TOPIC: When t start scouting

Hey guys, My first post here. I'm new to the game here and just wondering if you guys go out before season and look for ginseng and when do you start? I planted sme seed last fall and while turkey hunting I revisited the sites and it looks to be coming up but wanted to be loking for mature plants while I was out and about but wasn't sure if its to early. Sorry if its a dumb question just looking for some education

Depends on where you live. If you live in the Carolinas they are probably all up. If you live in Maine probably not.

Ittiz thanks for the info I live in VA but only a few miles from the NC line so I'll keep my eyes open. I'm assuming they'll still be fairly small now then?

Mature plants will be a decent size, but not as large as they will be in late summer. Now is a good time to scout. I try to keep my eyes looking for it while out turkey hunting in the spring. Most everything should be up in your area. I'm from Ohio and probably 80 % or better is up here.

Here at my place (Southern Middle TN)...

When redbuds are blooming, a lot of my first year 3 leafers are coming up and by the time dogwoods are blooming I would say 80-90% of those are up.

The older plants, including older wild plants start emerging about the time that dogwoods are finishing up their blooming period.

I bet it will be about the same for you.

I usually do some wild ginseng scouting in June each year. July and August here are uaually very hot.

It is not un-usual to find several nice plants up in June that will not be standing come harvest time (for one) becasue of deer eating the tops.

I like to mark nice patches or plants with my GPS good and have returned in the fall to find not top left, but could still locate the stems where the tops had been browsed by deer.

Below is a pic of a nice group of plants that I marked with my GPS, but this shows what they looked like come harvest time.

If I had not marked them good with my GPS, I would most likely not have found them again in this condition.



TNhunter

Hey guys I would like to thank you for the info. I really hope to find some this year? I'm not sure my area even has a great deal of ginseng to start with.