[MPWG] Ginseng production in containers?

[Chip Carroll]

Steve,

A good ginseng site should need little to no soil amending.  Most WS 
growers will use calcium in the form of gypsum if calcium levels are below 
2000 Lbs/acre.  Shoot for a Ph between 5-6.  Bob Beyfuss at Cornell has 
done alot of work on this, also, Scott Persons has a new book out that 
talks in detail about all of this; 
<http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0914875426/sr=1-1/qid=1138816384/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-6270884-1115301?%5Fencoding=UTF8>Growing 
& Marketing Ginseng, Goldenseal & Other Woodland Medicinals by W. Scott 
Persons, Jeanine M. Davis

I have had very good success planting seeds in flats or containers and then 
transplanting into the forest after about 6 mos. of growing.  I have done 
this many times when I still have seed left come Spring, sow in flats and 
keep protected (watered is necessary) until the roots form their bud for 
next years growth.  Once that bud is formed (Mid-July here in Ohio), they 
can be transplanted 1 by 1 fairly easily and most will come back the 
following spring.  This is never the preferred method, it is much easier to 
plant/grow ginseng in the forest than in containers.

As several folks have already described, you ought to be able to direct 
seed in the wild simulated fashion and plant these much quicker than sowing 
in flats or containers.  10-12 seeds/Sq. Ft. may be a little too thick a 
seeding rate, if you try to get a 4-6 seeds /Sq. Ft. seeding rate, you will 
likely end up with approx. 1-2 plants Sq. Ft. at maturity (optimal 
density), the rest will have thinned themselves out over time.  If you are 
going to use containers, I would suggest a native woodland soil mix with 
sand or perlite/vermiculite if you need better drainage, put some gravel or 
pebbles in the bottom of the containers.  Using composts or other potting 
media will greatly increase your chances of disease & root rot.

Hope this helps!

Chip


At 12:03 PM 2/10/2006, Steve Diver wrote:
>Geetings MPWG -
>
>I'm familiar with ginseng cultivation via wild simulated in
>forests and bed production in a shade house.
>
>A start-up farmer that I'm working with has a nice forest
>location to try the wild simulated method.   Do you think
>that rock phosphate and compost or humates are an
>essential soil amendment, or just plant into native soils?
>
>But the real question relates to container production of
>ginseng, for eventual transplanting into beds or forest,
>or perhaps from seed-to-havest in three to five years down
>the road.  The farmer has too many stratified seeds and
>too little time to forest plant the whole "pound" of seeds by
>end of February to mid-March.
>
>Is there any experience raising quality medicinal ginseng
>in containers and pots.... any size and shape, or troughs.
>
>Knowledge of compost-based potting mixes and organic
>fertility is readily available.
>
>Just need to know if ginseng can be successfully
>raised in pots and obtain medicinal quality for sale into the
>trade, and if there is any technical literature on container
>production.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Steve Diver
>Fayetteville, Arkansas
>
>
>
>
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Chip Carroll
NTFP Research Education & Demonstration Coordinator
Rural Action Forestry
Appalachian Forest Resource Center
33560 Beech Grove Rd.
Rutland, Ohio 45775
phone: 740-742-4401
fax: 740-742-8303
www.ruralaction.org/forestry.html

www.appalachianforest.org

www.growginseng.org  
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