TOPIC: Question about prevention of poachers

I'd say that once the leaves have turned yellow they have absorbed all the nutrients from the leaves they are going to get. So i'd cut them at that stage. As Latt said even a novice digger can spot a yellow ginseng plant. I'd say the benefit of cutting outweighs the risk of poaching/digging.

I performed a little test last year on ten plants that were in the advanced yellowing stage. A certain area was very weedy and i wanted to spray and kill the weeds but was afraid since the plants were still standing, although I knew a frost was around the corner and would cause the weeds to go dormant as well. Long story short, i only tried it on a small area and all ten plants emerged this spring. That leads me to believe a solid yellow top \"although erect\" has sent down all it has to give at that point.

Hillhopper

Yes I agree Hill and Tanner.
I was thinking more along the lines of a green top that already produced red berries. I would leave the plant alone until it begins to turn yellow then I would take down for sure.

In my experience many green plants produce red berries around these areas depending on the weather. Yes often the plants turn yellow about when the berries turn red when there are drought conditions tho and I would take the yellow plants down for sure after planting the seeds.
Latt

Like this.

I have several seed production plants that I spray weekly, from early spring until they are gone in the fall. After I pick the berries, I hate spraying them but I don't want blight getting started in there either. I am thinking of just cutting them down and removing the tops, I know they will be back next spring but I don't want to do anything to weaken the plant or get less berries next year from doing this. The plants are still green and very healthy, so I am sure none of the tops juices have gone back to the root.

Lenno,
Your area may be different but down here, I can stop tending mine for disease at this time of year. The leaves get thicker and they seem to harden off. Also, the weather here isn't conducive for disease from late July on through their dormant period. You could slack off a bit and see how it goes...

Hillhopper