Hedychium ?

Hi All.

After recently purchasing one of these i got it out the bag it came in and thought which way up do you plant this? i did a quick goggle and people seem to say to plant the pink eyes so they are facing upwards but this thing is massive and has them all over.

Has anyone had one of these and planted it themselves? is it planted long ways like you plant an iris rhizone?

Any help would be greatly appreciated
Res

 

Hi

This one is related to the ginger family , are you growing in a very large pot ? at least 12 inches if not bigger

Lay the tuber on its side 3 inches below the soil .

The mix of compost I have used is multicompost and John innes no 3 half and half and xtra grit mixed in , tomoto food every two weeks from May June then once a week in July August , start off in the greenhouse then once the frosts are over sunny spot in the garden very late April early May this is one plant that needs TLC to start of with but then it should romp away
Spruce

 

Yep, as long as the eyes are pointing up wards.
The root grows along under the soil a short way and then surfaces, similar to an Iris, yes, but under the soil.

 

Do the ginger roots you get in supermarkets grow into nice plants like that ??

Mrs Chopper

 

Not as nice, and they can be hard to get started, but they will grow into Ginger for you! Best to choose one at the Supermarket that is already showing signs of shooting.

Anglia Bulbs have some [ornamental ones] at reasonable prices:
http://www.angliabulbs.com/index.php?cPath=43_67_129&season=summer&cattreename=
make sure you claim your free bulbs too (there is a link on their website as it 'aint autoamtic.

 

I wouldn't bother with supermarket ginger, unless you are actually growing it for the root, ginger to use in cooking.

The ones bought as flowering plants are quite different, mostly much bigger and flower more reliably in pots, or some in the garden.

 

thank you all for the advice, i hope i get it to flower as the rule of thumb seems they take a little coxing to get to flower, and Spruce seems to have the know how

by the way Spruce i have added 3 more Day lilys to my collection now

 

May not flower this year , as it builds it self up but next year it should , somthing else that perished last year minus 10 !!!!

Which new daylilys have you got , I had "creature of the night" arrived last week
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/200421/


and "Gold elephant" the middle petal hangs down like a trunk
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/31040/

Spruce

 

Hi Chopper; I grew a piece of ginger root last year, just as a bit of fun more than anything, it produced 3 tall shoots up to about 3ft, not particularly attractive and no flower. After it died back I tipped it out of the pot to see what the root was like and the first thing I noticed was NO fine white roots!!!!, but the ginger root/rhizome had increased quite a bit.

It was something on my "to do" list for a bit of fun, I won't be growing one again, I have sown seed for ornamental gingers this year

 

I weakened when I read they were 3 - 5 years from seed-to-flower and bought some rhizomes ...

 

Dont blame bilbo going down the seed route, I did the same with H. densiflorum.

But if you buy roots you get the best flowering, often hybrids.

Having said that, I've lost a few good ones overwinter.
I find many flower far too late in the season, so I would go for the ones that flower earliest.