The turmeric year
One year ago, a well-intentioned, curious, daring gardener was snookered in by the glowing commentary in a famous seed catalog and ordered Blue Turmeric rhizomes. The gardener had no idea what turmeric plants look like or what care they require, but he intends to grow most everything, so turmeric got its turn.
When the ginger family has its summer reunion at Uncle Noah’s pond, turmeric in all its varieties is there. Turmeric has been a staple in Asian cuisine and medicine for millennia especially in India. In Sanskrit, turmeric has at least 53 names because of it many uses. If you’ve had curry, you probably ate turmeric. Most folks know about it for a powder made from its rhizomes, or underground stems. You can wrap the large leaves around fish when baking if you want to. What this gardener learned is its leaves get three or four feet tall and resemble canna lily leaves.
Let’s get the science out of the way. The magic ingredient in turmeric is curcumin which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers claim if you are sore after a rousing bout of pickleball, turmeric can help you recover, and that’s not all. It is also recommended for allergies, infections and joint problems. Studies have shown turmeric reduces pain for folks who have osteoarthritis, and it is useful for easing an upset stomach. If you don’t mind turning yellow, you can make a paste with it for skin irritations. This will show you are humble and medicinal.
Important is the fact you shouldn’t consume too much turmeric. Capsules and powders are probably safe in the appropriate doses. If you want to take capsules every day, fine, but after a while take a holiday for a few days.
The most effective use of turmeric is to get a fresh rhizome and grate it directly onto your lentils, soups, scrambled eggs or rice dishes. It works wonders with tikka masala. You do make tikka masala, right? Consuming turmeric with black pepper makes it easier for the body to absorb the essential components.
Now for the fun part, which is growing it. Get yourself a couple rhizomes, hide them securely two or three inches below the surface of fertile, well-drained soil, water occasionally but not too much, and go play pickleball. The rhizomes will take it from there, but they run on Eureka time. Be patient for sprouts to appear, and harvest time will occur nine or ten months later. I planted my rhizomes in a big blue pot in early spring and harvest time was early December.
You know it is harvest time when the leaves turn yellow, dry up and flop over. You have options at this point. Some folks leave the plant in the pot and gently dig down and snatch a couple rhizomes for use. The plant understands this method to mean you want it to sprout more stems come spring. Some experienced turmeric growers with an opinion proclaim that after three or four years, however, it would be best to uproot everything and start all over.
Since I grew turmeric in a big blue pot and didn’t know any better, I lay down a tarp and dumped everything out on a sunny Saturday morning in December. I rinsed the rhizomes as best I could and set them on a sunny bench to dry. They weren’t as large as I expected, and I attribute that to soil. The gardener knows better, but, oh well. It’s a good idea to add your favorite soil amendments and a modicum of fertilizer along the way, plus prepare the soil like it’s Mardi Gras to begin with.
I’ve been accused of neo-Luddite tendencies, and my turmeric experience is an example. It’s good to be simple.