TOPIC: Techniques for planting and growing wild ginseng

I agree with Hugh. Good spot no doubt and I'm very impressed with your solution for using the seeder you have.

I also second his advice on the oak leaves. Get in there just before the seedlings start showing up and do some very light raking to lossen up those thicker patches of leaves. I use a Stihl blower/shredder and find it works very well if it does take some time to mulch up leaves. If you go that route, you would still be able to do it before snow fall.

Another option, I recently have gone to using straw in the woods. I like it because it is faster, easier and stays on the beds through the winter. I don't like it because it looks less natural (I'm a bit sentimental that way) and even the cleanest straw I can find around here will look like a wheat or grass field in a couple weeks after a rain. Therefore, I have to go back in a few weeks after planting and Roundup the beds to kill off the winter wheat which cause issues in the spring.

Yeah, I'm not using straw. I don't want to have to spray. I'll look at mulching it with the mower. In mulch mode the thing will chop it up pretty small.

Ittiz,
If you can get to your planting spots with a mower that can mulch that should work fine. I would suggest that if you do this, to lay a few small sticks on top of the leaf material to hold it in place. High winds or strong rains can move finer leaf material around. Do this for 2 or 3 years and the plants should be strong enough to make it through the leaves without having to mulch any more.
Hugh

So I found one big problem with the oak leave's size is they act like sails. I went out there this morning to plant more and all the area near the top was completely bare. Apparently we had a wind event last night and all the big leaves that could catch a breeze did. So I took the mower out with the bag on it and brought it down where the leaves accumulated and mulched the leaves into the bag. Dragged the bag up to the top and covered the area at the top. Then put down sticks. Wasted half my day doing that so I only got half a pound more planted. Ahh well live in learn...

Wow, just getting around to reading this post. 1st, welcome to the forum, Ittiz.

I have to say that the guys that have posted above have given you great [not just good] advice. If you take a bit from someone, and a bit from someone else, then yet another bit from a third poster... then a there's your individual way of doing things.

Every one here is doing their own thing to the best of their ability... with what they've got. Since you appear to have reltively unencumbered woods with little understory to deal with, your approach should work! Nice photso by the way, and good looking soil.

Do you have any previously planted beds? How are those doing?

I like the idea of spreading out the peralite in amongst the seeds. Can you post a photo of the planter you are using with that approach?

I broadcast seeds much in the way TNHunter demonstrates on his vids. It's hard not to get too many seeds in certain places that way, tho. Well, at least for me. My big hands aren't so good at careful handling of thiose small seeds.

I am going to handle the concerns about high plant densities by transplanting in the 2nd year. These would be the concerns that HIllhopper addressed earlier.

Since I am in this as a business, the idea of carefully transplanting plants that are too thick isn't putting me off at all. There's going to be areas that are bare, and in need of transplanting in order to maximize growing areas.

Another approach to handle disease is to be sure the micronutrients in your soil are in balance. That's tricky... calls for careful soils analyusis, or should I say multiple soil analysis's over a period of time. Then you need to understand wht you are reading, doing the math of the PPM and apply amendments carefully.

I'm going on and on, so will stop for now. I'm no expert, just know what I know. Welcome to the forum again!

Nope this is my first year trying. Also the pictures make the understory look sparse. In general my property isn't that way. I selected that area for my first planting because it was sparse. Most of my property has a dense Mountain Laurel understory. I think the area I chose was pastured some 50+ years ago and that why it doesn't have a think understory. The planter can be seen in the upper right hand corner of one of the pictures.

I am working with a dense Rhododendron understory as well. What some call Mountain laurel.

You will need to do soil analysis, however I can almost say with 99% certainty that your calcium will be very very low, and with corresponding low pH. It's a lot of work with soil amendments to get it to an acceptable range to grwo our favorite herb.

The fact tht you have chosen to plant in areas not indunated with Rhodo should be in your favor; as far as soil analysis is concerned. However if it was me, I'd have to know what soil values I had there.

that is your planter in the previously posted photos? I thought it was a spreader, as it sort looks like my spreader. I found that pretty difficult to use as a spreader on the slopes I am working with.

The plants I have are true Mountain Laurel, which are similar to Rhododendron since they are both broad leafed shrubby evergreens and both contain the same toxins http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalmia_latifolia . Why would you say the calcium would be low, do they take it out of the soil? Calcium is the only thing in my soil I haven't tested since they didn't sell the test at the store and I didn't want to wait for a lab to sample my stuff. The soil tested quite well in all other areas. My pH is fairly low between 4.5 and 5.5 due to white pines in the area. The water I draw out of my well not to far away has actually tested quite alkaline. Though I've seen several studies pointing out that acidic pH may be good for Ginseng. I guess I'll find out how good the soil is in the spring. I've done no amendments to it since I want it as natural as possible.

Ittiz,
I am with you when growing wild simulated and letting it be as natural as possible. However, if Calcium is below 2,000 PPA the odds are stacked against the ginseng doing well. Some say if it is below 2,000 PPA find another spot. I know that Gypsum is fairly inexpensive and many on here use it. I am all for using it to boost the calcium level if needed. Gypsum is a great way to boost your Calcium level and may be something to consider. Many experts say Calcium is one of the most important ingredients to growing plentiful and healthy ginseng. I prefer to plant in areas with a minimum calcium level of 3,000 PPA and some of my spots are as high as 6,700 PPA on calcium.
Good luck,
Latt

Remember that I said the soil values I wrote were taken from beneath the rhodo where I planted. That's what mine were, and taken from many spots where I have planted. some of my pH values were as low as 3.8, and Ca were very very low.

I gather soil samples in rigorous grids across the patches I have. Then, the next time I get samples, I go to those same spots, and gather the current set of samples. IHMO, that's a clear way to figure the effects of what you may be doing to the soil. Then, there's all the comparisons, charting, and scratching my head about the next step.

On the other hand, you have planted where the laurel isn't so prelevant. That's the likeyhood of the decent pH that you reported. Maybe you Ca won't be so bad, however like Latt said, it would be best to test it. Knowing what's in that dirt is [IMHO] always good.

I'm not really sure what the relationship inbetween what water pH and soil pH is... however given the influences on soil, I wouldn't expect them to be close. That would be an interesting thing to put together.