TOPIC: My Forest in the Fall

I uploaded a video earlier of a walk through of an acre and a half where I grow my Ginseng. I always post pics but maybe you can tell a bit more about it this way. It was taken with my phone so it's not the best quality but here it is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=voH0YL0mKo

Hillhopper

Hillhopper... Great video and some nice Ginseng patches you have going there! One can see that you all have put a lot of hard work into clearing the weeds and debris to accomodate the Ginseng. Good luck on having some great crops for the future and hope you can get that Vole problem under control! I wonder if dusting the ground and the plants with Dragon/Sevin Dust very early in the year, right at emergence then later in the summer after the blooms have fallen off, then again in fall, if it might help keep them and other critters away from the plants and roots. I had problems with rabbits, deer, snails, moles and voles eating and/or damaging the young plantings of some of my' crops when I had a big garden in West Virginia. I dusted the plants right after planting and other plants that were emerging from seed with it, then dusted around the perimeter of my' garden and also laid a perimeter of salt and it pretty much put a stop to the critters and snails eating and damaging the plants in my' garden!


Frank

Hill,
I really enjoyed the video. It just amazes me at how much vigor your plants display in that soil. I just can't understand how your ginseng could not have as high a range of ginsenosides as ginseng grown in New York or Vermont. Maybe I'll get an answer to that some day. Anyway, you have done a lot of work and the goals that you set are showing some fruition now. Good luck with the vole problem and I hope to see you cashing in on the 3 year old patch somewhere about 2017. Thanks again for taking the time to show everyone.
Hugh

Thanks, Frank.The whole one and a half acre is planted solid other than a few walkways but it is really only in one spot they have damaged. No deterrent has worked that I have tried, other than killing them. Above ground critters are a lot easier to handle.

Hugh,
Thanks and your welcome. It helps to vent and share since it isn't something you can speak of publicly where you live. I wished I had done the video a couple weeks ago so you could have seen all the plants up and growing but they will be larger and more to see next year.

Hillhopper

Hillhopper, u have done an amazing job! They obviously love what u have done 4 them judging at the size of plants and the size of roots. I'd be very proud if i were u.

Hill,
Awesome video. I am so amazed by the size and virility of the seng plants and seng roots that you are growing. Man that is some dang good soil for sure. All that limestone is sure providing some high calcium levels.

That one fella that is fairly close to me has similar soil in his woods due to the limestone and the PH is about 6.4 to 6.7 a little on the high side. But the plants I planted in there are doing well. Wonder what your PH is there? I have not sprayed to kill the weeds and I do not have as many plants to show for it. I hope I can do something with his woods someday like that. Your video makes me want to knock down all the weeds and start over in that spot I have permission to grow in that has the dark loamy soil.

Your 3 year old roots look like my 5 and 6 year old roots. Maybe I should dig all my 3 year old roots up and send them to you to be transplanted. lol Seriously tho my best spots have some clay in them and the roots are tiny. I had great germination and I have thousands of roots but they are so slow growing. I bet I will be an old man before I can dig them to sell.

Latt

Nice, I planted some small test patches on steep land like that but it seems they all washed out or something. How do you keep your seeds put?

Hillhopper- nice of you to share what you are doing. I was impressed with the work you've gotten done so far. your 3 year old roots are looking very very nice, wish mine were that big.

I don't have the Ca in the soil that you have, however am working on it. All those limestone rocks are a real assist I'm sure.

It's nice to see some one who has their dog out. Mine goes to work on the hillside with me as well.

My 2 year olds have the hair roots like yours, however are like half the size of yours. My soil is denser, having a lot or organic material still in it from the Rhododendron thicket that was there. However my patches have that same cleared look that you have. That's gotta be a great thing down the road, to have it that open, with the proper amount of shade.

My first planting suffered from the poorest emersion , it was that first year when quite a few of us had very green seed. so, I only have a few [less than 200] plants that I think are 3 year olds. However, these seem happy enough.

Again, very impressive endeavor you have there... and a source of inspiration as well!

I forgot to say what an awesome video that was!

Latt,
The ph here is anywhere from 6.5 to 7 but I adjust it down one point before planting, it will slowly try to raise back after a couple years.
Yea, dig them rascals up and send them on down. Ill take gooood care of them for ya lol

Ittiz,
They are placed in shallow furrows in the steep areas and when it's really steep, they are poked in individually

Whitjr,
The limestone makes all the difference in the world on my place, the soil changes completely where they aren't outcroppings present. It turns to a more clay type soil with low ph and low Ca.
I take my dog with me everywhere I go, except when working my regular job, she's one of the best friends I have.

Thanks for the kind words fellas. The video was pretty rough and spur of the moment at that but hopefully you could tell a little bit about it.

Hillhopper