TOPIC: NEW to this!!

I have 2.5 ac. in WV.I want to plant or start planting this year, it is well sloped and wooded,
I have about 200 seeds , are there any hints that anyone can give me to start me out on this. I would like to start out right. Should i plant in rows up the hills, or just plant seeds in randum places. I want to plant over the next few years, so I want to start out right.
Thanks!!!

Kelley, I would start by reading this site and maybe the PADCNR (Dept. Of Conservation) web site -do a search for ginseng on their site. Lots of information. Look especially at what other plants you might find that will grow in the same habitat as ginseng.

I certainly do not want to discourage you in any way but, just because you have woodland does not mean it is a good \"sang\" site. Sang can be picky about where it grows. However, you already have 200 seeds so, it sure won't hurt to get them in the ground. Keep them moist- if they dry out they die and will not sprout. You can do a \"float test\" on the seeds.

Plant no more than about 1/2 inch in the soil (you can even just get them in good contact with the soil) and then cover them with leaf litter or straw. If using straw, just barely cover the ground. I am not sure why too much straw hinders germination but, I have seen it here. Maybe keeps the ground too wet for too long? Keep in mind, whatever is covering the seed to keep it moist, is what the sprout has to be able to push up through in order to emerge in the spring. Good luck.

Well! Reading this site is what made me want to get started in this. I have been reading everything I can get my hands on for about 8 weeks now!
The land faces N/E and is well wooded I checked the PH level and it's 5.3, I just got the report back. What other plants do I need to look for?
The most plants I have seen are Ferns?
I have some planted in a raised bed here in town just to start them and watch then grow.
Any help to get me started would be a great help.
Kelly

Well Kelly, You sound like you are alot further along than most when they start. That's great!

Some of the plants to look for are both Black and blue Cohash, Christmas fern, Dolls eye, wild ginger, snake root, Virginia creeper, Jack in the Pulpit, Rattlesnake fern, trillium, may apple. There should be a much more complete list on the PA DCNR web site.

What type ferns do you have there? Does it look like a fern field under the trees or are they just here and there in clumps? The ones in clumps here and there may be a good sign, The ones that look like a blanket of individual fern stems sticking up are probably bad, New York fern and \"hay scented fern\".

As to planting, I would just stick with the random planting. Unless you plan on covering the entire 2.5 acres in sang, the random is best. If you get too big an area planted heavy then you run into diseases and fungus problems down the road. Spreading the first years seed around will also let you see just where it might grow best on your site. I hope this helps, and maybe some of these others will chime in with better advice.

www.dcnr.state.pa.us/

THANKS!
I need all the help I can get, I am sure that I will need alot of help over the years to get this started.
This all sounds like a lot of fun to try. That part of WV. has a lot of land that no one wants and you can pick it up for a song. I think I have just found a use for it!!!


Kelly

By the way the ferns are in clumps, I will take a trip and see what else grows there!
Thanks

Buy \"Growing and Marketing Ginseng, Goldenseal, & Other Woodland Medicinals\" by Scott Persons.

This book will be your instruction manual for ginseng

I'm also new but have the right location as you do. Be prepared to work in order to plant. I've been in the woods three days and still have about 2lbs of seed left. I'm hurting. The planting is the hardest part. 2.5 arces, a couple friends, beer and food should be no problem. Be prepared to plant again next year. You always want to keep adding. good luck have fun

Went last weekend and planted, (LOT of WORK!!)What a great way to see the land, Found things I never knew were there. I took everything that I had read and tried in differant plots, to see what works best. I still have more seeds will go again in a week or two.
I planted alot around some ferns I found How do I identify ferns??
I am taking a few seeds with me hunting (DEER) and planting in the woods localy just to see what works, And to help to get it growing in the woods again here.
Cann't wait until Spring to see what came up!!!!!


P.S. I ended up with about 2500 seeds to plant!

I just want to add I got another place to plant in WV I planted all 2500 seeds in the fall.well most had about 100 or so left so I planted them this early spring. If any of them come up I will be happy, guess I will have to wait until May-June to find out if what I did was right or not. I did get my son to help me, he will be around to see them grown for a lot more years than me.
Kelly