TOPIC: Novel planting method.

Usually the best way to plant ginseng (at least wild sim) seems to be attempting to do it the most natural way possible. In the wild ginseng seems to be spread mostly via turkeys and other fowl who eat the ripe berries without masticating the seeds and poop them out somewhere else. These birds root up the areas where they feed softening the soil, fertilizing and weeding at the same time. Creating a prime spot for the freshly deposited ginseng seeds to grow.

So that got me thinking, maybe I can use my chickens to plant ginseng. I've come up with couple work-flows. One is for planting a new area the other is for replanting an area where the ginseng has been selectively harvested.

Work flow 1 for new areas.

1. 1: During the early summer or spring fence in the area you want to plant.
2. 2: Every day range your chickens in the fenced in area.
3. 3: In the late summer collect the ripe berries from pre-existing ginseng patches.
4. 4: Spread the ripe berries in the planting area for the chickens to eat.
5. 5: Continue step 4 until mid fall.
6. 6: In late fall if any of the leaves are too deep remove or spread them out.

A side note is you may be able to get around having to fence it in by moving the chicken coop. However you'll have less control over the area planted.

Work Flow 2 for rejuvenating harvested areas.

1. 1: Fence in the area you intend to harvest before the berries ripen.
2. 2: Do a limited random harvesting of the ginseng.
3. 3: Any berries you collected should be left in the patch.
4. 4: Start ranging you chickens in the patch.
5. 5: Continue step 4 until mid fall.
6. 6: In late fall if any of the leaves are too deep remove or spread them out.

It's probably better to harvest some of all age groups rather than targeting only old plants (like commercial timber thinning). Also the chickens will consume the berries you left and also eat the plants and berries. As long as it's the end of the year this shouldn't be a big deal. Also it may be better to stagger planting and harvesting years. So you harvest one year and range your chickens in the patch the next.

In both scenarios you'll want to scrape your coop and spread it in your planting area as often as possible. Also if you leave the chickens in there until after the leaves fall they should spread the leaves out evenly so you don't have to. They may over do it though, it would have to be tested.

I'd test this, but I don't have access to ripe berries, just stratified seed. So I'll have to wait another season or two for my patches to mature.

I've heard the survival rate of seeds that pass through an animal are less than 10%. Seeds have a much better chance if they are planted.

I'd bet the survival rate would be much higher if the seed was still in the berry when it was consumed. I wasn't suggesting feeding the birds seed.

Ittiz,
I am not sure but I know Chickens eat anything including green vegetation. If they did eat the seng plant that wouldn't be good. Also, I wonder if a chickens digestive system would damage the seed. I think that is a possibility.
I would go with the \"Rake and Scatter Method\" personally.
Latt

How would the ginseng seed survive the gizzard? After the craw stripped the outer covering wouldnt the grinding process of the stones in the gizzard damage or destroy the remaining seed?

I think as long as the tops were eaten in the fall after the berries had ripened it shouldn't harm the plant too much.

You could be right. However the gizzard may just depulp and scarify the seed. Obviously you wouldn't want to waste a ton of seed on this, but I think it's worth a small experiment. I'd be willing to pay $15 for someone to send me 100 ripe berries this fall to test with.

The gizzard would grind the seed up to the point that...well...probably only about 10% would come out the back end as being viable.

I think rake and scatter would result in better germination, but I do like the thought of letting chickens take care of a future planting area by removing all of the vegetation, \"tilling\" the soil and adding a little nitrogen!