TOPIC: Popularity of Ginseng in the Northeast?

Hey folks could someone please tell me if the idea of hunting for and harvesting of Ginseng in the Northeast is less popular than it is down farther South such as in the Appalachia's? Since becoming interested in the whole concept, I have noticed that it seems to be everywhere in the forest and there is little or no fanfare regarding the hunting and collection and thus the profit aspect of the plant? Is Northeast Ginseng not as good quality wise as it is farther down the ladder so to speak or is it just because the \"hobby\" is not as popular as it is way down yonder? I know some of you may be thinking that perhaps I have been looking at something other than Ginseng but I have done the research and have definitively identified the plants as Ginseng. Any thoughts would be appreciated, thank you ...peace

I think it is more popular in the mid-south (TN, KY, VA, WV, NC) because it seems to grow faster/bigger, most likely because their growing season for it is longer. You don't see any baby ginseng poking up around my area until mid May, sometimes late May. Down in TN a lot are starting to put up berry pods by then. Same thing happens in the fall, I've been out hunting ginseng in mid Sept and only finding stalks, where all the leaves have already fallen off. Down south, sometimes it is mid Oct before the leaves even turn yellow.

The quality of the roots is the same. In my area, the size of the roots are smaller, but again I think that is due to heavier clay soil, and shorter growing season. I've dug plenty of 20+ year roots, that look like a 5 year root from TN.

HUM,
There are a lot of ginseng hunters in the North East. North Eastern ginseng is of high quality too. Not sure of all the rules and regulations per North Eastern states tho. If it's everywhere that is a rarity IMHO. Lots of ginseng growing in the wild in one area is very uncommon these days.

Would love to see some of the ginseng pics if you want to post some.

I sure would keep that spot a secrete too. Tell one person and they wont be growing there long.

Latt

The area is a vast woodlands broken up with meadow, beaver ponds, small streams and traversed with old abandoned logging roads. It is not easily accessed by most modes of modern transportation other than horses. The forest consists of mainly hardwoods such as is the type preferred by Ginseng and is heavily shaded with only dappled sunlight for all or most of the day. My folks have a home up in there and since learning how to identify the plant have also discovered a lot growing in the woods around their home which is on 15 acres amidst thousands more. It's a small town that I have been coming to since a boy mainly for hunting until moving here about 18 years ago with my daughter. Nothing much has changed landscape wise and development is nil. There is more interest in collecting Fiddleheads each Spring than in the collection of Ginseng each Fall. Anyway, it's a beautiful day here in Vermont, I have been riding all day and plan on hunting for more Ginseng this afternoon!...peace

Sounds like you have a really special place there. Glad to hear about this and that the ginseng is doing well there and thriving.
Latt

This afternoon I went hunting for more patches and have started to notice many of the plants now have begun to sprout the seed stalk if you will. I read on another post in a different forum arena that to plant the ripened seeds from the plant you harvest in the spot from where it was dug would be folly as the seeds will not grow? Should they be planted in the general vicinity rather than the exact spot of the mother plant? The law here in Vermont requires the digger to plant where you dig. Any thoughts?...peace

Not sure what the regulations say specific to your state. I have always heard to plant them within 50 feet of the mother plant. I agree that planting seeds in the hole created by the root that was dug is not a good idea. It is much wiser to find a spot nearby to plant the seeds. I mean it could be 2 or 3 feet away or 20 to 50 feet away.

I know a ginseng grower that planted a couple hundred pounds of seed in a large area that ginseng had already been planted, grown and harvested. None of the new seed planted germinated or survived. The grower said that the ground may have to lay fallow for 10 to 20 years before it would grow seng in the spot again.

Ginseng must pull the nutrients out of the soil and the ground needs time to regenerate itself.

Would like to see some pics of this special ginseng spot if you ever get a chance to post some. Spots like the one you have are few and far between these days.
Thanks,
Latt

I'm in Vermont and I know here and in NY there are a lot of diggers, they just keep pretty quiet about it. As for being bigger down south...nonsense. We grow plenty of good big roots, they just need some time, like anywhere. One thing you don't see is quantity like down south. I normally am around 75-85 roots per pound dry. I know I hear a lot higher numbers from some in other states. Of course it also depends on the age of the roots dug.

I'm with u Maya. I'm in NY and know there's twice as many shangers here than what I think. We r definitely keep to ur self kinda people. As for big roots I've seen some of you're big roots u dug n I dug well over a hundred roots that weighed over a oz green last yr my best yr ever. 97hd u probably have got one of those special place that have been forgotten about keep it secret keep it safe lol. Please take pics n post um happy hunting all this yr.

I'm with these guys. It sounds like you have a very rare area. I would keep that to myself or it will be dug out in no time. Sangers here in Indiana are pretty quiet about what they dig and where they dig it. You never know when a thief is within earshot.