TOPIC: A look at the earliest ripening ginseng berries

I have been noticing some of my berry pods starting into the first stages of ripening and I thought that you might want to see just how quickly these Minnesota plants mature their seed. You can also imagine how I have to make some plans right away to be able to get as many of these berries as I can without losing them to critters or dry weather. This ripening will continue for a few weeks and more of the later ripening plants will follow right behind them. If any of you other Tennessee guys have berries ripening, follow up with some pictures.
Hugh
http://www.smokymountainflyguide.com/Choosing%20places%20to%20grow%20ginseng2.htm

Hugh, that is early for sure. Mine are still all green, some still developing. I usually have a few ripe around July 10, but not sure I will this year. Have you decided if you are going to plant them as they get ripe, or put them in stratification? I think I have read that the early red berries are likely to germinate the next spring, and from my experience I think that is right. I always save all my berries and stratify them, but some will sprout the first spring and of course I lose them.

Lenno,
It looks like there is going to be a pretty good crop of berries this year so I believe that I will take all of the early ones to the mountains and plant them. They seem to survive and do better planting them at a good high altitude than anything else I've tried. I've also got a small amount in a stratification box from last year so I'll plant them at the house later in the Fall when there is more moisture in the ground.

That is interesting that you've read and maybe personally experienced that early ripening seed will sprout the next season sometimes. I think that I might have seen that and I thought it was from delayed dormancy caused by dry weather a few years ago. Most of the seed that I have in stratification is Wild Tennessee seed and a very small amount is the early ripening seed. If it sprouted early , I don't know if I could tell or not. It's wrapped in a fine mesh wire so I guess that it would have died, not being able to come on through to the top of the ground.

I'm looking forward to seeing your seed as it comes off.
Hugh

Hugh,

A few years ago I dug up a bag of seeds I had in stratification in April just to check on them and a bunch of the seeds were sprouting, long tails or roots about an inch long. I would guess about 30% or so had sprouted and I think it was probably the early berries. I tried saving some of them by planting, no luck. I buried them back and in September got them out as I normally do. I could see a lot of empty seed hulls. The rest of the seeds was fine.

I don't have any turning red just yet but they are mostly full. The rounds of storms we have had is going to hurt my seed count this year. The wind blew hard enough that it broke several of my tops out, I was not expecting that.

Hillhopper

Hill,
I've had to deal with that problem several times this summer and I thought about it when I saw those nice large tops that Lenno was showing. I've had to stand mine back up 3-4 times so far and one or two have broken completely off. That's aggravating after you've watched your plants grown nice and strong 15-18 inches high. When they set those nice seed pods on they get a little wobbly without any help from the wind. Along comes a hard storm and down they go. A wide open invitation to a Chipmunk, or a Vole, or Squirrel. At least right now they are getting the rain they need to fill out those seed pods. Barring any major setbacks, I believe I'm going to harvest several pounds of seed this year. Hopefully, that will put a lot of new plants back into the mountains. If there was ever a place that needs some, it is the section I have been scouting. I haven't found even one plant in the whole county.

Hugh

I'll have to say its my first experience with it. Iv heard of wind getting into tobacco and corn but I never considered it would ginseng.

Hillhopper

Can any of you experienced guys tell me if the seeds they sell here are good quality? Seems to be about the best price around. Thanks

Hillhopper,
I would imagine that the steep hillside where your plants are growing has given you some protection and this time around the wind might have not have been coming from the same direction as before. Anyway, I guess that is just part of it.
Right now, I'm struggling with Chipmunks tunneling through mine I hate putting out bait, but I did yesterday. Good luck with holding on to them.

Loggy,
My experience with Wild Grown seeds has been good. My problem back at the time was not realizing what putting seed in a refrigerator could do to them. Don't make that mistake:woohoo: Just keep them some place that is cool and that will suffice. Be sure to look over some of the videos of planting seed by TN Hunter or Billy Taylor if you haven't done this before. Getting good contact with the soil is the biggest objective in planting. One fourth to one half of an inch deep in the soil with leaf cover on top of that works almost every time. Hillhopper has had good success using straw as a cover. Good luck with your planting.

Hugh

Thanks Hugh. Yes I've been talking to Billy and others. I've order 14 lbs from Billy. But know I'm looking to purchase 50 lbs. And the best price is here that I've found. Thanks