TOPIC: Geographical Disadvantage Maybe?

I'm in the foot hills also so that's not the problem. If your losing undergrowth going up the soil must obviously be poorer there. I'm at a loss as to way that is...

Yeap ground seems to lose moisture the higher I get. I'll keep plugging at it and see what I can turn up. Again takes for your help

4 runner, you just need to burn up some shoes. Many times I find areas that look good but for whatever reason it's not there. I keep going and just get to an area that is facing another direction and there it is. Could be moisture, amount of light it gets, soil content or whatever, but you just need to wear out some boots. I start out where there are decent drainage's. I know guys down south focus on north and east slopes but up north we find it in all different facing slopes. A little less on south facing slopes. Also sometimes I do move up and down in elevation to get the right moisture.

4runner...

Here in middle tn... it is very common for the seng to grow mostly on the bottom 1/4 of a hill.

The higher you go up the hill (to a point - generally) the less companion plants, and less undergrowth in general.

Some exceptions to that... hillsides with deep hollows, high ridges and that hillside faces back near due north. In cases like that companion plants and seng will both show up higher on the hill... some times even up near the top of the ridge.

In middle TN, we do not have mountains, just hills and hollows. In my county the highest elevation is around 1100 ft... and lowest around 600.

I find the majority of the seng below 750'.

Exceptions would be those high hillsides, deep hollows where you have a direct north facing hillside, or where you have a side hollow running up on a hill like that. In those type locations you may find it up around 800 or even 850'.

This may be one of those north/south things too... the more south you go, it just gets hotter, and the sun is just hotter, and drys out the ground more.

The kind of limitations I see to where seng grows in my county, may not apply to someone over in the east TN mountains at all, or to someone that lives in a more northern state. I hear that up in Main that you find seng on south and west hillsides... and that just does not happen around here. About the only thing that grows on our south and west hillsides are oak trees and saw briars.

Also... if you have any river or creek bluffs, or just steep rocky hillsides that face north to east in your area I often find the best seng growing near the bottom to about 1/3 way up on those bluffs. It is hard hunting, because of how steep it is and how rocky (footing often gives way)... but if you can get up on the bluff some, to where there are flats here and there and check those... man I find some really good seng in places like that.

Go where few (if any) men have ever made the effort to go and you have a good chance of finding better ginseng.

TNhunter

I guess I was speaking to much of my local situation, here we have fertile deep black organic soil right up to the top of the ridges in the foothills at 1600 ft.

I'll keep on the hunt guys, I guess what's been puzzling is the new areas I've been walking are very close to where I dug last year 2-5 miles away and areas looked as good if not better. Ongoing to spend some time studying maps

I'll keep on the hunt guys, I guess what's been puzzling is the new areas I've been walking are very close to where I dug last year 2-5 miles away and areas looked as good if not better. Ongoing to spend some time studying maps

I focus more on the timber first then the companion plants I like popular mayple basswood walnut magnolia with paw paws spice bush underneath I avoid chestnut oak or any woods with more than 50 % oak. my favorite campanion plants are false solomon seal stinging nettel black or blue cohosh maiden hair fern. ive found ginseng growing on hills facing in all directions if the hollows are narrow and the mountains are close together ive dug more patches on benches on the southface than anywhere because most no one looks there . also ive been through miles of perfect woods and never found the first plant just keep looking and if you find any slow down and cover the area before you move on enjoy your time dont plan to get rich and you cant go wrong.

I saw the first ripe berries of the season yesterday !

I haven't seen any red ones here in Vt yet PA. Heading out for a scouting trip today at about 2200' to look at a spot over the top from a spot I have some growing.