TOPIC: Ginseng germination

Planted about 3/4 of an acre woods grown in Oct 2013. Seed from 2 different sources. One of Wildgrown & one from another reputable source. Wildgrown I got about 80% germination & other about 30%. This year about another 35% germinated a year late. Didn't refrigerate the seed & strawed the beds. Any ideas why this would happen?

It could have been most anything. Perennial plants -like ginseng- have complex dormancy requirements and sometimes even if everything is right...they don't always germinate when you expect them to do so.

I've had times when I experienced incredibly high germination rates...and still saw new seedlings the next year and sometimes a year after that. I sometimes wonder if this is nature's way of ensuring ginseng survival.

Since you got your seed in October (not too long after they were pulled from stratification) and you planted them right away without storing in fridge or otherwise...

That is ideal situation.

Something may have gone wrong in the stratification process on that batch, who knows.

The worst luck I ever had was with seeds from a source other than wildgrown, that was also a very reputable dealer. I had about 10% germination that first spring, and the next spring about the same.

I bought those seeds late in the year though, bought them in January and planted as soon as I got them. I figured that had something to do with my problems with that batch.

Since then I don't buy seeds late in the year. I like to buy in October or November and plant them asap after they arrive.

I have also seen what BCastle mentioned... some 3 leafers still coming up in my patches into the 3rd spring after planting. I think that is all a part of the creators plan for this fine plant surviving even though it gets abused by many.

TNhunter

TNhunter wrote:

Since you got your seed in October (not too long after they were pulled from stratification) and you planted them right away without storing in fridge or otherwise...

That is ideal situation.

Something may have gone wrong in the stratification process on that batch, who knows.

The worst luck I ever had was with seeds from a source other than wildgrown, that was also a very reputable dealer. I had about 10% germination that first spring, and the next spring about the same.

I bought those seeds late in the year though, bought them in January and planted as soon as I got them. I figured that had something to do with my problems with that batch.

Since then I don't buy seeds late in the year. I like to buy in October or November and plant them asap after they arrive.

I have also seen what BCastle mentioned... some 3 leafers still coming up in my patches into the 3rd spring after planting. I think that is all a part of the creators plan for this fine plant surviving even though it gets abused by many.


TNhunter

I hear ya.
Jim

I have seen seedlings germinating this year in beds I planted 3-4 years ago. Like Castle says this plant has complex germination and dormancy. Research on wild ginseng has shown that seeds can have delayed germination 3-4 years after stratification, so not unheard of. I don't mind personally helps create mixed age beds.

Thanks for the replies. Always had good germination before with a few 3 leafers the next year. Just glad to see so many more come up this year.