Can I just start by saying that it was actually sunny today? Because this year, the sunshine state we are not. The pouring down every blooming day state, yes. The roof leaking state, yes. And we certainly all have swimming pools in our backyards. All this rain is making me a leetle nutty.
So as my mind thinks of nutty raining things, I am naturally leaning towards plants that can cope with tropical jungle like conditions and nutty owners. And I am hoping that the lovely Thai Ginger fits the bill.
Thai Ginger is also known as galangal and is commonly used in Thai and Indonesian cooking. According to his little ticket TG will grow to 1.5 metres, likes full sun to part shade and also sported the winning blurb, "Once established, requires little maintenance."
So let's get established. I dug, fertilised, watered and mulched. That's established, isn't it? I'm not sure at what point I can start digging up the rhizomes and get cooking, but presumably that's what you do once establishment takes place. Maybe in a year?
I think it looks a lot like a peace lily... I hope I haven't been plant-conned. Presumably when I get cooking I'll be able to tell the difference. Although who knows, it's possible that peace lilies are delicious too.
I love plants that send up those tubey shoots from a rhizome. They seem to be able to take a lot, and once established, there's no getting rid of them. That's my kind of plant.
Apart from being decidedly delicious in soups and whatnot, the rhizome of Thai Ginger is also reputed to have all sorts of medicinal uses. According to the Tropilab Inc website, it can be used to treat anything from bad breath and ulcers to whooping cough and rheumatism.
What's not to love about Thai Ginger?
9 comments:
Aint the weather wierd...down here too. We lit the fire today ... it is Summer! Ridiculous. I kidnapped my grandson yesterday and he only had the clothes he stood in...He has had to wear a windcheater of mine around the house...he looks like a circus mouse wearing The Big Top! Hope you ginger survives the weather and You. :-)
I am possibly more dangerous to the ginger than the weather :) I'm glad the wooly weather is sharing its love, I've got a jumper on here at the moment too. And this is Brisbane summer... isn't it supposed to be disgustingly hot?
OK, I admit it. I come here everyday to see the garden porn. Your green and growing stuff is like porn to us in the frozen white north!! want to trade for the season? LOL
Up here in indiana we have 5 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, road construction, and OMG it's blazin' hot.;)
Your ginger is certainly loving the rain.
Blue sky this morning. Maybe we'll have a fine day today.
It's a beautiful day so far, isn't it? I work in a house on the river, and it's just glorious. Nickie, that's pretty funny, I have to admit though, some of the snow photos have made me a little envious, I'd love to swap for just a day... I wanna make a snow angel!
hi! thanks so much for saying hi to me as it brought me here! I love it here. I planted some galangal a couple of years back and I killed it :( what as even more sad was it was a present from a lovely friend. I hope you have way more success with yours. And hey even if it does turn out to be a peace lilly they're pretty.
Oh Laura, your photos are so beautiful, I could not help but join your blog... and the felting! Lovely lovely stuff. How did you kill your galangal? I am pretty good at killing things, so I'd like to know what to avoid!
oh goodness knows! It just died. I did sort of just stuff it into the ground and hope for the best. I've learned a lot since then, honest! I think you probably have to water it or something?? :) I'm sure yours will be just grand. it looks lovely and shiny.
I prepared its hole like I was preparing for the second coming. It has to live, or I'll kill it!
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