TOPIC: Can I grow ginseng in ground like this?

Hi,
Thanks to Wildgrown for this place to \"meet\". I'm new here and new to ginseng after our local county extension agent told us we had a site that should be ideal for growing ginseng -- north-facing wooded slope, mostly maple, ash, and hickory, lots of cohosh and trillium growing there, etc. But this is New Hampshire. When I went to take soil samples, I could dig more than an inch or two without running into stones, from pebble- to fist-size, and a webwork of stringy roots from other plants. This litter runs to at least four or five inches deep under the ground surface. Assuming I can pry this litter aside and plant ginseng seeds, will they grow marketable roots in this kind of setting? Would appreciate any insights or experience.
Thanks!
Ben

Ginseng will grow there. It will wiggle It's way threw the rock. It may not grow fat but should grow long or spread out just under the surface. It sounds like you have a nice place to me.

Yes it will, and you might be very suprised in years to come how well it does.

It would be better soil to plant in if you could go down atleast 3 - 4 inches before hitting rock. The roots will find their way around the rocks and other plant roots as they grow.

The area that I grow Wild Simulated has plenty of rocks and other plant roots intwined in the top soil. My roots have done great in this type of soil.
The rocks and roots is what adds character to the roots by making the seng roots twist and bend to go around rocks and roots to find room to grow.

A soil test would be good to make sure your soil is close in what it should be.

I do believe that ginseng will grow there 75 0/0 of all the seng ive dug in this country is surounded with rock etc,but any where them trees are growing and there is old forest the seng will grow g/l

Thanks to you all for your advice and experience. Pending the results of the soil sample, you've given me the gumption to plant seeds.

Ben,

I agree with Billy and others that you may have a good spot there.

I have noticed over the years that seng grows big and healthy and best in soil that has a lot of rock, rock chips, flakes, etc - in it.

It does require a high calcium content to grow best and I suppose the rock supplies that well.

Here is a few pics of some I dug on Sept 3 about 1/3 way up a 200' rock bluff. Notice how healthy that root was (lots of root hairs) and big and fat too and notice the soil is loaded with rock.

TNhunter

The plants I found on that rock bluff were nice and healthy - here is pic of one of the tops.

Again notice the rocky soil it was growing in.

Here is another nice 4 growing in that rocky stuff...

And another...

Dont' let that rock discourage you.

IMO it is a bonus !

One more 4 growing in the rocky soil on that bluff.



Best of Luck !

TNhunter