TOPIC: Mechanical planting and harvesting of American Ginseng

I like organic woods grown ginseng the best, but Im experimenting with field cultivated artificial shade grown. Im wondering if there is a mechanical planter and harvester that will work for American Ginseng. I was thinking maybe a row crop planter such as a corn planter but I think it will sow the seed to deep. Maybe a food plot planter?? For harvesting maybe a potatoe harvester?? Any ideas or experiences let me know, thanks.

Most of the commercial operations I'm aware of use pneumatic seeders and use modified potato diggers.

Jang makes some very versitile seeders on the order of the Earthway garden seeder which can be ganged up behind a tractor http://www.mechanicaltransplanter.com/seeder.html


The only problem is they apparently cannot account for a crown which is so typical of commercial operations.

Thank you so much for your response, since I am fairly new at Ginseng growing canyou please specify what you mean by a \"crown\". Thanks again

When planting cultivated, the growers prepare the beds about four feet across and two feed high rounded. That is a crown. I'll post a picture or two if I get a chance later to give you a good idea of what is going on. I also have some pictures of the seeder.

Here are some pictures of a commercial operation being prepared. They plowed and disc, then set posts the day before. That morning, they disced again to smooth things out.

This is the bed plow, you can see that it takes about a foot of dirt from the furrows and moves it up to the top of the beds making the crown.



Next, they run a groomer over the beds to even them out and firm the soil slightly.



After grooming, its time for seed



The guys are walking behind and ensuring that the planter nozzles don't become plugged. After seeding, they spray a fungicide to protect the seeds in the ground and then cover everything with straw.

And, if all goes well, this is what they will look like in a couple years...




The crowns are mostly to allow for a furrow that excess water can get into and run away from the ginseng roots. Everywhere you find standing -or just too much- water, you find disease in a commercial operation.

BCastle- Is that part of your operation in the photos?

Heavens no! 8)

I don't remember who's farm that was, but some friends were seeding for them, and they invited me to take some pictures.