TOPIC: Planting as much Ginseng seeds now as possible

Bglong,
I only wish I had 17 good wooded acres of my own. I plant on my families land and some of my friends land. I read this thread and it is a good one. It sounds like everyone has the same dreams as I to make a living off of ginseng farming. However, it appears most of us are realistic and realize that it's going to take a long a while to have roots to dig to make money from. I wish I would have planted seeds 10 or 20 years ago. I just started planting 10 lbs a year for the past 2 years and this is my 3rd year at planting. I am not getting any younger (49 now) so I may step it up and plant more than 10 pounds a year for the next 5 years.
With that said good luck with your 17 acres of woods. Just think if you planted more now and less later. You would be so much farther ahead. I know the seed cost between $600 to $1,200 for 10 pounds depending on where you buy it. But you think like I do and most do on here. It's going to be a nice source of income someday. Maybe not enough now to do it full time but enough for a nice retirement or to pay for the kids college.
So take it from an old guy, consider putting more seed in the ground now and I bet you will not regret it. My wife gives me heck when new seed arrives. She will say \"YOU BOUGHT MORE SEED! I THOUGHT YOUR WERE DONE PLANTING THIS YEAR\". I just can't help it. I love it. I waste money on stupid stuff so I see buying ginseng seed as a smart move. That's what I tell her and she just can't see the process paying off as it is a \"Get Rich Slow Scheme\" and that's why so many do not do it.
Anyway please excuse me from sticking my nose in your business. I just wanted to share my story of wishing I had planted seed years ago. But it's never too late I guess.
I truly think the price of wild simulated Ginseng root is going to continue to go up. Especially with the pressure being put on wild ginseng and it becoming more difficult to find in many areas. One other thing I saw on this tread is documenting when and where you plant it. I think it is a smart move to draft a letter and to keep good records on it. Who knows it may be endangered someday in Ohio. If we have documentation of buying seeds and where we planted it with dates etc and notarized it may be a good idea. Or just take a chance and forget that. Who knows for sure?

Latt

I sure would love to plant more than a couple of pounds of seeds each year. But Money is tight since the shoulder surgery in Jan and will have a second surgery at the end of Nov. But I agree with you 100%. My oldest plants are 6 years old and if I had planted when I first thought about growing, they would be 10 years old now! I would say to those that can't afford a large amount of seeds, to atleast plant 1-2 pounds a year. Don't Put It Off!!!

Also hang on to all your seed receipts. In Maine I'm required to have proof of buying the seeds when I go to certify the roots. Also every year when I renew my Culivated Ginseng Growers License, they require that I send a map showing where they are planted.

Latt, I am 50 and I know the body is not going to feel so young when I start havesting, as my shoulder has already proven to me. Luckly I have six kids and with four of them still living at home. They have all learned how to plant and my 12 yr old boy did all the hard labor of planting this year. I thought I was'nt going to plant any this year, but the kids said they would do it for me. I would love to plant 10 lbs like you said this next year. I do have plenty of my own land to plant, so that makes it a little easier.

I can relate to your excitement to plant more!!!

classicfur

Age doesn't necessarily mean decay, it just means more attention to yourself. I took up cycling about six years ago. Now at 53, I'm as strong as I've ever been, and am still seeing improvement. I figure if I'm getting stronger, I'm not dying. And just cut and split about 1.5 cords of firewood, not for the exercise, but to make a dent in heating costs.

Doing 5 pounds this year, plus I just took wildgrown up on their 2yo root offer. That's going to be some work. Still in the 'try a bit of everything and see what works' phase. Trying prepped beds this year, going to transplant off the excess. Had pretty good luck transplanting the rootlets that I potted last year, moved about 200 rootlets, most of them did well.

One thing I'm finding... it's quality planting as well as quantity planting. No point in putting seeds out if they don't germinate.

Yep, I wish I'd started this six years ago, when I first got the idea and realized that my rough as a cob farm was perfect for seng. We all say that. Wish I'd bought Apple stock 20 years ago, too. But, I'm glad I stayed away from drugs when I was younger, and that I didn't move to a big city, so for every 'I wish', I probably have an 'I'm glad'.

I hear ya johno. I believe this lil hobby of all of our's is a good one to keep a man goin. Myself, when it's my time, I hope Im still active and they have to find me on a hillside somewhere

johno

I agree that \"it's quality planting as well as quantity planting.\"

After trying different thing out for the first three years, I have found what works well as far as ease and high germination rate. the last four years of planting I have stuck with the same method. Minor changes, perhaps would be o.k.

Between my busy taxidermy shop and cutting six cords of firewood a year I,m lucky to have some spare time for my favorite hobbies, which are my ginseng and my family.

I wish you luck in planting your 2000 rootlets

classicfur

Hillhopper

That would be the way to go. In the woods laying next to a seng bed. I spend so much time in the woods, chances are pretty good to end it that way. Like my wife alway says, when she can't find me, \"you were back checkin out your plants again? Yep!

classicfur

I wish I would have had the idea of planting ginseng a few years ago. I'm in my late 30's, so I have plenty of time left to get some in the ground (the good Lord willing), but starting 10-15 years ago would have been awesome. I haven't reached the point where I am dreaming of using my ginseng as a retirement fund or college fund. Until I see the results of my first planting, my dreams are small. I would like to have enough one day to buy 2-3 new guns, or if I'm really successful, maybe a new four wheeler. I'm 37, but I still like my toys!

Jacquo wrote:

I wish I would have had the idea of planting ginseng a few years ago. I'm in my late 30's, so I have plenty of time left to get some in the ground (the good Lord willing), but starting 10-15 years ago would have been awesome. I haven't reached the point where I am dreaming of using my ginseng as a retirement fund or college fund. Until I see the results of my first planting, my dreams are small. I would like to have enough one day to buy 2-3 new guns, or if I'm really successful, maybe a new four wheeler. I'm 37, but I still like my toys!

I will always like my toys and im 44 now

I guess we all pretty much have the same story then. Every time I start thinkin' about how I wish I'd gotten started years earlier, it just fuels my fire when it comes planting time. I figure now that I'm finally doing it, I may as well do it right, and ya'll have helped with that.

I think we've all fallen into this little hobby of ours, at an epic point, I like to think we're all early pioneers, and that this industry is gonna really take off in the next twenty years. I'm no expert, but my understanding of the social/economic explosion in China and other Asian countries, means that more people are gonna have more surplus income on every day things like Ginseng. Ginseng has been popular over there for hundreds and thousands of years, they're not gonna stop using it now. Soon names like Billy, Maya and TNhunter will be synonomous with Rockefeller and Carnegie.

Can you all imagine a fulltime job in raising 3 or 4 acres of Ginseng per year. It may be a little far fetched but that would be nice, that equates to somewhere around 200,000 to 300,000 dollars of income for doing something you love. Which at that quantity might get in a man's nerves but the cashflow would be good medicine for it lol.