Omana Devasya, a 51-year-old farmer from Peruvannamuzhi, Kozhikode, has been cultivating ginger in grow bags and sacks for the past eight years. She also provides guidance and tips on how to successfully grow ginger in grow bags to people who wish to start this.
Ginger Woman
Omana, also known as ‘ginger woman’ in her locality, has amazed everyone by harvesting 400 kg of ginger from grow bags and sacks. She attained 4-4.5 kg of the produce from each bag.
It all started when the farming enthusiast attended a training session by Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK) Peruvannamuzhi eight years ago. But even the officers were surprised to see how Omana employed the technique of ginger cultivation in sacks and grow bags to get remarkable results.
Step-By-Step Guide to Grow Ginger in Grow Bags
-
Choose large grow bags or sacks for the procedure since ginger is grown in layers.
-
Apply a small coating of dried leaves or coconut fiber to absorb any excess water.
-
In a 1:1:1 ratio, combine dirt, sand, and powdered cow dung and transfer half of it to the bag.
-
Place 25-30 g of ginger seeds in the center of the grow bag. You can get it from nurseries or local farmers.
-
Cover the seed with soil mix and finish planting with another layer of dry leaves or coconut fiber.
-
According to the weather in Kerala, the second week of May, just before the monsoon, is the best time to start ginger growing. It makes no difference what the weather is like if your watering method is correct.
-
Water the mixture once a week at the very least.
-
Small ginger shoots might be seen 22 days after planting.
-
In a 1:1 ratio, add a diluted mixture of groundnut cake and cow dung. In this form of farming, we shall solely use this fertilizer.
-
Apply this layer of fertilizer and additional dry leaves to the sprouts.
-
After another 22 days, take the remaining half of the soil mix and repeat the process on top of the original.
-
Depending on the size of your grow bag, you can repeat the process up to three times. Remember to apply fertilizer every 22-30 days.
-
January is harvest season. This method can yield up to 4-4.5 kg of ginger.
