TOPIC: Ginseng berry planting

Guys,
It has been a good season for gathering berries this year. Today was my 8th trip to the mountains to plant freshly picked berries from this seasons crop. Today while I was planting I walked through some sections that had 4 year old plants that are bearing ripe fruit of their own. I should be able to get at least 2 more plantings from what I'm seeing as I pick the ripe ones. It really makes it special to see your first plantings getting to the size and age that they are producing berries of their own. This just helps me to be able to spread the patches that I already have and when there is no more room left, I just move to another spot. It kind of made a shudder run through me to see how big some of the 4 year olds have gotten and seeing the red berry pods on them. I know what that would look like to a poacher and my prayer is that they can hide themselves for a couple of more weeks. I believe by that time I can snip the tops out of them and they will be safe. I hope all of you have good luck with your patches.

Hugh

Speaking of those four year old plants, to Hugh or anyone, how viable do you think those first year berries are? You know the ones that look like they may only have one seed in them.

Maya,
I wish that I could give a knowledgeable answer to your question, but I just don't have the experience to really know. I did see several berries that were like that, but I just assumed that they would produce good viable seed. Kduce may have a good answer to that. Has it been a problem that you know of?

Hugh

IMHO- those first year berries should be able to produce a viable sprout!

Just from what Iv seen this year while processing my berries, I believe they will. Most all the one seed berries sank when tested. The ones that floated were a smaller seed in the berry that never filled out. Even the plump green berries I accidentally picked had viable seed that sank.

Not to change the subject but, I had a small spot where some plants got sick back in the spring and we have had some heavy washing rains lately. Just a precaution but I decided to dig the plants around that spot to prevent it from spreading if it were to and came up with close to a wet pound. I'm going to use these to test the waters this fall....we'll see how it goes.

Hill,
Those roots look pretty good to me. If I compared mine to them, I think mine would be the ones that looked sick. I'm interested to see how the buyers grade them. Good luck with them this Fall.

Hugh,
I pray your seng in the mountains continues to hide itself for many years to come. I agree, it would be nice to be able to top them before they turn yellow.
Latt

Hill,
There are some nice chunkers mixed in there too. I can only imagine how your roots are going to look after 10 years. I see some nice wrinkles in the skin too especially for 4 or 5 year olds.
Latt

Hugh..

Best of luck with your seng. Poaching is a real threat to all of us who grow it. Best of luck to us all on that.

Hill.. that is a sweet looking pile of roots. Only thing missing is the longer necks. I think the size is impressive for that age and shape and appearance looks great. Sure looks like wild to me apart from the root size to neck length issue.

I have a spot down on a creek bluff close to my home that grows em big and fat... 1/2 oz to 1 oz roots with only 6-8 flats on the neck. It is just the result of ideal growing location (lots of morning sun, excellent dirt). I think yours are growing in excellent location too so you are getting similar retults, perhaps even better.

Below is a pic from 2010 when I first hunted that creek bluff spot. The 4 smaller roots (upper right) were all 20+ years old, and quite small. They came from the regular woods on a north facing hillside. that is what most of my seng close to home looks like. But the rest of those big fat roots (with short necks) came from that creek bluff area, getting lots of morning sun. They do look similar to yours.

TNhunter

Hill, those roots look really good. I hope you get a good offer for them. I bet if you had some long neck wild roots to mix them with you would have no problems. Are you drying these or keeping them fresh?

I had about 40 nice three prongs poached for my small patch and I went by it every two day checking deer cams. This person is not like what will come their way because I do have a first name and truck color and type.