TOPIC: Planting Large Amounts of Seed

Tanner at rural action
Latt, I would have planted 15 or 20 if it had gone beter. If I see a good germination next spring I will plant 15 or 20# that in 2012.

Latt,
I say bring on that hundred pound drum buddy.....
Go big or go home, Fortune favors the bold, you'll never get anywhere setting on the porch, and a bunch of other clever little sayings that makes me wanna push all my chips in.

Hillhopper

Just some food for thought... as I found out this spring, volume planting of seeds does you little good if they don't germinate. So as one contemplates bumping up volume, be sure you have the time to make it a quality planting, otherwise you're just throwing money away.

As for the value... I wish I had as rosy a picture of the future, but... as the price rises, so does the supply. The more it's worth, the more people will try to raise it. Already, ginseng farms are springing up in New Zealand and elsewhere, as a result of the current prices.

Current ginseng price rise is also contingent upon the Asian econcomic boom continuing it's rapid growth. Anyone who remembers what the Japanese economy was doing in the 1980's also remembers what happened to it in the 1990's. Still hasn't completely recovered.

So while I'd like to think that the $1k/pound level for small amounts of wild root will be reached, there are a number of external variables that can influence this. Possible, but by no means guaranteed.

For this reason, I regard my ginseng crop more as a hobby than a definite source of income. Maybe I'll get a good return, but I'm not counting on it. Meanwhile, I'll continue putting time and around $1k/year into it. Hope to get around 25 acres of north facing hillsides planted some day.

But with only two people to do the planting, I can't see that I can assure a quality planting of more than 5 to 7 pounds of seed and a few hundred roots, that's about all the time I can spare in the fall. Got in a hurry last fall, and paid the price with poor germination.

Johno,
You have brought up a good point. Anyone considering planting a large amount of seed should not sacrifice seed quality or the quality of the planting just because one may be planting a larger amount than normal.
In my example I used $500 per lb too which is well below last seasons price of $700 plus per lb. So there is plenty of opportunity to make serious money even if ginseng stays around $500 per lb. Anything over that would just be a bonus.
Latt

When I figure a hopefull future estimation its always at 300 roots per lb and $500 per lb, anything better than either is a bonus and estimates always show promise. Im pretty sure wild ginseng deals in New Zealand are non existent just like wild American ginseng is. Let them woods cultivate all they want, we have the real stuff and the Chinese know it.

Hillhopper

I myself am not quitting my day job but I am sticking my neck out far enough to make a killing or make a mistake.

Hillhopper

I am with ya on that one Hillhopper. I will be getting many planting beds prepared in advance this fall. Planting 50 lbs or more it is going to be a lot of work. The one fella that has the dark loamy soil with the 6,000 lbs PPA on calcium is a farmer. We are going to talk soon to discuss taking this to the next level. He has 57 acres on a Glacier deposited ridge running North and South. So half of this 57 acre ridge faces East. We have plenty of space facing East. Hopefully he has some equipment that will make the process a bit easier. He also owns a plant nursery. He knows far more about chemicals than I do and that will come in handy if we develop any disease problems in the future.

I read Whitjr's post about deer eating his plants and some post on moles and voles and slugs. So there are definitely many reminders that growing ginseng has many potential problems. I would hate to see many of these problems attack any of my planting beds but especially if I plant a large amount. But I can't win or I can't lose if I don't play the game.
So time will tell which way it goes.
Latt

I like what you said, Hillhopper. I am taking a similar approach!

Latt,
That sounds pretty sweet. I know you will but just make sure your interests are protected in your crop sharing. I am fortunate enough to have about 8 plantable acres on a north slope. There is a lot more higher up on the ridge but it is too rocky iv discovered, too many boulders and fist sized rocks to ever plant there in a reasonable fashion I believe. I have found seng there before but it would be really old and ridiculously small, I think efforts would be best spent on different land. After my eight, I will have to look elsewhere myself.

Hillhopper

Hillhopper wrote:

When I figure a hopefull future estimation its always at 300 roots per lb and $500 per lb, anything better than either is a bonus and estimates always show promise. Im pretty sure wild ginseng deals in New Zealand are non existent just like wild American ginseng is. Let them woods cultivate all they want, we have the real stuff and the Chinese know it.

Hillhopper

Hillhopper you are spot on in your assessments.
I will not grow cultivated, woodsgrown, organic, lyka-wild or any other type except wild-simulated from seed. As you have explained in your response above. There are many pit-falls with ginseng, in my opinion putting my money into my enterprise is alot more secure than handing it off to the stock market or hoping that someone else is going to take care of me later in life. I have been at the game a long time and latt's math is fairly close to my reality, It has to be approached as a hobby due to such a long time before any return on your investment can be realized. But with all that said I can definately see a bright future with my hobby. For those that get out of it \"i understand\" and for those that stick around a while look below for an unexpected bonus, That is what i call a 2nd generation wild simulated plant from some of my earlier patches.