How to Grow Variegated Ginger

Plant variegated ginger rhizomes in free-draining, rich soils in a sunny or lightly-shaded spot. The plant's leaves will be more colorful if it receives some direct sunshine. Bury the rhizomes 1 inch deep, leaving at least 2 feet between plants.

Water your variegated ginger as soon as the surface of the soil starts to dry out. Monitor your plant during the summer, and water it as soon as the leaves show any sign of wilting.

Fertilize your variegated ginger plant every month during the warmer months of the year. Use a balanced fertilizer in either liquid or granular form.

Propagate variegated ginger at any time by digging up large plants and dividing the rhizomes by hand.

Grow variegated ginger in containers in areas prone to frost, and move them indoors as soon as temperatures drop below 50 F. Keep the container close to a bright window. This species only flowers on second year growth and does not produce flowers if exposed to even light frost. Alternatively, you can treat the plant as an annual grown only for its foliage. Dig up the rhizomes in late fall, and store them indoors. Keep them covered with dry soil or pine bark mulch at 55 F.

Choose the dwarf form of variegated ginger (Alpinia zerumbet "Variegata Dwarf") for small gardens or containers. The dwarf variety boasts the same colorful variegation as the standard, but grows up to only 3 feet high.