy/earthy
Method of preparation: Fresh, dried, pickled
Storability: Good if kept somewhat moist but better to store in ground
Ease of growing: Easy
Nutrition: High
Recognizability: Low
Availability: Plants are rare but roots from store will usually grow
*Photo credit for turmeric images (creative commons license)
17 responses to “How To Grow Turmeric”
Ha, that stuff is so lazy! It’s like the sleeping-in teenager of the plant world. I thought it was just my climate, but apparently not. It doesn’t even grow half the year here. I keep it in an unheated greenhouse with temps occasionally below 20, but I haven’t tried any outside yet. I suspect it will need just the right spot. We have dry summers and wet winters. The quality of mine is never close to that grown commercially, but then I don’t take very good care of it either. I’ve been meaning to add Galangal and Ginger for years, but never seem to get to it. I’d like to try them outside in special spots near large masses and buildings, or maybe next to water storage. I just don’t have those spots yet.
It’s totally lazy. I mean, it’ll be in the 90s here for a couple of months before it emerges. It sure isn’t the cold weather making it drowsy.
I’ve seen cannas coming back from the ground in zones 6/7. They’re closely related to ginger with similar cold damage. I’ll bet you could get some going outside. Wet winters may be an issue, though.
Right, mine is in the greenhouse, so it’ll be really hot, but it’s obviously on a clock of it’s own. As soon as it gets even a tiny bit cold it’s like “later dudes!” My guess is the moisture would be fine if the soil is well drained, but we’ll see. I have some plans to make ferrocement water storage that serves double duty as a mass for planting stuff like this and citrus etc.
Steven Edholm
SkillCult: skillcult.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SkillCult <https://www.youtube.com/c/SkillCult
I’m loving the song! I’ve done pretty well with my edible ginger getting sprouted. But finding fresh turmeric in the store has been a bit more difficult. I only had two roots take. Any tips on getting them to sprout more readily?
Try an organic market and see if you have any luck. Some will carry it now and again.
I have been growing tumeric and ginger in my perrienial garden here in the DR for many years. Turmeric has spread to take over a large space. I have more than I can ever use. I harvest it by the bucket full yearly and give it away to anyone who has any kind of inflammatory problem. Inflamtory means pain, so not only cancer but arthritis and other painful problems may benefit from regular use.
Ginger grows slower and does not spread like turmeric. It also has the same anti inflammatory qualities, but not as strong as turmeric. My ginger has beautiful flowers occasionally. They grow from the center of the plant and you don’t notice them coming out for quite a while.
If just a little piece gets left in the ground when you harvest, you will eventually have a plant there.
My turmeric (5plants) had with only 1 leaf for about 5 months. What could be the problem?
They often have a really long dormancy period – like 6 months. Keep your eyes on them. If they never do anything, the roots may have rotted. They don’t like much water, so that could be the issue.
try hb101 i had kale and swiss chard come up about 1 1/2 inches and stop growing sprayed them with hb101 and put some in the soil and a couple days later they were 6 inches and growing like weeds ! works for me maybe it will for all of you as well , take care :-)
Have got some turmeric (always thought it was spelled without 2 r’s) growing outdoors that I planted this year. Has been doing ok in zone 8b in central Tx. Course, we’re had more rain than usual.
What is hb101??
Thanks so much for everything you’re doing, David.
If you could make Aliyah – immigrate to Israel – I’d let you live in our downstairs apartment in exchange for helping me with my garden!
Blessings from the beautiful Galilee,
Carolyn Hyde
I would love to at least visit Israel – my spiritual history is tied to that blessed land and it would be a marvelous pilgrimage. Thank you for reading and the kind offer.
I recently realised how good this turmeric works . First I started taking capsules for punishing my liver from years upon years of drinking . I started taking turmeric u,ong other things such as dandelion and celery for a diuretic . I digress . Then recently I got quick results when combining two remedies I seen for corn’s I dealt with pain on the side of my left foot for a couple years . It was excruciating just to walk . I tried the walgreens medicated patches to no avail . The combining 2 remedies I seen out of a plethora online . Mostly because I already had them both on hand . Olive oil & turmeric being the 2 main . I have used this twice in the past 3 months . I used as a base A&D ointment mixed in 1 capsule of turmeric and a drizzle of evoo . I then slathered this mixture over bandage and taped to needed area . After repeating this for 4 to 5 days for good measure . Pain that had hindered me for years . Was gone and I could now complain about something else .lol Had I not ended up with a liver problem I may have never turned to God given cures and been stuck in the big pharma poison network . I paid for DR visits for about a year . Only after realising all he gave me was a diuretic . I thought I can do that for free after researching . As well I know treat the problem not just one symptom . And the best part I don’t need a referral . As I had and have no insurance anyway . Thanks for what you do here . I discovered your channel , site and books . By being a long time listeners to Mark goodwin’s Prepper recon podcast . I am in the process of starting a garden when I discovered your info Good timing . Soaking moringa seeds tonight Thanks Timothy Thomas, Pasco co FL
That is great! And I’m glad you found me.
Hello,
Can I plant turmeric in the spring? I’m in Zone 9. Thanks!
Yes, no problem. Plant away.
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