A: The best time to transplant any perennial is soon after it has finished blooming. Some gingers are ornamental and others are true gingers, Zingiber officinale, which can be used for seasoning and cooking. Both types of ginger grow best in partial to full shade. Full sun causes browning around the edges of the leaves. True ginger root should be dug up in the fall after the green leaves have died back. The root should be dried in the shade. After is has dried, it can be cut and used for cooking.

Dozens of ornamental varieties are available some of which have beautiful, fragrant flowers. Consider planting Dichorisandra thrysiflora (Blue ginger), Alpinia zerumbet (Shell ginger), Curcuma (Hidden ginger) or Kaempferia spp. (Peacock gingers).

Blue ginger should be planted in warmer areas of Nassau County which would mean in cold hardiness zone 9a. The blue-purple blooms are 6-8 inches long and occur from the summer through the fall. It has the potential of reaching heights of 8 feet but generally reaches on 5 feet. Shell gingers can become somewhat weedy so consider choosing one of the dwarf variegated varieties and they can tolerate more sun than most of the others.Hidden gingers produce pink or white blooms in the summer and grow about 3 feet tall. The Peacock gingers are my personal favorite and I have several varieties growing at my front door. Everyday I come home from work I see these beautiful plants with patterned leaves and pretty purple or pink flowers. They bloom from the spring through the fall. Of course the most common of all the gingers is the butterfly ginger, Hedychium spp., which would be a lovely addition to any landscape. Ornamental gingers give us a wide variety of flowering seasons, color and height. They are extremely easy to grow and a wonderful choice for the beginning gardener. True gingers: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MV067

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