Growing Turmeric

Turmeric is a very common spice for Asians. In my country, the locals use turmeric in almost all kinds of dishes, just like adding pepper. It doesn't just give the taste, it also gives some coloring.

However, turmeric is not necessarily used in powder form. In culinary, its leaves provide a very good aroma especially when cooked with fish or shellfish. So, what do we do if we happen to have only turmerics available, not the plant?

Here is one way to grow a turmeric plant for the leaves, but be aware that this is a long process and requires a lot of patience.

Get some turmeric from your local grocery store. Make sure you select the ones with a few yellow greenish shoots, if you can. And then, leave the turmerics inside a plastic bag (preferably a transparent one), sealed tight. I simply used the same plastic bag that I got from buying the turmerics.

After some weeks (in my case, 3 weeks or so), as soon as you notice the shoots start to grow much more (mine went up to 1.5cm), you can start potting them up. This is really up to you. You can choose to wait a little longer. The turmerics will show some dead parts, but as long as some other parts are still alive, it should be okay.

When planting the turmerics, try not to cover them fully with the soil. I used organic compost soil, letting half exposed, and gradually adding more soil on top later. DON'T LEAVE THE POT UNDER THE RAIN. The turmerics can get rotten easily instead of forming roots. Water twice a day when the weather gets really dry, but normally just once a day in the morning.

There is no need to use any fertilizer or put too much attention to it right now other than just watering it. Just watch for some bugs that maybe try to munch on the little turmerics. Even birds.

At this point, don't lose hope. I took 3 months for the pot to grow a shoot. ONE shoot only. Even when the turmerics started to turn black, as long as the shoots that were formed inside the plastic bag are still green, it means the turmerics are still alive. They're just taking their sweet time.

And when you see a shoot popping out from the soil, you should celebrate. Turmeric has a very rapid growth, and you will find the leaves growing in no time.

The shoot will grow upward, forming leaves that look like being rolled. As the stem grows, the leaves will come out from the roll and expand. It can grow up to 3 foot tall or so, and will produce more baby plants. Make sure you know the right time to cut some leaves for cooking. Don't cut them when the plant is too young.

Spray with any organic anti-pest solution, since this plant invites many kinds of insects due to its aroma. Use organic fertilizer when needed. Leave the pot under shade all the time.