Indian Curry Gift Set
Out of stock
5/ 5
4 reviews
Lovely set of 3 plants. Ginger and turmeric plant taller than expected but lovely, tall and green and look lovely!
Recipient was pleased.
The chillies were prolific, and the ginger and turmeric were healthy. Would have liked curry leaves as part of this set.
Very good , all plants are in good condition.
These instructions are sent with the plant gift
Looking after your Turmeric Plant
These fascinating plants originate in India and are known best in this country for the bright yellow powder used to add flavour and colour to curries. Turmeric powder is made from the dried roots but when you grow your own you can grate the fresh root into curries and for a fresher and even healthier turmeric kick. The leaves are edible too and in Malaysia the leaves are used as a food wrap and as a herb in salads.
Turmeric naturally occur in warm, damp but shaded forests so try to ensure they are kept warm and out of direct sunlight in the home. Water regularly when the top of the soil dries and you might try misting occasionally in a very dry room to keep the leaves looking fresh.
In the summer months your plant will benefit from occasional feeding with any general purpose or tomato feed. They have already been repotted this season but if you feel the roots are starting to grow out the bottom or the tubers are pressing against the side of the plastic you can pot up again and this will help the turmeric tuber to expand.
Turmeric grow from a tuber or rhizome and so will naturally die back at the end of the season. When the leaves start to turn brown from the tips, stop watering and let all the goodness from the leaves die back into the roots. Once the foliage has died off completely lift the entire root ball and you should find you have a sizeable harvest of ginger like roots.
If you’d like to grow turmeric again next year store some of these tubers in a paper bag to replant in the spring. You can cut them if you need to and start off in March in a shallow tray of soil in the airing cupboard. In the meantime use your turmeric root fresh in curries and teas and you won’t be believe the difference.
Problem solving – brown tips to the leaves are quite common in the autumn and a sign that your plant is entering it’s dormant period. Summer browning and crinkling of the new leaves is a sign of either scorch or cold so try to move the your plant somewhere warmer out of direct sunlight. Over time the lower leaves will naturally shrivel and can be removed to keep the plant looking fresh.
