TOPIC: Slowin Down

Hillhopper,

Back then I found it by going a google search on some combination of text like \"ginseng and berry and germination\". Can't remember for sure now exactly how I did the google search that turned it up.

But if you notice the first part of the URL to the document.

www.as.wvu.edu/biology/

The wvu in that string is for West Virginia University and it is in their bioligy research section.

The shorter link above will get you there.

TNhunter

TNhunter wrote:

Below is some more stuff from that article that I wanted to point out...

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Fruits were planted whole to simulate what harvesters are encouraged to do.

Aug 1 - they collected/planted 25 berries - all green - 4% germination - 1 ginseng plant.
Aug 26 - they collected/planted 18 berries - mix of green and red - 60% germination - 11 ginseng plants.
Sept 22 - they collected/planted 15 berries - all red - 40% germination - 6 ginseng plants.


50% of the seeds from green berries planted near that stage of development (August 26) germinated, while only
4% of seeds from green berries planted in early August germinated.

That data and the statement above is what I find interesting about the green berries.

50% of green berries planted Aug 26 germinated.
40% of red berries planted Sept 22 germinated.

Green berries Aug 26 had a higher success rate than Red berries Sept 22.

Here is another statement from the article:

Study showed that seeds planted 2 cm deep germinated at a rate 8-fold higher than those scattered on the surface

I do not recommend harvesting the root then putting the top back in the ground (say between Aug 15 and Sept 1) if there are green berries left on the berry pod.

The green berries may continue to ripen and then fall off later, but they have a very slim change of making it if they just fall off.

If it is past mid August a green berry planted has a very good chance of making it - if planted.

If you pick green tomatoes and put them in a paper sack, in a dark place, they will ripen, turn red, be ready to eat in time.

I expect a green ginseng berry will do the same, if planted for example under some dirt and leaf mulch, it will continue to ripen even though underground and the fact that they are planted increases the chances of them making it by 8 X compared to them just falling off later.

TNhunter

Interesting but not what I would call scientific. 1 plant, 11 plants, 6 plants...sample sizes are obviously to small and not the same # each time.

Maya,

Agree with you on that part.

I wish they had picked and planted the same number of berries each time (more like 50 or 100) and had used dates Aug 15, Sept 1, Sept 15.

Now that I have my own seed producing bed I may just give that a try this fall and see how it goes here in Middle Tn.

TNhunter

A larger sample would be good but this is still some very compelling information about green seeds still germinating regardless of the %.

I will be receiving 10 lbs of \"Woods Cultivated\" stratified seed next Wed to plant the following week. I hope the weather cooperates. I had asked the supplier if it was Woods Cultivated or Shade Grown Field Cultivated and I told them I wanted the seed either way. So assuming they had no reason to lie at that point they told me it was Woods Cultivated and I hope so.

I talked to a different person selling ginseng seed and roots and some of you may know him. He said his plants that he has growing are derived from Shade Grown Field Cultivated seed that he had purchased years ago. All of his seeds were planted Wild Simulated and some were planted Woods Cultivated style and that is what he sells them as now. So he said not to worry too much about the origin of the seed as long as it was stratified correctly and i disease free. So that is interesting as I know all of us would prefer anything other than Shade Grown Field Cultivated seed.
Thanks,
Latt