Gardening – Adding some tropical spice

I’m currently travelling in Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia. While it is a bit of a wrench to leave behind the garden and the dogs, time spent in these countries is a real treat for a plantsman, particularly one like me that is besotted with South East Asian herbs and spices. These countries are Spice Central, indeed the Maluku Islands of Indonesia (formerly known as the Moluccas or the Spice Islands) were fought over for centuries by the Portuguese, the English and the Dutch, before becoming a Dutch colony till the end of the World War II, when Indonesia fought for and gained independence. Likewise, the history and cuisine of Cambodia and Vietnam are replete with many fragrant herbs and spices.

Fortunately, on my return to New Zealand, I’ll be in time to plant out a whole range of South-East Asian herbs and spices, as being tropical in origin, it’s better to plant these in late spring or early summer once the soil warms sufficiently. Turmeric is one of my staple crops and is easy to start from fresh rhizomes. I use the round mother rhizomes from the last season, but it is easy to grow from the fingers also, which are available in some supermarkets and grocery stores. From my own stock, I plant straight into the ground about 20-25cm apart, but if buying the rhizomes, I would pre-sprout in damp tissue in a container in a warm spot to make sure they are viable. This crop needs a rich soil, with lots of organic matter, lots of nutrients and lots of water (without waterlogging the soil). Plant in full sun and sheltered from cold southerlies.

Ginger is another easy crop to grow. Again, either use your own rhizomes from last year, or buy some fresh-looking rhizomes from the supermarket. The cultivation is pretty much the same as turmeric, but using chunks that are about three to five centimetres long. I use a closer plant spacing for both crops than what is recommended in the tropics, for the simple reason that in NZ our plants are unlikely to get as big. Galangal is another of this group. These plants don’t die down completely over winter like ginger and turmeric, so are simply lifted and divided in late spring. It is harder to find galangal in the supermarket, but sometimes they can be purchased online or in speciality stores and farmers markets.

Just be aware that some people try to pass off fake galangal, which is actually Hedychium coronarium or butterfly ginger, as the real thing. Real galangal has relatively thin stems, tough rhizomes and insignificant flowers, while the fake has one to two centimetre thick stems, fleshy rhizomes and showy white, fragrant flowers.

Lemongrass is another must have. Like galangal this will grow year-round, but eventually crowd itself out and run out of nutrients. I lift mine, cut the leaves back, divide into small clumps or individual pieces and replant in late spring or early summer. It likes the same conditions as the aforementioned crops.

Just be aware when purchasing or getting plants from friends, that there are two species commonly grown here – Cymbopogon citratus or West Indian lemongrass is the preferred species for culinary use, while the East Indian lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) is the better plant for extracting essential oils and scents from, although both can be used for either purpose. The easiest way to tell them apart is that the West-Indian species never flowers in NZ conditions (and rarely in the tropics) while the East-Indian species flowers readily and also produces seed.