Question
QUESTION: I moved into my house about 4 years ago and at that time had the yard professionally landscaped.  This is a backyard area in Honolulu, Hawaii with a lot of shade from a mango tree.  I planted some sedge for the tiny flat yard area which did okay for a few years but now it seems to have stopped growing and is getting quite wispy and not too green, even though theres' been lots of rain these past few months.  I trust that will come back and that's really no my main problem.  the main problem is all the pink and red ginger that I planted in the corner on both sides.  both sides of the corner did well for a while.  the side with lots of sun is still doing okay but the side in the shade  is not.  All the ginger plants just shrunk to nothing except one which is also totally in the shade and next to an areca palm. I dug a 12" by 12" hole this morning to test the drainage.  I didn't know how deep to dig it so I just went down about three inches.  I filled it with water and the water was all gone in less than a few minutes.  So, do I have drainage problems or should I have dug that a bit deeper?  What else is going on?

ANSWER: Hi Lyle, I think lack of sun is your problem.  Ginger and sedges are all sun loving plants.  They will tolerate a few hours of shade but need at least 8-10 to perform well.  Check with your local nurseryman for plants more suited for shade. Your drainage is good.  Moisture loving plants may need some additional organic matter added to retain more water, but most plants should not suffer from the soil, just the shade.  Jim

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QUESTION: So, why are some of the gingers that are getting exposed to the same amount of sun in a line taller in one area (5ft) and much shorter (1-2 ft) in another?

Answer
Hi Lyle,  Check them carefully.  Often people think the plants are getting the same light when in fact they are not.  If they are indeed the same, then we would look at drainage, soil texture/compaction, pH, soil insects, rodents, crowding or nutrient problems, salt or chlorinated pool water runoff as a cause.
Any of these could cause the height variation in the same specie of plant.
I'd look first to drainage, texture or crowding problems. Lift a clump and examine the roots and the soil directly under the plant.
Check the pH and recheck the drainage by filling the hole with water.  The hole should be 12" deep.
You might experiment by planting another type of sun plant, maybe Hibiscus, in the area where the ginger performs poorly.  If it does well, then we know the area is not right for ginger, if it suffers, then we know it's the area and not the plant.  Jim