Turmeric is a spice I cannot do without in my kitchen. It is like a whole medicine cabinet for me. I am not exaggerating, if I have a cough, cold, bruise, chest congestion off I go to the kitchen to get myself some turmeric tea or a local application of turmeric powder.
How does turmeric taste?
It tastes earthy, a little peppery, a bit bitter and smells a tad overpowering when raw. Never measure turmeric by spoonfuls if you are using it in your cooking. Add a pinch or two, the color and the taste could become overpowering otherwise.
Some Known Health Benefits
I love the color and flavour of fresh turmeric, but I love it more for its health benefits. Turmeric is a proven antibacterial, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant. The curcumin compound in turmeric is said to prevent cancer, Alzheimer and heart disease. source
My personal experience
I've personally found that it helps with arthritis because of its anti-inflammatory quality. My mom would feel so much better with a cup of freshly brewed turmeric tea. She would take one cup before bedtime and another before breakfast almost every day after her arthritis became stubborn. It reduced the swelling on her joints and made mobility easier. She would swear by it and recommend it to her friends too. Turmeric made it easier for her to pursue her hobbies of writing and crafting until the she passed on.
Growing Turmeric - Time to sow
Now, it is time to sow this bunch of turmeric I had grown from the last seasons harvest. To prepare the tubers for planting I usually wash and dry the roots in the shade for a couple of days. From this I choose some healthy tubers and store them in brown paper bags until it is time to plant them. I know it is time to plant them when I see new growth on the tubers. It is usually around the end of May or first week of June. The crop is ready for harvest by December to January. About 7-8 months ideally.
Since, I only have a roof top garden I sow about 8-10 tubers in a couple of grow bags (4-5 tubers in each bag) and there is enough spice to use for the whole year and share some with friends too. Isn't nature so bountiful and generous in its giving?
Growing time
I have found that it is easier to grow these tubers when the shoots show up. They don't rot or die back when I follow this method. Another advantage that I have personally come to appreciate is that the growing time is reduced to a good two to three months when you plant them after the shoots show up. This is a boon for those with limited space as it gives you time to grow other short term veggies like spinach or beets. Nonetheless turmeric is easy to grow. The soils needs to be porous and rich and you can be assured of a plentiful harvest.
Care for turmeric plants
Turmeric plants grows 2-3 feet tall. These plants don't need much in the way of care. They are happy if watered regularly and fed bimonthly.They love partial shade in hot tropical climates and need to be protected from the afternoon sun. The leaves tend to burn easily if exposed to midday sun.
The leaves of the turmeric can also be used to wrap foods that are steamed for extra flavor. We make sweet rice cakes with coconut and palm sugar fillings wrapped in turmeric leaves.
When to harvest turmeric
It is easy to know when to harvest the tubers from the way the leaves look. They tend to yellow and dry out slowly when it is time for harvest. I just pull them up by the clumps or dump the whole bag on the ground to retrieve the tubers.
Storing your harvester turmeric
Saving and storing the tubers is easy. Wash them well, dry in the shade for 2-3 days and store them in the frideg or in paper bags outside where it is airy. If you store in a damp place your harvest would be spoiled by fungal infestation.
Turmeric tea
Peel the skin off of 5-6 medium sized tubers, slice them thinly or drop them in a chopper and blitz them slightly (I avoid this as it is difficult to get the color of the chopper) add it to two cups of boiling water, let it boil on a low flame for 5 minutes add honey for taste. I also add a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon for extra taste.
Turmeric for washing meat or Fish
I always add a teaspoon of turmeric to any meat or seafood after cleaning it and let it rest for ten to fifteen minutes to get that raw smell out and to get rid of any bacteria or germs the meat could carry. This is something my family has done for years.
If you've never tried turmeric use it in your curries for a start, you cannot go wrong with it there.
All images used in this post are the sole property of @sofs-su
Originally posted here: https://hive.blog/hive-120078/@sofs-su/growing-turmeric-all-you-need-to-know
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