TOPIC: Here Goes Nothing!

Hi Everyone,

I've taken the leap, 5 lds of stratified seed arrived at my door in mid January and now it's time to plant. I will log my experiences here in the hope that others might learn from my successes and failures. I'm a first time grower who has spent the last year studying ginseng, but study and practice are 2 different things. So here goes nothing.

As most know, spring plantings are higher risk than fall plantings. In my case this has been compounded by a brutally cold February and early March here in norther Virginia. The seed, bought from a reputable grower, is going nuts in my refrigerator. I have a tiller rented, am praying for no more snow storms, and will have it in the ground by tomorrow night.

My sites soil chemistry is as follows: pH 6.2 Ca 1357 ld/A Mg 261 ld/A K 266 ld/ A Organic Matter 2.5% (which is described as \"average\")

I plan to raise my Ca levels my adding gypsum 100 lds/1000 sqft. My spacing will be tight, 2 inch rows and 2 inch columns. I plan to thin the beds when the plants go dormant in the fall.

Well, that's all for now. I'll attach photos of my seeds later.

- Paul

Good luck,
Make sure you handle the seeds gently when planting. Knock the tails off the already sprouting seed when planting and they will die.
Typically you are supposed to walk the seed bed to get good seed to soil contact.
However, if you walk on those seeds that are already tailing you run the risk of damaging the sprouting seed.
I would gently broad cast them in raked beds and then gently re-cover them with leaves.
Latt

A double rake and scatter method would be good for tailing seeds too.

First, rake over the new years leaves only. You have to rake light enough that you get the new years leaves, but do your best to leave the composted leaf litter and top layer of compost soil in place.

Pile those most recent (un-broken down) leaves up along the side of your bed.

Then rake it again, this time press down hard and get all you can. Get all of that composted leaf litter and as much of the very top layer of soil that you can get with a leaf rake. Pile that up along side your first pile of leaves.

Then drop your seed.

Then rake your pile of composted leaf litter and soil back on top.

Then rake your leaves back on top.

As Latt said, don't walk the bed down (as you normally would to make sure they get good contact with soil), but just let all of that settle down naturally on the seeds with tails.

I have used this double rake method several times in the past and got excellent germination results, even with tailing seeds.

Best of Luck

TNhunter

Hi I'm new here, from north Ga.
I've been planting ginseng for the last year. spring and fall plantings, haven't seen any of my own up yet. I am hoping this spring to see a few come up. I am wondering about pest problems.. deer, mice, or other critters that might dig up the seeds or plants. I haven't bought a lot of seeds, but have spread my plantings over 18 acres. I hope to find a place it likes and will spread.
I would like to know if other herbs would grow easier than ginseng.. I've planted a few goldenseal to check out how it does too.. any advice? on pest or
if there is a easier herb to grow?

Goldenseal (Yellow Root) is much easier to grow than Ginseng. However, root cuttings 1 to 2 inches long including a rizome per each cut is much more successful than planting Goldenseal seed. I have planted Goldenseal seed with limited success.

Goldenseal is more disease resistant and will tollerate soil conditions of lesser quality.

Goldenseal does well in tilled woodland soil and tilling does not reduce the root value.

Goldenseal roots value is much lower than Ginseng root for sure.

Good luck,
Latt

Thanks Latt,

I started off with ginseng but after learning it was going to be such a long term project
just to see something sprout. I've decided I wanted to try other things that might grow quicker and I could see some progress before a couple of years.

I've just started with the goldenseal, and just a couple of blue cohosh. I think the goldenseal
will give me something to look at while I wait for the other herbs.. turmeric, ginger and ginseng. its all a experiment for me right now.

Claw