TOPIC: Wild Simulated - Seeds, Stratified Seeds or Rootlings

Hello,

This fall I will be starting a small plot in Central Wisconsin, maybe 1/3 acre, of wild simulated ginseng. I wanted to ask for recommendations on starting with seeds, stratified seeds or rootlings? I have not found wild ginseng but some of the companion plants are in the area I will plant. Would one type of planting be more advantageous as far as survival? The soil has been tested by the local agricultural office and I will need to add phosphorous and calcium to the soil.

Thank you!

Hi DougJ29,

First off, you will want to plant stratified seed if you are planting seed at all. Even then, you might face some delayed germination as that is just the nature of perennial plants it seems.

Most recommend new growers start with a combination of both seed and rootlets. If you buy some rootlets, you will have some ginseng to look at and learn about. Also, most generally, if something goes wrong it will be back the following year. That's not always the case with seed/seedlings. However, rootlets cost more than does seed initially.

When new growers approach me, I always recommend they both seed and rootlets, then start slow and set up test plots in different areas in which they think ginseng will grow well. If you start with say a pound of seed, break it up into one or two ounce lots and clearly mark your test plot boundaraies. Some folks like to count the seeds in the test plots so they can monitor germination rates and survivability over the years.

Hello BCastle!

Thank you for your response and information. It is great to have a forum like this to ask questions and have someone with experience answering the questions. I will use the advise and purchase both for planting and break up the area into different sections.

If you don't mind a couple additional questions, for the Central Wisconsin area is October to early to plant? And, for the areas I am going to plant should I start putting the nutrients on the soil now or wait to just before planting?

Thank you very much!
Doug

Actually, I would think to plant prior to the fall rains. Here in Ohio we normally start seeing rainy weather the last couple weeks of September, so planting as early as mid August is not an issue. I would think that you should be in roughly the same boat and planting in September will be fine or planting later (before snow/freeze) should be fine also.

If you are going to add things, I would think it doesn't really matter if you do it now or a few months later.

I will say this though, I've noticed in years where I tried top dressing the beds with gypsum for added calcium that the beds with this treatment did not do as well as the control beds. A lot going on and I can't say it was because of the gypsum, just an observation at this point.

Thank you!

I appreciate the feedback on adding stuff to the soil. I think I will follow your lead and try small amounts in an area and leave another area untouched. Then when Spring/Summer comes around I can see what difference there is in both areas. My next task will be determining how many stratified seeds and rootlets to buy. I have a book titled, \"The Complete Ginseng Growers Manual\" that has some formulas in it but if you have recommendations I would be thankful to hear your thoughts. The areas I have in the woods are on a north facing slope but I thought it might be smart to stay with about 1/3 acre for my first year and see what comes up next year.

1 thing I've noticed, I have twice tried to plant rootlets in my woods. Both times some critter dug them up within 24 hours. I'm still not sure if it was chipmunk, squirrel, raccoon, turkey, deer, or something else. But I've given up on rootlets and just stick with seed. That is my experience, but I'm sure others have been very successful with rootlets.