TOPIC: What's next!

Second pic

third pic.

Looking good Bryan. How old are these plants?

lenno wrote:

Looking good Bryan. How old are these plants?

Ditto

Hugh, I think the plant you have pictured has a pretty good chance of making it til sept. I've never really paid all that close attention to the color of the leaf edges, but with the moisture we have been getting lately I'd guess that most of the plants that are still pretty green now have a good chance. I had several go down early before we got any rain, but since the ground got some good moisture I haven't seen many more going down except for some that have been browsed off. 2 years ago was the driest summer I ever remember and there was still a good bit of ginseng standing on sept 1st that year, but it didn't last long. I think I hung up the digger about mid sept that year.

They are two year olds, they were started from 1 year old root stock. I have close to 1000 3 leafers that will go up in the woods this fall. Thanks.

Bryan,

First let me say that those are very nice two year old plants.

5prong,

I have been checking these plants every week to see how they are progressing. They did not seem to be bothered by the drought at all and they kept a real good color of green because they got a rain or two in all the hot dry weather. It was just a couple of days ago when I looked at them that I noticed the aging and yellowing around the leaf edges and it made me do some thinking. Everything has a life cycle and the season began so early this year that I just thought that the plants may have gone through their life cycle and are slowing starting to go dormant. I'll keep an eye on them and make more pictures as the season moves along.
Today I picked berries again and while I was picking I noticed that Billy's plants \"WILD KENTUCKY SENG\" are beginning to ripen. I will make a picture or two after they have ripened enough to show several berries.

Thanks Hugh, It has only been within the last two weeks that I cleared some of the canopy to let in a little more light. It usally get pretty hot and dry around here as we get towards the end of summer and work towards the fall, so I was thinking that alittle more shade than what was called for may help to keep some moister in the soil for them. I am still learning about the growing conditions and this was a experiment (so to say) about the shade. I do think that keeping the shade closer to 90% is what has kept the plants smaller than I think they should be. They are only around 6 to 8 inches tall and the three leafers I have are around 4 to 6 inches tall. I didnt expect any berries till next year on the two prongs but was supprised by them. I figured this due to increading the shade. As far as location, I am in the eatern panhandle of WV and only have a few plants at this time that are starting to get that yellow look. My goldenseal looks rough to say the least, did get some berries off them but it was less than 10 total from about 50 plants. I will post some pics of two prongs and the three leafers within the next few days if I get a chance. Any advice from anyone who has more experiance at this than I do ( this will be my second year growing, so not much experiance!) is greatly welcomed. Just reading and looking at the pics that everyone puts on here has been a great help in learning. Thanks to all.

Bryan, I think they look pretty good for 2 year old wild sim plants. The size is just about what I would expect. If they were in 90% shade you probably did the right thing though by opening up the canopy a little. I think 80% is just about right. Much more light than that will result in longer more carrot like roots. I've dug wild plants in areas that had been pretty heavily timbered and it seems like the more light they get the deeper those roots try to get. I've dug a few in areas like that, that had roots over a foot long and no bigger around than my pinky finger.

5 prong, thanks, I was thinking they should be closer to a foot tall, but like I had said, im still learning. The pics are of some of the other plants that i have started.