TOPIC: producing seed

Guy,

In my seed producing bed I have 44 nice 3 and 4 prong roots planted and can't wait to see them next spring. Hoping for some nice big berry pods.

If they eventually average 20-30 berries each

20 x 44 x 2 = 1760 seeds
30 x 44 x 2 = 2640 seeds

The past few years we have had some extremely hot/dry spells some lasting 6-7 weeks. I have not harvested hardly any black berries the past few years because it just basically stops raining in June and may not rain again until Mid July. Blackberries around here are usually ready for picking the first two weeks in July. We have had good fruit set, lots of blooms in the spring and lots of green berries that turn red but then just dry up when that hot/dry spell hits.

I am going to put a soaker hose in my ginseng seed producing bed so that the drip/hose is just a bit uphill from the seng roots and will have a garden hose attached to it that runs up thru the woods up to the edge of my yard. Then I can roll out another hose from the house/hose/reel and hook up to it and water them when ever they really need it.

In Scotts book he said that extended periods of hot dry weather can sure cut back on berry/seed production.

I know that this year we had two extended periods of hot/dry weather one from June to Mid July and then another from late August to Mid Oct.

The first one caused a lot of our wild seng to not set fruit. they had flower spikes but they just did not produce berries at all. Some did (probably mostly older more established plants) but many just did not make any berries. Then that second dry spell caused it to die back early.

Anyway - I am going to be ready to give those plants in my seed bed some water if/when they really need it. I think a soaker hose is probably the best bet. It basically lets the water drip into the soil without wetting the foilage - which is the best way to water - especially for plants that are prone to folliar type disease problems.

TNhunter

I just recieved my soil test results back yesterday. I took samples from 4 different areas. One spot currently had seng growing and the rest didn't. The area that did had a ph of 6.5 and the other 3 hovered around 7. The thing is though that the calcium levels are all around 7000 lb an acre. All areas are identical and on the same side of the hill so that tells me a lil about where ph plays a part. I own a landscaping company and we use sulpher sometimes to lower ph so im gonna try to get it down to about 6 and hope the high calcium in the soil really goes to work. Their is nothing but limestone around here so it can't help but be loaded with calcium

Hillhopper,

Look at these big FAT bulby roots. They all had really healthy looking nice 3 & 4 prong tops, big berry pods, and also only had 6-8 root neck scars.



TNhunter

Those big BALL roots were all collected about 1/3 way up a limestone bluff. Look at the soil they were growing in, just full of limestone rock chips and flakes and the soil was mostly a grey color.

Notice all the root hairs on that root.

That plant was extremely happy with where it was growing.

With the soil there so full of limestone rock chips, flakes, dust, I can't imagine the PH being low.

I am going to go to that location and plant some seed this fall/winter and I think I will get enough of that soil for a soil sample and send it off and just see how it registers on calcium and PH. I expect it may test out much like yours did around 7 on PH and very high on calcium.

It could be that if the calcium is high enough, the PH is not so much a factor. Not sure..

TNhunter

TNhunter

You may be right about that limestone area having a high ph.But then again it might be just like Robert Beyfuss discovered(described in Scotts book pg 63).

Quote:
\"The most interesting and puzzling results of the analysis was the positive correlation of very low ph and very high levels of calcium. This is the exact opposite of what one would expect in mineral soils.\"

I would think like you do, in that with all the limestone(minerals) it would have a high ph.

Then again you may have an area thats just like what Beyfuss found. Opposite of what we think. He said it was \"Puzzling Results\" and \"Opposite of what one would expect to find in mineral soil\".

It would be interesting for you to have a soil test done on that rocky area.

classicfur

TNhunter

I wanted to add, That you may have found one of those Hot Growing Spots that Beyfuss discribes.

And if the Calcium level and Ph are not like what Beyfuss found, it really does'nt matter because the roots that come out of that bluff are Fantastic!

But it would be interesting to have an Idea of what that soil has that makes them grow so well.

classicfur

Classicfur,

Good Lord willing and I can make it down to that bluff and back again (sure plan to) and plant quite a bit of seed - I will get enough of that soil for a sample and send it off.

I am very curious about that too.

I will be sure and post the results when I get that.

It may be a few weeks or even months.

I have to get me some stratified seed first.

Still working on that.

TNhunter

How do you those those big roots will sell? Jus wonderin if they will be considered cultivated

I had a couple roots questioned one time that looked like that. They were found in that same type soil and were growing beside where a spring ran out from under the hill. They were naturally kept constantly moist but also well drained and with all that calcium from the limestone as well.. The ideal growing conditions. I jus knew those 4 prongs were gonna be old as big as they were but nope... I think one was five years and the other was six or seven

hillhopper,

I don't think they would be questioned as being cultivated - they are as Wild as they can be. They actually look real nice dried.

I have them on top of my box full of dry seng so my buyer will be sure and notice them.

I hunted that bluff again later on and found some more nice ones.

Below is a couple of youtube vid's from my second bluff hunt in that same location.

www.youtube.com/user/YTTNhunter#p/u/4/ohB0SfTBJiQ

www.youtube.com/user/YTTNhunter#p/u/3/WzDhcZ4X6lE

TNhunter