TOPIC: dormant plants

I was in northern Wisconsin on my land the past two weeks and looking over the plants. Had the land for over 20 years and thought I knew where a lot of the Ginseng was growing. After a couple of years of almost unlimited doe hunting, Ginseng was popping up all over, which left the impression the deer ate a LOT of the plants. I found a four pronger last year and put a fence around it, as it was 10 feet off the trail and I had never seen it before. This year it never grew. Thinking it had rotted or someone pilfered it, I dug in the spot and there it was. In my neck of the woods the diggers think it does not grow every year, but I think it can go for a few years being dormant. Sandier soil seems to help this process. Any comments?

I think some roots lay dormant for more than a year at a time. There is a holler close to home I dig reguarly and one year there was big 4 prongs everywhere. theres no doubt they had been sleeping for a few years as I was in that holler every fall for several years and only found a few plants each year.I guess that is natures way of keeping it from getting dug out.

I'm ashamed to say I don't know much about that.
I am not sure about lying dormant. But I do know there are alot of things that can cause tops to fall early. Stepped on by a critter, fallen branches, or even munched on by insects, rodents, browsers, etc.. Not only in the late summer and fall, but as they are coming up in the spring.

My grandfather, who planted countless patches of seng, told me that he had some patches that were dormant anywhere from 7-9 years. . .on a side note, my grandfather was always secretive about where he planted/dug. I wish I knew one fourth of the places he planted/dug during his life.

It can definately lay dormant for several years at a time. I know a guy who had transplanted 4 roots from mature plants out beside his barn. He has told me that they sometimes lay dormant for several years some years only one or two sprout a top. since he has transplanted them (about ten years ago) only twice have they all appeared. I know deer like them, but really don't know how much impact they have. We have a LOT of deer around here and sometimes a lot of seng comes up, and sometimes not nearly as much. I know this because I almost always get out early in the spring to check out a few areas that I dig in. I also don't know how much soil conditions play a role in plants laying dormant. I have seen them fail to sprout a top in different types of soil including hard clay which we have a lot of around here.

borrowed time wrote:

I was in northern Wisconsin on my land the past two weeks and looking over the plants. Had the land for over 20 years and thought I knew where a lot of the Ginseng was growing. After a couple of years of almost unlimited doe hunting, Ginseng was popping up all over, which left the impression the deer ate a LOT of the plants. I found a four pronger last year and put a fence around it, as it was 10 feet off the trail and I had never seen it before. This year it never grew. Thinking it had rotted or someone pilfered it, I dug in the spot and there it was. In my neck of the woods the diggers think it does not grow every year, but I think it can go for a few years being dormant. Sandier soil seems to help this process. Any comments?

I agree wit you on this,I to have seen a plant lay dorment more than one year,yes sir.

It can depend on what time of year you are looking as well. On my property there are countless three-prongs in May, but by the end of june/mid july 80% + have been browsed off by deer. By this time of year there was probably only 10 left up.

You got too many deer, you need some thinnin' out.

SHROOMY has the right idea,I think.

Guy