How to grow for Turmeric
Turmeric is bright yellow, pungent spice, native to the monsoon rainforests of Asia, that you can easily grow in your own garden. Turmeric is frost sensitive, but it can be grown in most Australian climates if planted into warm soil in spring and allowed to grow throughout the warmest months of the year.
It’s the Rhizomes or root of the Turmeric plant you harvest for the vibrant yellow, warming spice that you can use as flavour or colour in stir-fries, curries, teas or you can even dry it to make ground Turmeric.
Top 5 tips to growing Turmeric
- Turmeric needs a part shade spot in a moist, but not waterlogged, soil
- Purchase large, firm Turmeric root sections from the green grocers or your local nursery for planting
- Grow Turmeric in your garden or a pot
- Dig up and harvest the rhizomes in Autumn or Winter
- Turmeric will go dormant during winter, replant in spring when the soil re-warms
Shopping List
- Turmeric Rhizomes / Roots
- Scotts Performance Naturals Organic Based Soil Improver
- Scotts Performance Naturals All Purpose Organic Based Fertiliser
- Garden trowel
- Mulch
- Pot & Scotts Performance Naturals Premium Organic Based Potting Mix - if growing in pots
Prepare
- Choose a part shade spot in your garden or if growing in regions cooler than Sydney a greenhouse or warm protected partly shady spot is ideal.
- Enrich the soil with organic matter before planting by mixing through Scotts Performance Naturals Organic Based Soil Improver and Scotts Performance Naturals All Purpose Organic Based Fertiliser.
- The soil needs to be moist, but free draining. Soggy soil will cause the rhizomes to rot.
Planting in the garden
- Cut the Turmeric rhizome into smaller pieces about 3cm long - making sure each piece has a growing point or “eye”.
- Leave the cut pieces exposed to the air for a few days to dry before planting.
- Plant each piece 5-7cm deep with the growth eye pointing up. Leave 15-30cm between pieces.
- Keep the soil moist, but not soggy.
- Lightly mulch after they’ve sprouted with an open mulch to retain moisture.
Planting in pots
- Fill your pot or planter with Scotts Performance Naturals Premium Organic Based Potting Mix ready for planting.
- Cut the Turmeric rhizome into smaller pieces about 3cm long - making sure each piece has a growing point or “eye”.
- Leave the cut pieces exposed to the air for a few days to dry before planting.
- Plant each piece 5-7cm deep with the growth eye pointing up. Leave 15-30cm between pieces.
- Keep the soil moist, but not soggy.
- Lightly mulch after they’ve sprouted with an open mulch to retain moisture.
Harvest
Turmeric will be ready to harvest 9-10 months after planting. Harvest the whole Turmeric plant in winter, when you notice the lower leaves yellowing and the plant starting to die back.
Dig up your Turmeric and wash the soil off the rhizome with running water and leave it to dry before using or storing.
Replant a few healthy rhizomes in spring to begin the cycle again.
Pests & Diseases
- Root rot is one of the most common killers of Turmeric. To prevent this make sure the plants roots are moist, but never soggy and the soil it’s planted into has good drainage.
- Slugs and Snails are most likely to cause significant damage to young shoots. Protect young Turmeric plants by setting beer traps (saucers filled with beer) amongst them or use Defender Snail & Slug Pellets.
