TOPIC: Seed purchase for new grower

Through the years, I've purchased seed from various sources. I have to say, I have never had any problem with the reputable dealers I have bought seed from and it all seems to have high germination rates. At one time, I had a lot of concern about not buying local seed, so I spent a little extra and travelled an hour to pick it up in person. To my surprise, I was informed that he had gotten the seed shipped in from Canada! It came up fine and has produced seed for several years! (Note, this was not a in KY or a KY dealer.)

At any rate, I've read in a couple different books that the seed is adaptable and it really doesn't matter much where it is from, as long as it is disease free seed to begin with. So, my last \"big\" plantings (not big to most, but big to me at 5 or 6#) were done with not the cheapest seed I could find, but the lowest cost from a reputable dealer that I could find. Those plantings have been successful! I continue to harvest and stratify a mixture of seed from the many sources I had bought over the past years.

Hey buckeye,

Seems we are neighbors,my first planting (we did) in 2006 was seed from Michel Hunter,plants are doing good! see below.
Talk 2U soon...Jim

thought you might get a charge out of this post I have ...

www.wildgrown.com/index.php/Ginseng-Foru...estigation.html#3784


Fall 2006 planting

Did you catch this this Jimseng?

www.cantonrep.com/news/x157347053/Malver...from-selling-ginseng


Hope this isnt you!.........LOL!!!

Buckeye,
He He he!
I did see that article, He made the statement the case was a \"farce\" !
I heard of his problem months ago ! that his books showing ,(I heard) deceased sellers ? I know I just heard rumors, but he forfeited 70 pounds of ginseng ( $30,000 worth !) ouch ! !
No doubt, the diggers will not be selling through him anymore ! The hope is they will not be around my place, so I will not shoot one of them ! ......Jim

Getting ready to order here in the next 30 days. Got a pile of other loose ends to tie up first but I look forward to getting this project going.


Jimseng, I again am happy to here you are having success with your crop as I am sure that our soils are very similar. I was very concerned about a big investment at first i have to admit.

Good luck to all and thank you for all the advice.

Buck I missed this message,seems like you have made some good decisions. You should also deside on chemicals or wild simulated, there is alot to learn about chemicals and the proper use. Many of these chemicals require a full body suit and a respirator. A licence is required in Canada and maybe your state for all farmers to be licenced to use Schedules 1,2 and 5 chemicals. You don't want to over spray and contaminate the enviroment or kill all the benefical insects and fungi. So be sure to learn about chemical use, to protect your families health also.

Be careful about how large your first venture is. 10 pounds is a hell of alot of seed to plant, one pound takes me about a day and a half with two people plus the two or three days of site prep. One pound on one acre is how we do it. So you need ten acres preped and ready by September. The 500 to 1000 rootlets scare me, the time required and you have to plant them quick before they spoil. If you plan on doing both at once a quick head shake is needed.

Take it slow, a half pound a year and twenty plants is a large startup.

I know this guy from Quebec that ordered 100 pounds, he was a ginseng virgin and would not listen. His land was prefect all the companion plant and all. He showed us his new tracktor and seeder. Everything went great untill around the next August when 80% died. There is a few plants scattered around over the fifty acres five years later. He blamed the seeds.

Guy

You are right Guy. The closer I get to planting time, the more I have REALLY assessed my locations, time elements and financial planning. I am no longer going to jump in as deep into this as previously mentioned. I am thinking 5-10 pounds now instead of 40. I will also not be getting any rootlets either.

Losses have been calculated and a lot has changed in the last couple months due to reading books, forums and speaking with other people. I have a lot of places that I am going to do test plots on between 3 seperate tracts of land, and see what happens. Then concentrate on the areas that do well. I am going to enjoy the learning curve instead of go broke from it.

I know that if growing ginseng was easy it would be everywhere. Finally the initial excitement has worn off and the logical part of my brain has resumed command. Slowly adding more plants each year as you suggested is a great idea, and I would much rather make mistakes on a small patch then a large one.

Thanks again.

My journey has officially begun!

Thanks everyone for all your info and advice, I would have made some awfully bad decisions without them.

I got 5 lbs of seed from Wildgrown, had mabye 30 floaters is all. Got them in the ground during the last week here and look forward to watching this all happen in the years to come.

Thanks again!