This well known culinary and medicinal spice grows well in the warmer parts of the country, and the taste of the fresh tubers is far more delicious and full-flavoured than the dried powder. A 'super-food', especially when straight out of the ground.

 

Growing to about 50cm high, turmeric prefers a well-drained, fertile soil and a warm, sheltered spot. It prefers full sun but can handle part shade. It is unaffected by light frosts if the leaves are still dormant, but will be damaged if late frosts occur, and tubers will rot if the ground is too wet and cold. Turmeric can also be grown in a pot and brought indoors during colder weather. The plants are more productive if given regular watering and feeding.

 

Turmeric dies back to the ground over the colder months but will grow back again in spring. The plants will form tubers after one summer, but larger crops are produced in the second year, which is what we wait for.

 

The tubers don’t store particularly well but can either be frozen or left in the ground and harvested as needed, by digging carefully under the edge of a plant and breaking off a few pieces at a time.

 

Turmeric is a good plant for food forest systems, occupying the medium strata and producing an early nutritious crop.

​

 

Size: 1L