TOPIC: Looks like this guy knows how to grow seng

Check out this woods grower. Nice looking seng.


www.colwellsginseng.com/gallery/

Latt

It is impressive for sure. It's so thick! I would be afraid of something getting out of control and damaging the whole crop. But I suppose this guy knows what's doing about 1000 times better than I do.

Mortis I agree. I also wonder how he keeps the deer off of it. I grow great ginseng salad for the deer. lol
I emailed him and asked if he could give me a call some time with pointers. I told him I can plant and grow some great ginseng but the deer are better at eating it than I am at growing it. Looks like he figured out how to control them. If I hear back from him I will post some of his tips if he does not mind.
Latt

I agree - it looks great.

The root pics he showed looked really good to - very much like wild.

I doubt seriously that you can grow it that thick (anywhere) and have it looking that nice and healthy (even when red berries are on) without a fairly heavy fungicide spraying maintenance program going on.

By the time my seed bed plants get red berries, mine don't look anywhere near that good. Part of that could be that I am in the south and I would bet he is in a more northern state somewhere (cooler less offensive summers for seng growing).

TNhunter

Nice looking crops he has there. Looks like he's been at ti for a good while. I must admit that i have never heard of him before.

Latt- did you mention this website? We could another experienced voice here, eh?

Whitjr,
I did not mention this website. I was just curious as to how he kept the deer off of the plants. If he comments via email or a call I will let everyone know. He is in PA and I do not know him. Just found his website on the internet.
TN, I agree with your assessment on the thickness of his plants. It must take a lot of spraying.
Thanks,
Latt

What do you guys think about the planting method? It looks like no beds, no hay, straight in the ground with natural leaf debris. What's you guys thoughts?

garethNjessica wrote:

What do you guys think about the planting method? It looks like no beds, no hay, straight in the ground with natural leaf debris. What's you guys thoughts?

What happens when the ginseng crop matures? Is this a one and done deal or is it selectively harvested? Clearly it is weed (and everything else) free, so once the ginseng is gone what is there to come back?

It looks as though the roots harvested are 10 years old.
He would surely have to have new beds started else where for future crops.
The soil would play out at that thickness.

Very nice seng, I'll have to give him a thumbs up!

Last time I sold roots to a dealer in PA, he mentioned he knew of a large scale grower that had over 50 acres solid planted with seng of various ages, completely fenced in and sectioned off, and 2 full time payed guards that patrolled the property to make sure deer/turkey/poachers were not inside the fences. I wonder if this is the guy he was talking about. I was not given a name or even County that the grower was from.