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How to Grow Ginseng

Four Parts: Selecting a Growing Site Preparing the Seeds Planting the Seeds
Caring for your Plants and Harvesting
Used in herbal medicine for thousands of years, high quality ginseng roots still
fetch hundreds of dollars per pound, and patient growers can harvest large
quantities using the "wild-simulated" growing method. The method described
below requires seven years of growth before the harvesting, but produces high
quality ginseng and lessens the chance of widespread crop death. While you
can also cultivate ginseng in a eld under articial shade and in as little as four
years, that method requires much more effort, a greater expense, and
produces much less valuable ginseng, making it only feasible for large-scale
operations.
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Understand the wild-simulated ginseng growing method. This method mimics
the plant's natural environment. While ginseng grown this way typically takes eight
years to mature, the end result is much more valuable than eld-cultivated ginseng due
to its color and shape. You may attempt to alter this process by using articial shade or
tilling the soil, but then you will be growing woods-grown ginseng, which may grow into a
different, less valuable shape.
[1][2]
The eld cultivation method results in a mature plant at 4 years, but requires
intensive labor, greater risk of disease spreading, and roughly $20,000$40,000
per acre.
[3][4]
Most small scale farmers opt this method, which results in a much
more valuable plant and costs roughly $2,600 plus labor.
[5]
Note that these
costs are rough estimates.
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Part 1 of 4: Selecting a Growing Site
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Find out if you live in the right environment. If you want to grow ginseng using
the "wild-simulated" method, you'll need to have land within the plant's natural
range. Ginseng grows in cool, temperate climates containing hardwood forests in areas
of 2040 inches of annual rainfall.
[6]
This type of environment is found in areas of the
northwest, midwest, and northeast United States, southern Canada, and mountainous
regions of the southern United States.
[7][8]
If you are not sure whether ginseng can be grown in your region, search online
or contact your state or region's wildlife management department.
Obtain any necessary permits or licenses to grow and sell ginseng. State
regulations on growing ginseng vary, but you will often need special permits or
licenses, especially if you are growing for commercial harvest. Research regulations for
your area, and contact your local extension service or state agriculture or commerce
departments to nd out what you need to do to legally grow ginseng. You should also
look into organic certication well before planting your seeds. The "wild-simulated"
method as described here is organic.
Of the 19 U.S. states that allow ginseng harvesting, 18 of them require any
plants harvested to be at least 5 years old with 3 leaves, while Illinois requires
the plants to be at least 10 years old with 4 leaves.
[9]
Select a suitable site. Ginseng grows best in well-shaded sites (especially on
north- or east-facing slopes) of moist hardwood forests, especially ones with deep-
rooted, deciduous trees such as yellow poplar, oak, sugar maple, or tulip poplar.
[10]
Mature forests with large hardwood trees and a canopy that blocks at least 75% of
sunlight are ideal.
[11]
Shrubs, briars, and other tall, thick undergrowth can compete with
the ginseng and take up most of the available nutrients, leaving little for the ginseng.
Probably the best way to determine if a site is appropriate is to look for wild
ginseng growing there.
Since wild ginseng is so rare, you can also get some idea of suitability if
"companion plants" such as trillium, cohosh, jack-in-the-pulpit, wild yam,
goldenseal, Solomons seal, wild ginger, or rattlesnake ferns are present.
[12][13]
Search for pictures of these online and check which grow in your area, or have
a local botanist assist you.
In addition, be aware that ginseng poachers are a serious problem: Be sure to
choose a spot that is hidden from public view and not near a hiking trail or
roadway.
Evaluate and test the soil. The soil should be loamy and moist, yet able to drain
quickly. Avoid swampy soil and hard clay. When you have a site in mind, take
several soil samples of equal quantity from around the potential planting site and mix
them together in a plastic bucket. Have a soil analysis performed at a state soil test
laboratory or university.
[14]
Your garden supply store may have a kit that you can use
yourself to test soil pH, but calcium and phosphorus tests are more difcult to perform on
your own. While there is some controversy over what type of soil is best, qualities to look
for include a pH of 4.5 to 5.5 (acidic soil), calcium levels of 3,0005,000 pounds per acre
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(~0.35 kg per square meter), and phosphorus (P) levels of at least 95 pounds per acre
(0.01 kg per square meter).
[15]
Soil with the right level of moisture should not ball up in your hand or stick to
your skin when you squeeze it.
[16]
Some growers prefer a more neutral pH between 6 and 7.
[17]
Unfortunately,
there have not been enough denitive studies to determine the perfect
environment for ginseng, but it should grow adequately in any pH range from 4
to 7.
Fertilize if necessary. If you nd a site that is perfect except for its soil chemistry,
you may wish to amend the soil in the plot to adjust the pH or increase the
quantities of phosphorus or calcium. If you want to sell wild-simulated ginseng instead of
woods-cultivated, you must avoid fertilizer, or at least apply the fertilizer to the surface of
the soil instead of mixing it in. The soil pH may be raised by adding lime (calcium
carbonate), and calcium level can be increased--without altering pH--by the addition of
gypsum (calcium sulfate).
Note that ginseng is able to grow in areas with lower calcium or phosphate, but
may produce smaller roots or grow more slowly. Consider spacing the plants
further apart in these situations so plants aren't competing for the same
nutrients.
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Purchase or harvest ginseng seeds. Note that some regions have laws
prohibiting or limiting the harvest of wild ginseng; look these up for your state,
country, or region before searching for wild plants. If you are not legally allowed to pick
them, or you cannot nd the exceedingly rare wild plant, purchase seeds from a local
grower or online. "Green" seeds will be cheaper than cold stratied seeds, but require
extra months of preparation described in the next step.
Soft, moldy, or discolored seeds are not suitable for planting.
[18]
You may be
able to return them to the seller for a replacement.
Order seeds in advance in July or August, and have them delivered in the fall.
Waiting until fall will likely leave you with the lowest quality seeds.
[19]
Keep seeds moist before planting. Keep purchased, stratied seeds in the
refrigerator in a plastic bag. Mist the seeds with a spray bottle once a week until
you are ready to plant. If the seeds ever dry out, they will die.
[20]
Prepare your seeds for sprouting if they are not stratied. When a ginseng
plant produces seeds in the wild, the seeds do not sprout the following year. To
accomplish this, they require a year of stratication, a process in which the seeds lose
Part 2 of 4: Preparing the Seeds
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the esh of the berries that encase them and prepare to sprout. Most store-bought
seeds are already stratied, but if you harvested them yourself or bought "green" seeds,
you'll need to perform the process yourself. Depending on how many seeds you have,
use one of the following methods:
Place a small amount of seeds in a pouch made of lightweight mesh, tied with
wire. In autumn, bury the pouch under 45 inches (1013cm) of loose, shaded
soil. Cover with several inches (~10cm) of mulch. Mark the location well and
keep it moist, but not soaked.
Place a large amount of seeds in a special container to drain water and keep
out rodents. Construct a wooden box with a screen top and bottom, up to 812
inches (2030cm) deep if you have enough seeds for several layers. Fill the box
with alternating layers of moist sand and seeds. Bury the box with the top 12
inches (2.55cm) below the soil. Cover with mulch and mark the location. Water
it if the soil dries out.
Plant sprouting seeds in the spring. If you stratied your own seeds, dig up the
container and see if any of the seeds are ready. Discard soft, moldy, or discolored
seeds. If any seeds are sprouting, plant them immediately. Return the rest to the
container and bury it again, stirring them around rst and checking that the sand or soil
is still moist.
[21]
Sow other seeds in the fall. Most seeds should be sown in the autumn, after the
leaves have fallen from the trees but before the ground freezes. Ginseng seeds will
do best when sown in late fall or early winter, and planting should occur when the
ground is moist, such as after a rain.
Soak seeds in bleach and water before planting. Unless your seeds are
sprouting, soak them in a mix of 1 part household bleach and 9 parts water.
[22][23]
Leave them in for 10 minutes to kill some of the fungus spores that often infect ginseng
seeds. Seeds that oat are most likely empty and dead, and should be discarded. Rinse
the remaining seeds in clean water afterward and take them to your site to plant.
You may also treat your seeds with a fungicide, but make sure it is safe for use
on ginseng rst.
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Remove small weeds and ferns from the area. It is not desirable to remove all
plants from the area, but small underbrush will compete with the ginseng. Ferns in
particular create a chemical that can kill nearby plants, so remove them or avoid areas
adjacent to those plants.
[24]
Part 3 of 4: Planting the Seeds
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Plant large numbers of seeds quickly by scattering them. If you want your
ginseng to grow in the most wild conditions possible, or if you have a large quantity
of seed, you may wish to simply scatter the seed on the selected planting site. Remove
the leaf litter from the ground rst. Aim to scatter about 6 to 12 seeds per square foot
(65120 seeds per square meter).
[25]
Plant smaller numbers of seeds more thoroughly. Even most wild-simulated
ginseng is planted with a little preparation and a couple standard gardening
implements. First, rake leaves off the forest oor to expose the topsoil. Use a hoe to
create furrows running along, not down, the slope. Plant according to needs:
Plant the seeds 69 inches (1523 cm) apart if you plan to harvest large, 7+
year old ginseng. This is a typical planting method for wild-simulated ginseng,
as the wide spacing reduces the risk of disease spreading.
Plant as little as 1 inch apart if you have a large number of seeds and want to
harvest sooner.
[26]
This method is more commonly used for eld-cultivated
ginseng, since the densely planted ginseng must be carefully watched and
treated for disease and pest control. It is not recommended for rst time
growers.
Cover the area with leaves or mulch. Replace the leaf litter that you raked off, or
add a layer of mulch. This keeps the ground moist, which is vital for ginseng. Use
12 inches (2.55cm) of ground cover but no more, since the ginseng sprouts will not be
able to push through a thicker layer. You should use 4 inches (10cm) of mulch if you live
in an area with cold winters and frequent frosts, but remember to reduce this to lower
levels in the spring.
[27]
Do not use whole oak leaves. These are too tough and large for sprouts to grow
through. Shred them rst if you have already bought oak leaf mulch.
[28]
Mark the plot discreetly or locate it using a GPS device. Youre not going to
need to visit the site much, and the look of the forest can change a great deal over
the 7+ years it takes for your plants reach maturity, so make sure you can nd them
again. The best way to do this is to use a GPS device to determine the exact
coordinates of the plot. This way you dont leave any telltale signs that might invite
poachers. If you must mark the plot, make sure your markers dont readily draw
attention.
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Keep the location secret and secure. Because wild ginseng is so valuable,
poachers are common in regions where it is grown. Fencing off the area won't
deter someone who knows the ginseng is there, but it may prevent people from
discovering the site.
[29]
A bull, dog, or other aggressive animal may be an excellent thief
Part 4 of 4: Caring for your Plants and Harvesting
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deterrent, as long as you fence cattle apart from the ginseng.
Thin densely growing ginseng each year. Ginseng that grows too close together
may spread disease between plants or compete with each other for nutrients.
Consider removing or transplanting plants after the rst growing season to get down to 6
plants per square foot (65 per square meter), and again after the second year of growth
down to 1 or 2 plants per square foot (1122 per square meter).
[30]
You may also plant ginseng in other areas each year during the fall to develop
an ongoing harvest. Many growers do this so they have mature ginseng to
harvest each year after the rst batch matures.
Research carefully before using pesticides and pest poison. One major
advantage to the wild-simulated method is a reduced risk of pest and disease, due
to the wider spacing. While a few plants or berries may be eaten occasionally, you are
unlikely to lose many of the valuable roots, and diseases shouldn't spread between
plants at a high rate.
[31]
If you do encounter a problem, contact your local wildlife
department for information about ginseng pesticides.
Keep in mind that you may lose your organic certication or your credibility in
selling wild-simulated ginseng if you use pesticides.
Wait for the plants to mature. You'll need to wait about 7-10 years for your plants
to mature into large, valuable roots, but with the right site and a little luck. Growing
ginseng with the wild-simulated method requires a lot of patience, but almost no
maintenance. Check periodically to see if the ground remains moist and covered with a
small amount of leaf litter.
If your ginseng is planted densely, harvest after 4 years or the roots might begin
to dwindle These roots will not be as valuable, however.
[32]
Don't expect the plants to stay visible year round. The part of the ginseng
plants above the surface will die back in the autumn, but grow again in the spring.
It will grow bigger each time, and all the while, the root below will be growing larger.
Harvest red berries annually after the third year. Once the plants have matured,
they will produce a cluster of red berries with the seed in the center. Pick these in
the fall if you want to harvest the seeds for planting or selling. Keep in mind they will
need to be stratied as described under Preparing the Seeds.
Harvest mature plants at any point past the seventh year. Given how long it
takes ginseng to reach maturity, youll probably want to harvest your plants as
soon as you can, which is typically 7 years for a high quality root. If youre not in any
hurry you can leave them in the ground for many more years and they will continue to
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grow. If you are in a hurry, check local laws for regulations on how early you can harvest
ginseng.
Dig carefully so as not to damage the root. Use a pitchfork or needle-nose
spade to dig under the plant, and leave plenty of space (about 6 inches or 15 cm)
between the plant and where you push the pitchfork or spade into the ground. If the
plant is close to immature ginseng plants, use a smaller implement such as a stout at
blade screwdriver about 8 or 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) long, and work with extra care. If
there is any risk of damaging the roots of adjacent immature ginseng plants, do not
attempt to harvest the plant until the other plants mature.
Note: Ginseng plants typically grow at a 45 angle into the soil, not straight
down, and will fork into several sections. Dig carefully and make sure you don't
break the root.
[33]
Wash and dry the roots. Briey soak the roots in a bucket of cool water to
remove excess soil. Then place the roots in a single layer on a wooden tray and
wash them gently under a sink faucet or with a hose. Make sure the roots are not
touching and let them dry on a wooden rack in a well-ventilated room with a temperature
between 70 and 90F (2132C). Humidity should remain between 35 and 45% to
prevent drying the plant too quickly and reducing its value.
[34]
Turn the plants once per
day. The roots are ready when you are able to snap them, but you should only do this on
a single test root now and then.
Do not scrub the roots or wash them too vigorouslysome of the medicinal
chemicals are concentrated in the root hairs, and removal of these hairs will
decrease the usefulness and value of the root.
Small roots take a day or two to dry, but large, mature roots may take up to six
weeks.
[35]
Direct sunlight usually dries the roots too fast, but if you see any mold or
discoloration growing, put them in direct sun for a few hours to kill the infection.
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Proper spacing helps prevent fungus and disease problems. Although
you may lose some plants to disease, you wont likely lose them all as
you might if theyre too close together. Companion plants such as
goldenseal may also reduce pest and disease problems. If fungus gets
out of hand, contact your local extension ofce for advice before
breaking out the fungicide.
Once your plants begin to produce fruit, they will naturally reseed the
plot each year, so you will have a truly sustainable crop. If you want to
ensure a continuous crop, however, you can add seed in the rst and
second years, when your plants will not likely produce fruit.
Normal populations of deer likely wont signicantly damage your crop,
but if overpopulation of deer is a problem in your area, consider using
guard dogs. Because of the wide spacing in this method, digging
mammals generally wont be much of a problem either, but consider
using traps (not poisons) and other organic deterrents if necessary.
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Tips
Warnings
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Beware cheap seeds. The collection and stratication of seeds is an
intensive process that requires extra care. Reputable suppliers will do it
right, and youll be charged accordingly.
Given the possibility of crop death, poaching, or falling prices, investing
all your money into a ginseng operation is a risky endeavor. Grow
ginseng to supplement your income, or to save for retirement, but have
a backup investment in case the ginseng doesn't work out.
Be careful when confronting potential poachers, and avoid using force
or violence to repel them.
To ensure survival of the species (and to avoid being ned or
imprisoned), always follow your states laws regarding the growth and
sale of wild-simulated ginseng.
1. ! http://www.fws.gov/international/permits/by-species/american-
ginseng.html
2. ! http://www.onlineginsengstore.com/catalog/index.php?
main_page=page_2
3. ! http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-312/354-312.html
4. ! http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/forestry/ginseng.htm
5. ! http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-312/354-312.html
6. ! http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/growing-ginseng-
zmaz83jaznet.aspx#axzz371RRLmEw
7. ! http://www.wildgrown.com/index.php/USA-Zone-Map-For-
Planting.html
8. ! http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-312/354-312.html
9. ! http://www.fws.gov/international/permits/by-species/american-
ginseng.html
10. ! http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7472.html
11. ! http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-312/354-312.html
12. ! http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-312/354-312.html
13. ! http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/growing-ginseng-
zmaz83jaznet.aspx#axzz371RRLmEw
14. ! http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-312/354-312.html
15. ! http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/forestry/354-312/354-312.html
16. ! http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/forestry/ginseng.htm
17. ! http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7472.html
18. ! http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/hil/hil-127.html
19. ! http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-312/354-312.html
20. ! http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-312/354-312.html
21. ! http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/hil/hil-127.html?
22. ! http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/growing-ginseng-
zmaz83jaznet.aspx?PageId=2#ArticleContent
Sources and Citations
23. ! http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/forestry/ginseng.htm
24. ! http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-312/354-312.html
25. ! http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7472.html
26. ! http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/growing-ginseng-
zmaz83jaznet.aspx?PageId=3#ArticleContent
27. ! http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/growing-ginseng-
zmaz83jaznet.aspx?PageId=3#ArticleContent
28. ! http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/forestry/ginseng.htm
29. ! http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-312/354-312.html
30. ! http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7472.html
31. ! http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/growing-ginseng-
zmaz83jaznet.aspx?PageId=5#ArticleContent
32. ! http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7472.html
33. ! http://www.wildgrown.com/
34. ! http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/forestry/ginseng.htm
35. ! http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/growing-ginseng-
zmaz83jaznet.aspx?PageId=6#ArticleContent
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