TOPIC: Anti-poaching Tactic/ would this hurt plants?

Last season I cut down every plant as soon as the majority of berries had ripened. Due to all of the negative publicity directed toward Ginseng and the national media's promotion of theft and trespassing I may change that. My planted seed won't be near digging size for a few years. Only seedlings and two year olds this spring.

I'm thinking of sacrificing the berries and cutting off all my mature plants in June.
I've also considered cutting back the plants to one leaf just to make them less noticeable to adventurous pinheads who think they're going to get rich this year after watching too much television. Might still get root growth till all the publicity wears off but make them hard to see in the woods.

Any opinions appreciated.

Sure would help hide the plants but the roots won't grow much like you had already stated. Sure would be sad to lose all those seeds too. But I see your point as well
Latt

I normally top mine in mid August if I'm going to.

I am not an expert on growing Ginseng by any means but I do believe that topping the plants in June, could seriously do damage to the roots and future growth. June is a very significant growing time for a Ginseng plant's top and root as the Photosynthesis process is just really getting going in providing energy for growth to the top and the root. Other than topping the plants once most or all of the berries have ripened, I would seriously look into other options for mitigation of poaching.


Frank

Up till now I've only topped them in August after berries, or if the flower stem was browsed off. I have had plants browsed off by deer and the stem stayed green right through the season. I guess I know chopping them down is a last resort but I was just wondering if there were a way to do it that wouldn't set the plant back to much.
Thanks

Topping has the same effect as deer browsing, I usually top mine in August, but if it has berries i try to monitor it closely and gather the seed first. I have camoflauged many plants with tree branches with alot of leaves to hide the berry pod until ripe. I had a conversation with a guy who grew greenhouse tomatoes and he touched on something that made me curious. he picks his tomatoes after a red star like image starts to appear on the tomato, he said it was a chemical reaction inside the tomato that makes it turn red and as soon as it started that it couldn't be stopped even if it was picked, it made me wonder if the same would be true for semi-red ginseng berries..something else for me to try.
Also, i have left only the smallest leaf on ginseng plants and they stayed green right up until the end of the season. I usually cut the plant right where the prongs meet and also clip out the seed stem, unless you have hunted it for years and years you will probably never even see it. ===Guideline=== If it is hard for you to identify the plant when your finished, it will probably be safe.

K_duce

I've also seen plants browsed down to barely a leaf and stay green. Last year I tried ripening berries of a dozen plants by putting the plants in water near a south facing window, they all ripened in a couple weeks. I've ripened green tomatoes closed up in a brown paper bag , I think I'll try that on some green berries this year. Thanks for the idea.

K_duce

I've also seen plants browsed down to barely a leaf and stay green. Last year I tried ripening berries of a dozen plants by putting the plants in water near a south facing window, they all ripened in a couple weeks. I've ripened green tomatoes closed up in a brown paper bag , I think I'll try that on some green berries this year. Thanks for the idea.

K_duce

I've also seen plants browsed down to barely a leaf and stay green. Last year I tried ripening berries of a dozen plants by putting the plants in water near a south facing window, they all ripened in a couple weeks. I've ripened green tomatoes closed up in a brown paper bag , I think I'll try that on some green berries this year. Thanks for the idea.