turmeric powder | Arid Agriculture & Vegetable Gardening

Introduction

God has gifted turmeric with so many benefits. Science is still searching on this plant to explore more health and medicinal benefits of using turmeric. In India, China and Pakistan, turmeric is called as ‘Super Food’ due to its powerful nature of healing. It contains bio-active compounds that act as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Today’s article is focused on the medicinal use of turmeric and turmeric as a food ingredient.

Medicinal Use of Turmeric

Medicinal use of turmeric is globally recognized. It helps the body right from tip to toe in many ways. Firstly, it has anti-depressant properties that are helpful in combating Alzheimer’s disease and dementia symptoms. The medical science today confirms that using turmeric 3-4 days a week stops any active cancerous agents in the body so it is an anti-cancerous agent.

Also Read: How to Grow Turmeric in Kitchen Garden

Adding more to the list of benefits of using turmeric, there is an important bio active compound found in it i.e. is ‘Curcumin’. This compound has the ability to boosts the brain-derived neurotropic factor. These factors are connected in a manner to enhance brain function thus the risk of having brain diseases becomes less.

The most important medicinal use of turmeric is by mixing its powder in fresh glass of milk. One table spoon of powdered turmeric mix with 250 ml of fresh milk becomes strongest agent to heal the internal damaged tissues and organs of the body. In sub-continent, after any physiological damage or accident that leaves a person with wounds, turmeric mix with milk is given immediately to stop internal bleeding too. This usage is well known and exercised worldwide.

Turmeric as a Food Ingredient

Turmeric as a food ingredient is widely used in India and Pakistan. The inhabitants of these countries are the chief consumers of turmeric powder as a prominent ingredient in nearly all types of curry recipes. A pinch of its powder is used to add attractive orange color, taste and odor in the meals.

On the other hand, turmeric as a food ingredient is also consumed as food item as its leaves have high nutritional valuable. The young fresh flowers and shoots are used extensively in Thai cuisines. Similarly, Indonesian people like to have turmeric leaves in their fish meals to enhance flavor. Additionally, if it is used in combination with black pepper, the benefits of turmeric increases 10 folds as pepper contains piperine that aid in absorption of turmeric in the body.

The Turmeric Tea

Turmeric tea can be included in both categories viz., medicinal use of turmeric and turmeric as a food ingredient. Turmeric tea is prepared by using fresh or powdered form turmeric. But personally, I recommend using the fresh ones. Boiling fresh turmeric in water produces attractive yellow color tea that can be consumed directly or by mixing sugar, honey or lemon juice to add taste in it. Among several benefits of this tea, important ones include:

Depresses cholesterol
Help treating uveitis
Boosts immune system of the body
Sustains ulcerative colitis remission
Comforts arthritis signs.

Cite this Article in APA Style as:

[box type=”note” align=”aligncenter” ]Rahman, M. A. (2017, August 15). Benefits of Using Turmeric-The Super Food [Blog Post]. Retrieved from http://aridagriculture.com/2017/08/15/benefits-of-using-turmeric-the-super-food/[/box]

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Introduction

Whenever you plan to start your kitchen garden, never think of it as a source of saving few bucks. Keep in mind that you are doing this exercise for a healthy life of your family and delicious meals. It also saves your time resource, rather going to the shop for buying. Open your kitchen door, at pick fresh, organic and wholesome veggies.

It is a common question I am asked that what should be grown in a kitchen garden. People are confused in choosing what should be grown? My earlier article Kitchen Gardening for Beginners has few recommendations for that. I simply recommend growing what your family likes to have in meals plus the items you need in daily routine and those that should be in your fridge anytime. I am also of the view to grow some easy to cultivate crops in your kitchen garden so that your momentum and motivation doesn’t lose.

Also Read: Kitchen Gardening for Beginners

Today, I am going to write about how to grow turmeric in your kitchen garden. Turmeric benefits are immense and this little gift of God has miraculous healing powers that one cannot imagine. Originated in India, it is obtained from underground tubers and rhizomes. It is now widely cultivated in tropical Asia and to smaller extent in other subtropical and tropical parts of the world.

Also Read: Benefits of Using Turmeric – The Super Food

How to Grow Turmeric?

Growing Turmeric

The answer to how to grow turmeric in your kitchen garden is way easier than you think. It will be much easier if you read the few paragraphs below that will guide you to the ultimate way of growing turmeric. As far as its season is concerned, late winters are regarded as perfect time to plant it. The temperature of 68-95 F (20-35 ^oC) is optimum. Below 10 ^oC, the plant stops to grow and suffers. However for tropics, it can be planted all-round the year.

Choosing the Turmeric Rhizomes

Turmeric grows same as ginger from rhizome. The first step is choosing the turmeric rhizomes to be used as seed. The best way is to buy the rhizomes from an organic food store. It can be also be purchased from a local seed store. Online gardening shops are also selling turmeric rhizomes for kitchen gardens.

Soil Requirement and Planting Turmeric

Slightly acidic to slightly basic soil pH is needed. It can be sown in pots or in open kitchen garden soil. For both, the planting hole should be 2 inches. The plant can attain a height of 1 meter. For pot growers, the depth and width of pot should be 12 inches and plant not more than 1 -2 rhizomes in each pot.

Got the rhizomes? Now divide the rhizomes into small pieces with each having 2-3 buds on it. For both pot and open kitchen garden growers, fill the planting hole with rich organic soil. The soil must have light and loamy characteristics and should be well drained. Place the rhizomes 2 inches deep. After planting the rhizomes, immediately water it.

It should be kept in mind that water requirements of turmeric are same as of ginger. The soil should be kept moist throughout the growing season from spring to fall. If you are growing turmeric in warmer region, make sure that the soil remains moist in winters too.

Climate and Turmeric

If you are growing turmeric in tropical climate, then winters should not be a problem. However in warm temperate zones, a reduction in water supply is a strategic step around the end of fall at the time when leaves start to wilt and turn yellow as temperature gets low. Further, it is wise to cut the plant to ground without removing rhizomes from the soil, so that plant can hibernate and spend the winter season safely. Don’t worry; it will perk up once spring season hits your calendar.

If you are a resident of cooler part of the globe, then it is important to dig up the rhizomes from the soil to save them from freezing out. Carefully dig the ground or pot, and get the rhizome out. Wash it with fresh water to remove excess soil from it. Remove the rotting pieces and allow it to air dry. Once dry, store it in cool and dry place until spring starts.

Fertilizer Application and Pruning

If your soil is rich in nutrients, then at kitchen garden level or pot growers, there is a seldom need of fertilizer. But if you do need it, my only recommendation is to apply mulch or compost. If you have access to all-purpose liquid fertilizer, apply it once a month around the stem only. As far as pruning of turmeric plant is concerned, NEVER prune it. Only remove the dried or dead leaves time to time, that’s it.

Pest and Diseases

I personally like to have turmeric in my kitchen garden as it is less prune to diseases and pest attack. This means; other crops around turmeric are safe. In rare cases, scales and red spider mites can create problem. In case of poorly drained soils, rhizome rot and leaf spot appear due to water logging.

Harvesting and Processing

The turmeric gets maturity in 8-10 months. Maturity appears as leaves turned yellow and stems start to dry. Harvesting is easy. Just dig up the plant and get your own grown turmeric. It is wise to cut the amount of turmeric you need and replant the rest for next crop.

The processing of turmeric is not difficult. Boil the rhizomes in water. After boiling, carefully place them on an open tray and remove the skin. Place the tray first to air dry the naked rhizomes. After this, place them in good sunshine for dry. When rhizomes get dry, grind the rhizomes. This will provide you homemade organic fresh turmeric powder. Store the powdered rhizome in an air tight container and place it in a dry and cool place.

I hope your query about how to grow turmeric is well addressed in this article. Should you have any query, do not hesitate to contact me for further guidance.

Cite this Article in APA Style as:

[box type=”note” align=”aligncenter” ]Rahman, M. A. (2017, August 14). How to Grow Turmeric in Kitchen Garden? [Blog Post]. Retrieved from http://aridagriculture.com/2017/08/14/how-to-grow-turmeric-in-kitchen-garden/[/box]

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