@Shuimitao … stratified ginseng seeds will sprout and grow a year or two in most locations… they start off as 3 leafers… then progress to 2 prongs 3 prongs, 4 prongs… over the years
If at year 3 or 4 you have 3 prongs producing berries… your location is very good. Long term success very likely.
If your location is not quite right… most will expire by year 3 or 4… or they may flounder and hang on but remain 3 leafers or very small 2 prongs for years.
TNHunter
I will go check the woods in next couple of days. I remember I saw a bunch with three prongs and 2 had berries but most just disappeared in the late Summer. I suspect the deers ate the leaves. My woods should be good for ginseng since it has a good northeast facing slope and there are many may apples growing.
Looks good @Shuimitao … those have not been up to long… they have not fully stretched out yet… that 3 prong last pic… looks like it may have a flower spike… may produce some berries this year.
Below is what one looks like just after emerging… a crook in the stem leads the way… and the leaves and all are rolled up tightly and then roll out and unfold…
I had a nice 4 prong that one spring the top came up sort of a double 3 prong… there were two stems but they were joined up to where the forks are and berry stem… and it had 2 berry stems side by side… and 6 prongs.
I have had some really nice 4 prongs… to come up the next spring with 2 nice 3 prong tops. I have seen one root with 3 nice 3 prong tops in the past.
This one looked like it was trying to do that but got confused and stuck in the middle.
6 prongs 2 berry stems… one double stem.
The next year it was back to a 4 prong again.
Many years ago I created a Seed Producing Bed of nice mature ginseng plants… 44 total nice old roots in that bed, the bed was cultivated, they grew well, and I collected berries off them each fall (400-500 berries) and planted them.
Those have been harvested and sold at this point.
Here are some old notes I found on how most folks plant Wild Simulated Ginseng…
This is called Rake and Scatter method and is used by many…
1 pound of seed = approximately 7000 seeds.
Recommended planting bed size 5’x50’ (250 sf).
Plant seeds at a rate of 2-3 per sq ft.
Time per planting bed 45-90 minutes depending on how hard you go at it and the conditions of your specific site.
Step by Step:
1… Clear the bed area of any large rocks, logs, small saplings, etc.
2… Rake the leaves off a 5x50 sf area, just pile them up along the side of the bed.
3… Scratch up the soil surface good to loosen it up. I recommend that you rake some of the top soil over to the edge of the bed and just pile it up along side your leaf pile.
4… Drop your seeds at a rate of 2-3 per sq ft.
5… Rake the top soil back on top of the bed, covering your seeds as much as possible.
6… Rake leaves back on and walk it down (walk over ever sq inch of the bed) to compress leaves down on seeds, making sure seeds have good soil contact.
Tools needed:
A axe/mattock or grubbing hoe type tool is good for digging out small saplings.
Heavy Duty leaf rake. I have one 3’ wide with pointed teeth that does a excellent job.
Note - you have to have the right location to grow ginseng. It will not grow well just anywhere.
If you have healthy stands of wild ginseng growing on your property already - excellent. Just make your planting beds in the same areas you find good healthy stands of wild ginseng growing.
If you don’t have good healthy stands of wild ginseng growing where you intend to plant, you better do a good job of evaluating the site for ginseng growing possibilities. You need at least the presence of several companion plants, like maidenhair fern, bainberry, american hog peanut, jack-in-pulpit, etc. and you should collect soil samples and test your soil.
Ginseng seems to grow best in soil with a PH around 5.5 and with Calcium levels at least 2000 pounds per acre, with levels in the 3000-5000 range being even better.
Below is a pic of bed prep for rake and scatter method.
TNHunter
