TOPIC: Ginseng already starting to turn yellow

Got a call yesterday morning finally getting permission to check out about 500-600 acres of woods. So I got ready and headed out to scout and see if it would be a good place, according to the topo map it looked very good. I get out there and it is seriously nothing but straight up and down cliffs, you could get up and down without a rope but you had to dig in with your hands to do it. Also has small springs and creeks running at the bottom of all these. Place looks perfect for ginseng, all the companion plants, some ferns taller than my head, I mean it looked absolutely perfect. Well, after spending about 5-6 hours in there I finally found a few plants, there were 5 plants total, 3 very small 2 prongs and 2 one prongs. That was it, I looked everywhere from the creek beds all the way to the very top of the hills. My only assumption is someone has pretty much dug the place dry. Needles to say the owner is very pissed, has no trespassing signs every and very cautious about who he lets on his land.

Anyway, below are some pics i got of the little ones, as you can see they are already spotting and the outter edges are starting to turn yellow. This could be a bad thing seeing how we are forcasted for high 90's with no rain in sight for the next week. Gonna check another patch tomorrow and see what it is doing. If they are turning already this could be a very short season for us out here, but on a good not that could drive the prices up as well, we will have to wait and see.

Some of the small that is starting to turn.

more

blurry but this one was highest on the hill and the most yellow as well

This is from top of one of the hills.

The large black spot about 30 feet below is where the hill basically turns into a cliff and is straight down nearly 60-70 feet. (and yes I did go down against all better judgement)

Lastly, some of the massive ferns where and underground spring comes out.

GIJoey mind telling us what state you are in? I'd tell the landowner to not worry too much. Just because you didn't find ginseng in that spot doesn't mean the whole property is shot. It may not have come up good in that spot this year. It may not even be in that area. I've been in some of the prettiest woods you could dream about seeing and not find a thing. Go one holler over and it'd be half dry and not very good looking. But I would dig the heck out of it. Ginseng is just a funny plant to try and figure out. As far as the leaves being yellow, it's probably got a 2-3 weeks to go before you need to start worrying. Good luck!