TOPIC: ginseng scoutn

i scouted out a place and i did find about 20 plants in an 1 1/2 hrs but they seem small compared to the pics i see. they were mostly 3 prongs and 1 was a 4 prong but they were around 6 inches tall. I didnt dig any to see how big the root was but i was wanting to plant seed here but am worried about the soil and should i plant it somewhere else. There was mayapples and trilliums growing so i guess soil is ok i dont know. i consider it a secure place but am worried about the growing conditions.

A 4 prong 6 inches tall is small. You probably want to do a soil sample before planting in that area. Good news is there is ginseng in there so it might be a good spot still.
Latt

Could I dig some of those up and transplant them and start a bed for me or would I be better off getting rootlets

I have transplanted thousands of roots over the years. If you transplant wild roots (In Season) they must be transplanted into a woods suitable for growing ginseng.

If you transplant in a shade garden you will have less success than if you transplant in a new woods.

If you have a good woods to put them in then give it a try. If not it's best to leave them where they are. Wait until mid September to move them. Plant them as deep as they were when you dug them. Pack the soil firmly once transplanted but do not break off the new growth bud. And lastly I like to water the transplanted root after you are done. This will decrease the chance of the root going into transplant shock. A minimum of a cup of water per root if possible. A couple of cups per root if there is a creek nearby. I just take an empty milk jug with me when I do this if there is a creek close.
Good luck,
Latt

Gware,

I have a similar situation here at my place.

I mostly find 3 prongs (even 20-30 year old roots) that are in the 8-10' tall range and have something like a 1/4 oz root or smaller.

My soil test showed ideal PH (5.4-5.7) but calcium levels in the 1450 range.

Also the land has fairly mature hardwood timber and the shade may be a bit too much in many areas for ideal seng growth speed & size.

I expect it is a combo of lower than ideal calcium levels and light levels that tend to produce smaller seng plants, smaller roots.

Something you might look for on your proprety or where ever you are planting, or while scouting a good planting place is rock and morning sun locations.

Even though most of my property produces smallish 3 prongs described above - when I get down to the creek bottom area there is a bluff there that faces due east.

Limestone bluff (200' or so high) and the bottom 1/3 of that bluff has some dirt that is just full of rock chips and leaf mulch from where all of that falls down and settles there.

It also faces due east and gets some really good morning sun, but then is shaded very nicely in the evenings.

The seng I find there is completely different from the seng I find in my average woods.

Taller plants with big broad leaves and huge roots & berry stems that are only 5-8 years old.

Here is a pic I took that shows the contrast in the roots.



Notice the big fat roots with short root neck (5-8 years old) below and to the left of that 20.00 bill.

They came off of that bluff area.

The other 4 roots to the right of that 20.00 bill (long root necks 20+ years old) came out of the deep shade woods with average woods soil (not rock chip filled).

If you want to grow big fat roots in less time, I think you need to find some mineral rich soil (heavy on calcium) that gets good morning sun.

Check your place out for rocky places, bluffs, rock outcroppings, etc and spots that get morning sun if possible.

Good Luck !

TNhunter

Here is a couple more pics that show what that bluff area looked like (plant and soil wise).

Notice the big broad leaves and berry cluster on these plants and notice the soil and rock/rocky soil presence.

Here is a up close on one of those nice roots (weighed 1.5 oz) and shows the rocky soil well.



I am planning to check that bluff out again this fall when seng season opens and just see if there are any more big plants up (that did not have a top up last year) and also want to get a soil sample and have that soil tested to see what the calcium level is and the PH.

One things for sure - it only took those plants 5-8 years to get hunge and have some nice fat heavy roots on them. What ever the conditions are there, has to be near ideal for seng.

TNhunter