TOPIC: Seed purchase for new grower

Hello all,

Great site and tons of info, i have learned a lot already from the forum alone.

I should have started my plot 5-6 years ago when I first began considering Ginseng as a investment/hobby, but life got in the way and here I am now. The sites have been selected, the soil has been tested, and the decision to purchase seed and rootlets is underway for this falls planting.

I am new to this whole ginseng deal but I own 100+ wooded acres and I am very excited to get this project rolling. My main question at this stage of the game is on seed/rootlet sellers. I am aware that this site sells stratified seed and also rootlets, but does anyone have any unbiased opinions on Glacial Golds products? I have spoke with Mr. Hunter and his wife and they seem very helpful so far, but I have to admit that I get a little leary when I see the word \"hybrid\" or \"different strain\". Not that this is a bad thing......please do not misunderstand, I only ask to protect my investment

I am smart enough to know not to put all my eggs in one basket as far as purchasing goes, so any opinions would be appreaciated on this issue of reputable sellers.

Thank you in advance.

I don't know about this site but i ordered last year off of Ozark Mtn Ginseng. I orderedseeds from them. And this year to my surprise i had almost a 100% germination. I have so many seedlings coming up that it is unreal. I planted in september and noticed the first seedling up on April 14. I have also ordered rootlets off of hardings ginseng farm and have had real good success with them also. But from now on I am going with with Ozark on the seeds. I hope this helps.

I have bought seeds from tuckasagee valley ginseng and also ozark mountain ginseng.I had great results with both and would recommend either place for ordering your seeds.Both of these farms are growing ginseng in the woods, most people say to be careful with artificial shade seeds. good luck

Cool.

I have checked out the companies that you have mentioned above and added them to my list, thank you and keep 'em coming. Hardings seems like another very well put together company to check out.

I will likely be starting in the 10 Lb of seed area and 500-1000 rootlets. I have plenty of property but not all of it is ideal from what i have been reading about site selection. Still have a lot to think about with spacing and I have been concerned with the seed production as far as the layout for the rootlets.

So much to read.....so little time...LOL

I have bought seed from glacial gold on several occasions and have had good results.
however, this year i did something different... i bought seed from five different places and planted them next to each other. in one bed i planted seeds from wildgrown, in the next bed i planted seed from glacial gold, in the next i planted seed from Premier Ginseng and Herb, ect...

now, all of the seeds i have bought have had good germination. there really wasn't much difference except in one area and that is price. all seeds were pretty close to $100 a pound except for one and that is Premier Ginseng and Herb in Wisconsin. Their seeds are almost half the cost of everyone else. $59 a pound and if you buy over 5 pounds i think the price goes down to $50 a pound.
I told my partner that at $50 a pound the seeds were probably going to be bad, but i went ahead and bought a pound to see. those seeds came up as well as any of the others.
I'm not saying you should get all of your seed from there. In fact, i'm not saying you should
do anything. I am saying that I took a chance on some \"cheaper\" seeds and they seem to be doing as well as seeds i spent twice as much on.
if we get to the end of the growing season and my cheap seedlings are doing as well as the others I will probably get all my seeds there this year. i mean why not? i can get 20 pounds for $1,000 or i can get 10 pounds for the same money. or i might do ten from Premier and ten somewhere else. I've never tried Ozark so I might check that out.
well, i hope thus helps. I am located in Indiana and my farm is top quality ginseng ground. I bought the place to grow ginseng on because when i went to see the property it was covered with wild ginseng. I am saying this because good seed or bad, if your land isn't good then there will be no seeds that can grow there.
good luck.

Yes Yes Yes.

I couldnt agree more with you on spreading out the purchases. Putting all of our investment into one company in the beggining to me is just not the wisest thing to do. I also love your idea of keeping track of what seed goes where in your plot to monitor germination, quality and suchwhat.

I have read that even though ginseng can self pollinate, true \"wild\" ginseng can often get interbred from the actual lack of plants found in many of todays wild settings. This situation supposedly leading to genetically smaller and unhealthier plants, roots and seeds.

Now My thumb is not as green as most, but i just wonder how much truth there is to all of that. If my intention is to plant my crop \"wild simulated\" and I buy seeds from a place that raises them \"feild cultivated\", is this gonna matter at all in the health of my plants?

I think I will try to buy from vendors raising their ginseng in a similar manner that i wish to raise mine, and i suppose also from locations that are closer to me geographically.....whether it makes a difference or not i certainly dont know....LOL....but it cant hurt.

Thanks for the exellent opinions and please keep them coming. I have been reading my BUTT off but this Q & A aspect of the forum is just great.

hey buck just a couple of more ideas to throw at u. Now don't get me wrong i am also new to the fact of buying seeds and rootlets the seng that i have on my property was some wild seng that i just planted behind the house. I would take a root or two every time i got home from hunting and plant it behind the house and plant the berries that they produced. So after twenty years of me and my papaw doing this i have a good population of true wild ginseng growing. Anyways just like u after doing much research i have heard to many bad stories of people buying diseased seeds. and most of them came from artificial shade growers, now don't get me wrong i am not saying u can't get good seed from them just be very cautious. And the seedlings didn't show it at first but in later years started showing signs of disease. Now like i said this is just stories i have heard not from my own doings. Another idea i know u are anxious to get started but u said your ground wasn't perfect for seng so just be careful in ordering a big bunch of seeds and rootlets until u know if it will grow good their. Just wouldn't want u to loose a big bunch of money. Also you might want to try the hawkins method in growing it has been said u can grow seng in areas that it might not naturally grow in with this method. Also the best advice i can give you is to buy the book by Scott persons the title is ginseng and other medicinal herbs. That might not be the actual title but it will lead u in the direction to find it. It has truly helped me trust me it is worth its weight in gold. It covers everything from its life cycle to digging it to drying it. Anyways keep the questions coming i will help all i can . Love to talk seng.

Hey Hillbilly,

Thx for the reply. I am trying to locate info on the \"hawkins method\" that you mentioned but I cannot seem to find anything. Can you elaborate on that a little for me?

Also, i think its awesome that you are replanting the wild stuff in an area that you can monitor its progress, as I stand here at work \"inside\" all day, I cant help but look forward to my own 'sang plot soon. You are a lucky man Hillbilly. What 401K or IRA can provide that much enjoyment?! LOL!

I am going to stick to the above mentioned plan of spreading out my investments and just roll with it before I approach \"analysis/paralysis\"........ :-O

Oh yea, i bought Scotts book....and 4-5 others.....great stuff!

I think its great you guys are buying seed and planting ginseng. My question is do you still go hunting for the wild sang? I just get such enjoyment from hunting wild sang I just can't bring myself to growing my own. Maybe I should but some how it just don't seem right.I love to see the plant so maybe I will try growing alittle. If I do I will probably worry myself sick that it would get ripped off.I just hope you guys still get the thrill of finding a big 4 pronger out on some wild steep hillside you've just discoverd deep in the woods.I love rootin! I think its what keeps me healthy. Just saying keep on enjoying the wild hunts. Good luck to you all.

Hey buck sorry about that it is the Hankins method by Andy Hankins. It is mentioned in the book. But also here is a link to a web-page by ANdy www.aftaweb.org/entserv1.php?page=18 Hope this helps i would tell u where it is in the book but a buddie of mine has it at the moment.