Turmeric grows just like its cousin ginger — a leafy tropical rhizome for a long, warm season — and rewards you with vivid orange roots for curries and golden lattes.
Quick facts
- Position: part shade to full sun; loves warmth
- Spacing: 20–30 cm apart
- Tub depth: our 35 cm depth
- Time to harvest: 8–10 months
When to plant: Turmeric is frost-tender and needs a long warm season — plant fresh rhizome pieces in spring once the soil warms. Our free planting calendar shows the right months for your postcode.
Growing it in a raised bed: Plant rhizome pieces a few centimetres deep in rich, moist, free-draining mix, in a warm, sheltered spot with some afternoon shade.
Watering and feeding: Keep the mix moist while it grows, then ease off as the foliage yellows in autumn.
Common pests: keep an eye out for aphids — though most herbs are pleasingly pest-resistant. See our safe pest guide.
Common problems: the main one to watch is leaf spot, usually from damp, crowded conditions. Good airflow and morning watering prevent most.
Companion plants: Grows happily beside ginger and lemongrass in a warm corner. See our companion planting guide.
Harvest and storage: Harvest once the leaves die down in autumn, digging the bright orange rhizomes. Save a few firm pieces to replant next spring.
More growing guides: ginger, lemongrass and Vietnamese mint.
Plan your patch: our free planting calendar shows what to plant now where you live. Ready to grow? Browse our raised garden beds or build your own with the garden bed builder.
Image: Emőke Dénes, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Share and get 15% off!
Simply share this product on one of the following social networks and you will unlock 15% off!