TOPIC: Soil Amendments for Best Possible Seed Producing Bed

Hey Billy,

I even has some South Eastern KY Mountain dirt in that bed. The dirt you had those roots packed in - I sprinkled it on top too. No doubt that little bit will make a big difference

PS - I looked around online this morning for Organic Ways to reduce soil PH and found that you can do it by adding organic matter (including Peat) which I have already added 200 lbs of peat to the bed (lucky me).

You can also lower PH by mulching with, Saw Dust, Coffee Grounds (composted), Cottonseed meal, wood chips, leaf mold, and pine needles.

Our local garden center has some nice shreaded hardwood mulch.

I can get plenty of pine needles and know where there is a old saw mill that has been shut down for 15 years or so, and could get a few 5 gal buckets of old-sort-of composted saw dust.

May just save those wheet straw bales for my garden next spring and change my seng bed mulch to those listed above.

TNhunter

Hey Guys,

I got another mailing from the UT Extension office today (soil test results) and at first I thought they had duplicated my soil test request but then read a notice they included in the mailing this time.

It said:

After installing an instrument upgrade in our labratory, we discovered irregularities in reporting of water PH on some soil samples. Your report was affected and has been revised.

They appologized, etc...

Nothing changed but the PH results and their recommendations.

On Sample 1 the PH this time is showing 5.4 (was 6.4 on first report).

On Sample 2 the PH this time is showing 5.8 (was showing 6.4 on first report).

So that is good news - and gets me a little closer (naturally) to what Scott recommends in his book as being ideal PH for seng (around 5.0).

Again - I have seen other (so called experts online) recommending as high as 6.5.

In this soil test on the sample that showed PH of 5.4 UT Extension suggested that I add 1.5 tons of limestone per acre and they knew my crop was going to be ginseng. So evidently the info they have shows the PH needs to be closer to 6.0. On the sample that had a PH of 5.8 they did not recommend adding limestone.

TNhunter

What is everyones opinion on Calcium nitrate?

jughead

I,m not familiar with Calcium Nitrate. I have not seen it listed in any Ginseng Growing Literature as being one of the accepted nutrients to add. Nitrate will add Nitrogen to the soil.

Other than that, I do not know anything about it.

Have you tried Calcium Nitrate?

classicfur

nope not yet.i found it at the local Co-op I couldn't find any bone meal.I ordered 150 1 year roots that i was going to plant this weekend and thought i might try the calcium nitrate and some Magnesium sulfate.I use the magnesium on just about everything these days.Tomatos,Grass and fruit trees mainly.

Not sure about that calcium nitrate - read info below:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_nitrate

Parts I noticed...

==

was the first synthetic \"nitrogen\" fertilizer

The fertilizer grade (15.5-0-0 + 19% Ca) is popular in the greenhouse and hydroponics trades

==

Looks like that 15.5-0-0 is the N-P-K.

Probably better not use that.

==

PS - since my PH was not all that high after all - I decided to just use hard maple leaves for mulch on my seed producing bed.

I collected a couple big bags of leaves from the 3 sugar maples in my yard and spread them out over the bed about 4\" deep (loose). I will see how they pack down after a good rain and may add more, or not.

TNhunter

I'm planting underneath Maple and Poplar trees.There is a few Red Oak and White Pines but not many.I'm staying as far away from the pines as I can.
I'll probably just use the calcium Nitrate in the garden this coming summer and see if i can find some Bone meal or just find some old Sheet Rock.I know that there isn't a shortage of old Sheet rock.lol

jughead

If you are trying to raise the soils calcium level without raising the PH, the simplest way to do it is with Gypsum. Broadcast 5 lbs per 100 sq. ft. on the soil after you plant your roots.

Check out these articles:

look at topic:
Soil and Nutrients

www.wildgrown.com/index.php/Ginseng-Arti...Growing-Ginseng.html

Also check out:
Soil Management

pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-312/354-312.html

Good Luck with those roots!

classicfur

Jughead,

If you are limiting your plantings to under maple/poplar trees - you may not even need to add calcium.

In his book Scott mentions ideal locations for north and south as far as areas that are dominated by different types of trees and sugar maples and tulip (or yellow) poplars are the two he mentions first. He also mentions Carolina silver bells and Black Wallnuts.

Look for areas where the ginseng will get the cool sunlight of early morning but then be shaded well from the hot/late evening sun.

High Calcium, Low PH soils were consistently associated with the most vigorous and healthy wild ginseng stands.

The study done in New York showed that the most vigorous stands were found in areas that had PH averaging around 5.0 and calcium levels in the 4000/lb per acre range.

Later on he mentioned that sugar maple leaves when analized showed they contained 1.81% calcium and also mentioned that tulip poplar and black walnut trees also store calcium in their leaves but did not list a % for them.

I looked around online a bit and found a fairly big named store that is showing both calcium and bonemeal in their products list.

See the AceHardware Superstore (link below)

It will start you out on their gypsum product that looks good and nice price (around 7.00 for 40lb bag) and on down at the bottom of the page they show that bone meal that is also available at walmart.

PS - one caution on the bone meal - Dogs Love It. I am sure that Fox/Yote's etc would too. When I put it on my garden my daughters australian shepard will come over and lick it right up off the dirt. It needs to be worked into the soil and if possible watered good.

Good Luck !

TNhunter

www.acehardwaresuperstore.com/topgrow-pe...-p-62512.html?ref=42

Thanks for the Help.I'll get a PH test kit and see where i stand.I want to got a Organic as possible.I have an Endless supply of Sugar maple leaves and Poplar at work.I have to haul them off so I'll put them to good use.I invested in a Stihl Leave Vac a few months ago so I could mulch them up.it'll be a Pain Hiking them 500 feet up the mountain though.
Thanks for all the Info.I may plant the roots and wait until spring to add any Calcium.What plants I found surrounding where i'm planting looks to be good Quality plants.Wish i could have looked at more but a couple of Druggies Dug 4 pounds back in the spring before i spotted it.