TOPIC: Spring planting

Latt,

You mentioned: \"I walked up and down the beds a little more than normal and I think all those little steps up and down up and down and then some, really gave the seeds good contact to the soil.\"

Over the years I have found that, stepping up and down over the complete bed before raking the leaves back on has produced the best germination. The soil seems to make better contact with the seeds and I have noticed that made a big difference compared to just walking over the bed in a spuradic fashion.

I think I remember you telling about a planting where you had just walked across the bed after planting and come spring time, the only seeds that came up was where you had walked across the bed.

I know that even in the Hankins method, where the seeds are covered with 3/4\" of soil, he says \"carefully step down each furrow to firm the soil over the seeds\".

I think firming the soil over the seeds so they make good contact with the soil is a big step that should'nt be skipped.

Good point!

classicfur

I am sure that getting those seeds in good contact with the soil is important.

After I cast my seed I put on gypsum and bonemeal (since I need to increase both calcium and phosphorus based on soil test).

While doing that I am sure I step on some of the seed, but then I put that leaf mulch and top soil back on and then a thin layer of leaves and then I walk up and down the bed several times mashing all of that down on top of the seeds.

I try to make a foot print on top of every sq inch of the bed.

To me - I just feel a bit better about stepping on the seed after I have put a bit of top soil and leaf compost back on top.

In about 2 months now - I will get to see how well that works.

TNhunter

Classicfur,
I agree walking on the seed so it makes good seed to soil contact is an important step always, but especially in a spring or late winter planting. It is probably the one thing or final step that I usually do not do well enough when planting. It's a step that is well worth the extra time and I am sure it will increase the germination %. I have experienced this first hand as noted in Classicfur's post.

TNhunter,
I have posted some pics of nice long side by side beds now and then. Trust me I have many beds that are 40 foot long and less. Many times as you know some of the best spots to plant may be on a small little spot on a slope sticking out with a Northern or Eastern exposure. I have some beds that are only 20 foot long or less with multiple side by side beds or just one bed depending on the circumstances.

To new or future ginseng growers,
Many times excess brush, signs of woodland weeds, stickers, inadequate tree canopy, incorrect slope direction and more can dictate the bed boundaries including the length, width and quantity of the ginseng beds planted in an area in any given woods.

Planting in smaller areas or beds has advantages too. It will make for smaller groups of ginseng growing which will help prevent disease. If one bed has a problem it will be isolated and not likely transfer to the other planting sites if there is a fair amount of distance between the beds.
If someone else does find a bed they are only going to dig or POACH one spot and hopefully they will not find the others spots. One large and long planting bed tends to stick out in the woods even to a beginner ginseng hunter and increases the chances of someone finding it and that's a bad thing for sure.

Planting in long rows is convenient and efficient for getting a lot of seed down in a decent or short amount of time. Now and then a woods will have spots that allow for large planting beds and it's hard to pass up good planting areas. There are advantages to maximizing the space the woods offers up. However, it has its disadvantages too as previously described.

So if anyone is out there that is considering growing ginseng from seed, do not let the size of the planting bed hinder your planting. You can squeeze in many smaller beds here and there, some medium size beds and large beds when space is available.

I recommend 1,600 square foot to plant 1-pound of seed as most of us do. It does not matter how the 1,600 is achieved. Just get 4 to 5 seeds on average in one square foot and plant till the 1-pound is gone. Keep your rows 5 to 6 foot wide max thou to help with air flow and so you can reach the plants.
Latt

Latt,

Good thing to bring up about bed sizes. I prefere smaller beds around 20' long but my longest beds are 40'. I have kept the width of my beds about 4' wide and some might be 5' wide to utilize space better.

I've noticed that when clipping flower tops, that the 4' beds are easier to reach the plants in the center of the beds than the 5' wide beds. I don't think I could reach the center of a 6' wide bed without stepping into the bed. After having to clip flower tops and harvesting berries in the near future, I am going to keep all my new plantings at 4'-4.5' wide. Because everyone in my family has short arms.

When I plant, I keep forgetting that someday down the road I'm going to be working in these beds. And I want to make it easy to do so.

I just hate to keep stepping in the beds and compressing the soil arount the roots.

classicfur

Most of mine are 35-40 ft long and 6ft wide. I have a few beds that run out to around 85ft. The guy that works for me wasn't paying attention one day and prepared one that was 8ft wide, that's too wide but I went ahead and planted it anyway to save time. I guess a few in the center will probably go unattended, I'm pretty long armed but not that long.

Hillhopper

HEY LATT, yes we planted our seeds over 14 years ago and we have made our money back many times over indirectly and now comes the marcellus gas drilling to our area in northern Pa. I still don't have a plan for harvesting and I would estimate about 10% survival but I will not sell to a dealer and let someone else make the profit.
Mike

Well I put in my last pound today. I put it in a great woods somewhat close to my home here. This woods is 80 miles from the woods I planted in yesterday thou. I had yesterday off an it was a good day to plant. The woods I planted in today is primarily full of Hickory and Oak with some Ash and Elm but mostly Hickory. It is fairly flat but in the back there is a concentration of mixed Maple and Hickory on a North Eastern facing slope with a 10 % grade leading down to a creek bed. That's where I planted today. The soil is a bit darker than where I planted yesterday. It is a great Morel Mushroom woods and one of the better ones we hunt in. Not many Morels back where I planted today thou. It's always interesting to find that a mixed hardwood forest can have pockets of trees that concentrate to one area. I have not done a soil sample but the soil is dark and loamy with some sand in it but not to much. It is very similar to the soil that I planted in where the calcium level was 6,900 PPA.This is the first time I have planted in this woods so I am eager to see how it does.
I still have one pound of seed left that I will tinker with around the house and I am going to give a buddy a half pound of that to plant. So I have got 19 lbs in since last fall and I am done for the most part until this fall. I will be planting again then.
The pic below is the two side by side beds from the bottom of the bed looking up the hill.
Latt

This is from the top of the bed looking down the hill.I used a better rake today and it sped things up a bit. However, I did spend about 45 minutes picking up sticks anywhere from 1 inch thick to as big as 6 inches thick. Overall it took me from 10:45 to 1:30PM. I am one heck of a leaf raking machine. Not sure if I am a ginseng seed planter or a leaf raking old man.
I guess I am just like all you guys in the fact we are all pretty excited to see how our efforts treat us in about 2 months from now.
Between all of us we have planted a bunch of ginseng seed and it's been fun talking about it with all of you as well as spending time in the woods this past fall up through today.
Here is my last pic of the bed I planted today and is the same planting bed looking from the top of the hill downward.
Good luck everyone. Next time I post a pic it's going to be a pic of a see of green ginseng babies. Can't wait to see your new ginseng bed pics as well.
Latt

Latt,

Man that soil there sure is dark and nice looking and I have to say I am impressed with how quickly you can get a pound of seed planted.

I think we are about the same age ( 49 years old ) and on being a leaf raking old man - well until this fall I would always get somewhat out of shape in the winter months - just not much to do to keep you going and active after deer season ends until spring comes along.

Now at least with planting seng I am up and out in the woods every few weeks raking leaves and planting seng, getting in some good up and down hill walking - just plain old good exercise.

May just keep us old fellers going a bit longer...

Best of luck with your last plantings there and I am for sure with you on looking forward to seeing all of those baby 3 leafers up here in a couple more months.

TNhunter

mhowa

Here's what I found in Scott Persons Ginseng book on Spring planting.

\" I have certainly had success planting in September or early October, well before the leaf fall. On the other hand, I have had poor results planting just before my seed were about to germinate in late March. I think the seeds may not have had time to work their way into the soil before germinating, and I know on one occasion, without any snow to stick the leaf litter back to the soil, heavy spring rains washed away both mulch and seeds. (Late winter planting in general is a second choice. I only plant late what I am unable to finish planting in the fall.)\"

It sounds like the sooner you can plant the seeds before spring, the better.

classicfur