TOPIC: Tops dieing back...help

Please keep us posted on this. I think the guys posted here have about covered it... I just don't have anything to add.

Are you seeing this in the woods patches you have? I'm thinking that it's a problem due to the prepared soil.

Here are a couple pictures I took the other day. I think these are phytophthora rather than cylindrocarpon, however. Note in these pictures, the stems remain erect while the leaves flag down. This is a typical difference in the two diseases outwardly, that the stems remain erect with phytophthora.





Referring back a little to what Guy said, this was in two of the most healthy beds I've ever had. These plants are about 6 or 8 years old. About three years ago, some moron ran a skider right across the center of the beds, leaving a huge depressed tire track. The depressed, compressed area held water. Standing water equals phytophthora root rot. So, like Guy said, the soil is very important when considering disease issues in ginseng.

I just had this one that turnd a funny color. I think it was two more that looked like they died out.

Whitjr I think your right about the soil. It is in my wife's flower gardens and I bet it had to do with the soil. Like I said the ph was high for one thing.

Castle, As you are well aware of, by the time the top shows signs of root rot it's to late to save the root.
Like you say good soil and good drainage is the key.