TOPIC: Location, location, location.... Long

Hmmm.... It's not just the realtors that this is relative to.

I've decided that if my present efforts are not doing what I want them to be doing, by this time next year, I'm going to be stopping those efforts there in the NE mountains of NC, and relocating the efforts nearer to my home, in the Piedmont of NC.

The land I have available to me presently[and have partnered on, with a good friend] is heavy in an understory of 10' Rodendron. The rest of the upperstory is ideal for 'sang.

Thus, my reality test is that the work to clear said understory is , well, a whole group of chainsaw/brush-clearing and stacking work. The soil under it, is of sore need of soil amendments, 'cause of the Rodo. Again, another whole group of work, with minor costs associated with it.

All these reality tests are NOT a complaint, in fact, are making me a better 'sang grower by the careful considerations needed to proceed.

However, I must continue to face the reality tests, and see what happens. There's land near me that I could rent -or partner with- a local farmer to continue the project.

Just thinking out loud.... all interested parties please comment!

Wow! No responses...

Well, anyway, I have tried to think it thru pretty much. I started this project with a buddy of the same age, who does something entirely diffrent in healthcare, and who has the same retirement concerns.

He had the land, I had the plan... together we thought that things would be near perfect there in the mountains.

I really hope that the soil amendments are going to work well for us!

Wish I could offer some input on this, but dont have any rhodedendron growing around here and really don't know what to tell you other than why not try both areas? Heck I've got pretty good location with decent wild seng growing on it and had pretty terible germination with stratified seed planted last fall. It was awfully dry here last fall, and that may have had large part in the poor germination. That was the first stratified seed I had ever planted, and I did learn a few things and will definately be checking the seed out a little closer this fall.

I do not plant seeds anymore where the gingseng does not grow naturally. On my land you can go a hundred yards from a natural group of plants and not find any. Years ago I planted seeds and young plants would come up and disapear the next year. I think sunshine is a commodity that people overlook. The plant needs more sun than people think, not full sun. If you find plants with red leaves that plant received too much sun. And not too wet, but damp spots are better. I used to think that rotten wood gave off nutrients, but now it seems like constant moisture is more of a key. I now plant seeds as soon as I pick them off the plants near dead stumps. I wish I had a dollar for every blue cohosh plant I saw so far. That is a key plant to look for here. Seng is usually near any small plant with berries by me.

If you grow any in the piedmont let me know cause I know of quite a few people in that area who are afraid the conditions aren't right for it, but would love to give it a go.

Whitjr,
Give the piedmont a try for sure! Our specialty crops extension agent here in VA, Andy Hankins, has been pushing for piedmont plantings for years. He has said that a lot of landowners in the Western Piedmont have been successful. You just have to find that right micro-climate site, which are harder to come by the further east you are. Also stay away from clay! I've planted small test plots in the piedmont a couple times. Most sites had decent germination, but like Borrowed Time mentioned, the plants withered away in the poorer sites. That said, I've got one site in the southern Virginia piedmont that seems to be really good, and I have a relative that has done well on another. Although there are some disadvantages to planting in the piedmont, I see 2 big advantages. 1) There's so much less of a poaching tradition. 2) This is the big one- if you live near where you plant, you can check them often and learn a ton. That alone has made planting outside of its optimal range worth it to me. In any case, please continue to keep us updated. Since I'm probably close to you geographically, I'm very interested to know how it goes...

Thanks, guys!

LJ125-- Are you in NC? If so, what general location? I'm near Greensboro.

Borrowed Time-- I went with what I had had available to me. What's closer is down here in the flatlands, and thus much hotter during the growing season. I was not sure that this factor alone would be a detriment.

I live in Salisbury for now but I am from Macon County, NC and own a good chunk of land there.

borrowed time,

We dont have Blue cohosh where I am here in Missouri. Plenty of Black cohosh. How much wuold you charge me for a few roots for transplanting in my woods?

Thanks, Lenno

Lenno, let me know address, no charge.

Whitjr, I don't think heat as long as it is damp hurts. I have a plant in a pot in my garage for a couple of years and it gets hot, but I water every couple days, it really has grown. Right now with a dry spell up here, if you find a plant where it is dry, it can be an older plant, but small. I hunt a slope that goes to the north for over a quarter mile and some spots have moisture, some are dry. The bigger roots always come where the soil is damp. I would take a shovel and look for the damper spots and mark them and place rootlets there. I would buy rootlets any day over seeds, the time element and you place that root in a good spot and you will have a good result. Good luck, and let me know what you decide and if I can help, I will.