TOPIC: Improving Germination

Hello from a new member:

The past few months I have been going through the archives, in the hope of learning as much as I can about growing ginseng.As I read, I noticed the subject of the challenge in restoring the amount of the plant keep coming up.
It appears that the same obstacles keep coming up causing a low rate of germination.
1. deer
2 mice
3.ants
May I respectfully suggest that ginseng seedballs enclosed with a pinch of red pepper may increase not only germination but also be easier to broadcast?
If the subject of seedballs has come up I apologize ,didnt mean to rehash a subject. Did a search but came up empty.
mike

Mike,
From one new-member to another

I think that deer certainly are not much of an issue for the seed-stage....but they can be a big deal once the plants come up!

I've got waaaaay too many deer, and they have even mowed down much of the underbrush over the past few years. Before everyone says \"just shoot 'em\" , well, my family and friends can only shoot so many and they seem to reproduce like locusts.

By the way, has anyone had much luck with stringing up fishing line? I really hate to put up a bunch of barbed-wire or electric fence (it's not real easy pounding t-posts as there always seems to be a rock just below the surface), and I might end up stringing barbed-wire somewhat loose from tree to tree.

But concerning your question about somehow making seed into balls and adding pepper, my thoughts:

-it might be helpful for seed dispersal in a intensively cultivated or woodsgrown type of operation
-I'm not so sure that pepper (capsaicin) would deter mice
-I fairly certain it would not deter ants

While any ideas for improving seed germination are greatly appreciated, my biggest losses with growing ginseng are with having the adult plants (which are much more valuable than seed) come back and survive year after year and thrive until maturity.

At about $100 per 7500 seeds in a pound = 1 dollar for 75 seeds = less than 2 cents per seed.

Adult plants, let's say at 3 or4 years old, I estimate may be worth about $100 per pound (who knows? who would try to harvest until maturity), but anyway $100 for estimated 500 plants = 20 cents per plant.

Adult plants, let's say at 8 years old, and using about $600 per pound at 200 plants a pound = $3 or more per plant.

Welcome to the forum, maxPanex, and BigM. Nice to have you here!

Max
I honestly dont know anything about ginseng other then what I have read here, and by observing some experiments Iam doing down here on the gulf coast, nor do I know much about hunting, but I recall reading about some gardners with deer problems collecting their own urine and pouring it around the perimmenter of their garden.Would that work?
Another thought in mind that has come to mind would be to hook up oneor more of those live feed cams,combine that with those type of frenquency devices used for dog barking lets say and have it go off when motion is detected.
It sounds like yall have a pretty good investment involved an by considering merging hi tech may possably be a avenue to consider. Btw I really enjoy everybodies thoughtfullness in their posts
Please dont take any sugestions I may offer as experiance but as an outsider looking in
mike

Thanks I really enjoy being here
mike

Max
About the seedballs,to be honest I havent tried them but one time which ended in failure as I made them way too big and didnt have the patience to wait them out in my yard garden, but there are many who are successful. Some have commented about the use of using pepper for the mice and ant and a few have even posted videos showing the effectiveness.
Mike

What are you fellas talking about when you are talking about seed balls with pepper. Not following what you mean. Please explain.
Thanks,
Latt

Latt
Here are some utube videos on seedballs and the history



I have also seen some where red peppers are put in to deter the ants when the rains soften the balls and germination takes place
hope this helps
mike

Thanks Whitjr for the welcome, and thanks to both you and Latt and the others for the helpful information on this forum over the years.

Mike you should definitely try some experiments with seed planted on or near some of those fire-ant hills that are common near the gulf coast. Let us know if you have success. You may have some trouble with the weather down there, but who knows, maybe you'll have luck if enough of the right conditions are in place. I have seen maps where ginseng supposedly may grow as far south as northern Louisiana. Thanks for the ideas for dealing with deer, which are my primary problem.