TOPIC: Anyone get there dealers license to buy green to replant??

I'm just going to start buying green fresh root that's properly handled to replant rather than buying 1 or 2 year old woodsgrown from growers. To me appears will be 50-60% less in cost and I'll receive mature roots to plant giving me a advantage. Your thoughts??
Paul

I've heard that you should plant roots same day, and definitely within 1 day, of when they were dug. It would be hard to buy fresh root from diggers and gaurantee that they just came out of the woods with it. 5 day old roots look the same to me as 1 day old roots.

GMCPAUL
I would be cautious on buying green root as I am sure they would cost a boat load. I mean the going price on a lb of green root is listing from $150 to $350 a lb depending on where you look. I would buy small roots at a lower price and let them grow. If you do not protect them from the deer they will get eaten if transplanted in a concentrated area too.
Good luck,
Latt

From my years digging I know several good diggers and getting the root fresh out of the woods and properly dug wouldn't be a problem. LOL I drop some off to hunt at times and pick them back up when were hunting our properties that are near each other.

Latt wrote:

GMCPAUL
If you do not protect them from the deer they will get eaten if transplanted in a concentrated area too.
Good luck,
Latt

I use a lot of steeper hillsides that don't have a tendency wash out from rains and on less inclines I tend to always cover everything in tree branches and inside downed trees and tree tops along with laying larger branches down over them and around them to keep the deer away. Plus with the acreage we have and have sole access to we have quite a large every to cover so it never gets to awfully concentrated in just 1 area. My main seedling area we plant in is better protected though as its only a acre in size that's wrapped in deer netting along with hanging aluminum pie tins spread throughout. After 20+ years that all seems to be working good. In regards to price I saw guys selling good green root at the beginning of this year that were only getting $135.00lbs wet, and 200+ 1 year old root is $100.00. So the older hardier plants that have already grown in this area just seems a better choice even considering costs as we all no how many plants never make year 4-5 in the wild without some protection.
Thanks for your insights it is appreciated, always looking for more knowledge as ignorance is your enemy.
Paul

Hi GMC,

One of the best perks of buying fresh roots, is all the transplants you get. This year alone I've pulled over 400 roots, that I deemed to young for my buyer. Some of these roots were 6-9 years old, but the vast majority were illegal roots (under 5 y/o). If I bought these roots dry, it's just a loss all around.

I suspect your local dealers get a lot of underage roots as well. I would recommend contacting them and explaining your situation. I'm sure you can get them at a greatly discounted price.

Great idea and Good luck!

John

VTseng wrote:

Hi GMC,

One of the best perks of buying fresh roots, is all the transplants you get. This year alone I've pulled over 400 roots, that I deemed to young for my buyer. Some of these roots were 6-9 years old, but the vast majority were illegal roots (under 5 y/o).
John

John thanks for sharing. Do you have good survival rates?? I average nearly 100% with 1-3 year old woods grown and I'm assuming I can easily achieve the same on older wild also.
I'm going ahead with my license for next year so I can pull the large roots out I deem sellable and re-plant all the 5-10 year possibly to 15year root. Really prefer seeing 20 scars or more to sell except the son still nabs some 10-20 year premium roots I haven't been able to break him off. I've got plants I've been watching for well over 20 years that I point out to him every year though and tell him he should dig them when I pass on with his kids and the grand kids we've begun stewarding in this to remember me & our ginseng trips by and these babies I know are gonna be hogs when pulled as they've been beautiful 4 most years they've emerged.
Paul

John thanks for sharing. Do you have good survival rates?? I average nearly 100% with 1-3 year old woods grown and I'm assuming I can easily achieve the same on older wild also.

It's shocking how many wild transplants come up the next year. Like you said, close to 100% survival. Wild seed has a shockingly bad germination rate, but once it has survived a couple years, it's a much hardier plant than most people give credit.

I'm going ahead with my license for next year so I can pull the large roots out I deem sellable and re-plant all the 5-10 year possibly to 15year root. Really prefer seeing 20 scars or more to sell except the son still nabs some 10-20 year premium roots I haven't been able to break him off.

You've got a great plan in my opinion. The oldest roots are the easiest to sell, and there's no down side to transplanting roots over 10 y/o as well.

I've got plants I've been watching for well over 20 years that I point out to him every year though and tell him he should dig them when I pass on with his kids and the grand kids we've begun stewarding in this to remember me & our ginseng trips by and these babies I know are gonna be hogs when pulled as they've been beautiful 4 most years they've emerged.
Paul

I love to hear that. Ginseng has been bonding generations for centuries. Once you start buying wild roots and transplanting, you and your sons will be some of the only people repopulating areas with wild ginseng. That's a great tradition to pass on. Thank you.