TOPIC: Ginseng???

Im SO glad you posted this.

It never fails! I can give the best description and even hand a top to any new comer and they will still be asking \"is this it\"? and sure enough they are pointin at VA Creeper!

KRose wrote:

THANKS FRANK! I get so scared going up the hills, with all the bugs, spider webs, I'm scared of snakes, falling, but each time I go...I get alittle more brave and go a little higher. I do suspect other diggers because there are so many indicators without the ginseng that its unreal. Now, when its harvest season, there will probably be less weeds, and less likely to get sniped by a copperhead but THEN Ill be worried Ill get shot by hunters. There are lots of those bullet shells through there. There is a winding stream at the bottom of the area...on the mostly north facing side, its very marshy with wet leaves and fern. On the mostly south facing side its more dry with more dirt and dry leaves on the ground...also with fern. I understand NE to be the most ideal facing slope, but Im curious if soil moisture plays a bigger role than direction....because I've seen indicators (and only indicators) on both sides. Thanks for your response

KRose... Yes, soil moisture plays a big role even when you have Southerly facing slopes! Good running streams or creeks along with a heavy tree canopy and some high mountain tops which can block enough direct sun during the day, will allow Ginseng to grow and even thrieve on Southerly facing slopes. The Northerly facing slopes are usually noted as the best places for Ginseng but with the conditions in the previous sentence, you should be able to find some real nice Ginseng. Good luck and be safe!


Frank

bird nerd wrote:

It never fails! I can give the best description and even hand a top to any new comer and they will still be asking \"is this it\"? and sure enough they are pointin at VA Creeper!

This is true. But, as I've told new folks I\"ve taken out, if they are stopping to look closer at VA Creeper, sarsaparilla, and even hickory sprouts, they are looking for the right things.

The best advice I can give newer folks looking for ginseng is to keep in mind that ginseng tops look even among the other things in the woods. The top of the leaves seem to be the same height most of the time. Sometimes there are berries, and sometimes not. So learn to look for the plant tops. Even is a key, also look for the spot on the stem where the prongs branch out. These are true give aways when looking for ginseng in a green patch.

The other tip I\"ll offer is to grow some ginseng in a place where you can see it often. Your eye will get accustomed to the plants and will spot them more easily in the woods.

Krose,
Good luck and remember to plant more than you dig. We need the youth to carry on the tradition. I do not dig ginseng anymore but I grow it and look forward to digging it someday to \"Cash In\" . I am certainly not against anyone digging it tho.

I have said before, a digger that digs one mature plant can plant 30 to 50 seeds from the mother plant. Krose make sure you spread out around the area and plant the seeds from the mother plant 1 inch deep. These seeds will have a higher germination rate than if left to mother nature. So one root gets dug but 30 to 50 ginseng babies have a chance to take her place.

So diggers can actually do more good than not if it's done correctly.

Good luck,
Latt

BCastle, Great advice....Thanks!!

Latt wrote:

So diggers can actually do more good than not if it's done correctly.

Latt, I completely agree with you.

Don74 np