TOPIC: Overseas Buyers

Grown under evergreens! Huh. Well, I'm learning a bit. What state do you live in?

Fantastically big root! However, like the others, I believe that the cultivated look and lack of a lot of growth scars is detrimental to a premium price for such roots. It would be in your interest to transplant the roots into a more suitable mountain soil and canopy environment or add and hard pack some good mountain black soil to your' Ginseng beds and remove some of the trees and limbs from the Evergreens where it is being grown, to allow frost and more cold to reach the plants and roots being mindful to allow enough but not too much correct sunlight for good growth. I believe that if either were done, the roots would take on good Wild appearances within 3 to 5 years and would be highly marketable.


Frank

Awesome looking root, thanks for showing the picture. I agree that if you are trying to reach the Asian market who pay top dollar for 1 root with healing properties, than follow the advice the others have listed.

However if your goal is to produce mammoth roots which are sold to be powdered and made into capsules, than fast and big is the goal.

I agree with the others. I would also note that the shape of this root is less than desireable.

Thanks also BCastle for your comments. As you would expect - every root is distinctly different. This root shows the wrinkles which always become more prominent on drying. As you can see when there are 2 or more buds (thus 2 or more stems each with 4 or more prongs each with 5 leaves) the plant metabolises a lot of organic nutrient each season and hence the plants grow very healthy roots.
But one feature that identifies wild roots are the pearls on the roots - these are highly valued by those who really know their ginseng. (especially when you understand why wild roots will have these pearls)
Strange that I notice that on this forum - wild root photos due not show this distinguishing feature?

If you are calling the small knots on the roots 'pearls', I'd have to disagree. Those appear to be rot knot nematodes...a parasite.

Not only are the roots overly smooth, but the branching is common for force/cultivated roots and is not the desirable shape, which is a single root.

These are definitely 'pearls'.
Root nematodes restrict root growth and plant function.
This was a healthy 12 year old, 2 stem plant weighing 210g. An unhealthy parasitised plant will not grow with such healthy tops and roots.
Have a closer look - you will see the wrinkles if you really want to.
Today's photo is a 6 prong plant.

OSCAR-MEYER might be interested

Sorry Schuey, But when I saw your pic I instantly thought \"Nematodes\" not Pearls. Then I read BCastles post and I tend to agree with him.

On the other hand I am no expert so I hope you are right.

Also, that is a nice looking root shape wise. However, it looks like a cultivated root still and not a wild root. Very distinguishable characteristics that it is not a wild root.

It appears you are having fun growing roots and thanks for posting pics of them. I enjoy checking them out as well. I hope you are not offended by our honesty and our opinions about your roots having cultivated characteristics verses wild characteristics.
Latt

I have to agree with the others on these roots.

Does not look wild - which is bound to affect the price it fetches..

After my squash plants died back last summer, I had a polk salid plant come up in my garden and I just let it grow.

It got huge in just a few months growing in my soft rich garden soil.

A few weeks ago when I broke that garden bed up, I found the root on that thing and it looked almost identical to that first root pic you posted.

It looked like a Huge, Multi Forked, Cultivated Ginseng root.

A lot of folks are not truly educated on ginseng. You might try getting your roots certified and try selling them on ebay.

If you mark the tops in the summer/fall, and then harvest them at the very end of your harvest season (in my state that is December) you could have fresh roots for sale on ebay when most of the true wild fresh stuff is gone. They key would be putting them on the market when the supply is low.

That might get you a better prices for them.

Good Luck !

TNhunter