TOPIC: Loving ginseng frustrating but rewarding.

Hello everyone I just wanted to say I am glad I found this website/forum I am new to ginseng hunting have wanted to do it for the past several years but had no one to show me what it looks like, but the internet does have some useful information so i have done a lot of research and my first trip out i walked for a solid 4 hours in the hills of central WV. Found about 12 or so plants and dug 3 3 prongs. I went out the following Sarutday and walked, climbed, scratched my way around some of the steepest hills and was able to find about 50 plants. dug 13 all 3 prongs.

I have a question I left several 3 prongs that looked small was this the right thing to do or if they have 3 prongs should I go ahead and dig no matter what they look like? I saw a lot of 2 prongs and singles while out. I have already mapped out an area close to where I was Saturday and I plan on being in the woods right after daylight and not come out until late afternoon. I hope I don't annoy you all with my questions and being a newbie and all I know I have to pay my dues. but i love this. it's great exercise and a great time being in God's creation I catch myself just in awe at His magnificience.

Hello Tazman,
For a newbie you sure have made some of us jealous. That is some nice digging and beautiful roots. I would just suggest if you run across many of the two prong or small 3 prongs to clip the tops at this time of the year. They certainly don't need to be dug and if you want to find them some day looking like the roots that you have pictured, they'll need to grow for a few more years. Some of the people coming behind you won't be so kind and they will be gone. Be a good steward and plant some stratified seeds as well and there will always be plants to be found years from now. Good digging to you.

Hugh

Thanks Hugh, I agree I forgot to mention that I have clipped off all of the plants that i didn't dig, I have planted probably 100 seeds already this season I go ahead and pop them off and plant I was told about an inch or less. I did break of one of the roots little spider roots or so i call them. I appreciate you input.

Thanks Hugh, I agree I forgot to mention that I have clipped off all of the plants that i didn't dig, I have planted probably 100 seeds already this season I go ahead and pop them off and plant I was told about an inch or less. I did break of one of the roots little spider roots or so i call them. I appreciate you input.

hello and welcome to the forum, you dug some really nice root, and a great job doing so! my opinion is to at least always check your 3 prong plants. some of the very best seng i have dug were 4-6- oz roots all 3 prongers. but ethically speaking leaving all 3 prongers is the best thing to do for future harvests. hugh is right you would ALWAYS want to pinch off the tops so no one finds them, especially if they are little one. again very good job gigging and have a safe and lucky season.

Tazman..

Have to agree with you brother... on the exercise and appreciation of Gods creation.

Seng hunting will sure get you in shape.

I think it is a good idea to leave those first or second year 3 prongs - they are going to have small roots anyway and would not add much to your pile.

Leave them and anything smaller, and always plant those berries and don't hunt the same places every year. I like to give them at least 2 or 3 years rest before I hit them again.

Congratulations on some nice roots and a good job of digging especially considering you are new to the sport.

TNhunter

thanks for all of the encouragement. I have been very careful when digging taking advice from a lot of vets. If you guys get a chance please take a look at my post a little earlier today about drying ginseng. I don't want to screw it up too much work and I want to treat it the best I can. Thanks again.

Tazman,

You hit the nail on the head. Some threes are large enough to harvest, and others are not. I've seen fours that were still not large enough to dig them. Those smaller roots...even with mature tops...are much more valuable in the woods making seed than on the dealer's table. Well done.