newbie

[double d]

I live in northern Michigan and have ten acres of mature forest consisting of maple, ash, basswood and cherry. I have a wild population of ginseng already on my property and feel with this that I can safely assume its a great location to grow my own simulated ginseng. My problem is what do I do with the wild stuff I do have. Michigan is a state where permits haven't been issued to pick in 25 years. I have contacted the MDA and they have said to keep a log book of my plantings so I can differentiate between wild and simulated but when I comes time to harvest, how do it tell if its wild or simulated?

[Brad]

Hi Double d,

Welcome to the site and forum.

http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/table-list-of-states-and-tribes-with-approved-export-programs-for-furbearers-alligators-and-ginseng.pdf

It appears that Michigan does have an exception for "artificially propagated" ginseng.  The key question is if your wild simulated will be considered artificially propagated or if it will be considered wild.  Here in Ohio, wild sim is considered wild, certified that way and subject to the same regulations.

Your answer will turn on what your state and the F&WS will call wild sim  -wild or propagated.

Of course, none of us know what 10-15 years down the road will bring, but I'd rather plant my ginseng now hoping for a harvest down the road as to wait and then wish I had planted it 10 years prior.

[double d]

I have spoken with the Michigan agriculture department who said that it is legal for me to grow simulated ginseng I will need to document or log everything I do from the time I start to the time I harvest and that crop age must match my log book. What I don't know is what to do with the wild stuff I already have when I go to harvest. I wont be able to tell age until it is harvested.

I am planning on contacting the department of natural resources to see if I can obtain a permit to harvest the wild stuff on  my property, if not I guess I will have to mark the wild from the simulated as to not accidently harvest it when that time comes.

[Brad]

Yes, depending on how much is on your property, this could be problematic.  For instance, I always recommend going back over a wild sim patch and reseeding it a couple years later.  This way, you will have a mix of age classes.  But, after about the fifth year, you will start seeing babys among those you planted.  Pretty soon, your patch will begin reproducing naturally.  So, are those plants wild or propagated?  I would argue wild, which is going to compound your issues even farther.

[double d]

To be honest Brad, I'm not sure. I now know that its ginseng. I have seen this plant many times over these last five years of ownership and always wondered what it was. It wasn't until recently I found out it was ginseng. Now I have it sporadically growing all over but never noticed an actual patch. Its in my side yards, back yard all in the woods lines and further back on the property. When looking for morels in the spring I see the new growth and thought it looked more like the beginning of wild black or raspberry bushes, however these don't grow under the canopy due to lack of sunlight. In the fall when I hunt I see the bushes with these berries on them and always ask my self what is this?

I am beginning to wonder if previous owners didn't propagate it in the past considering it is so close to the house and the older woman had planted all sorts of other things as well. But throughout the property I have all the indicator plants: my forest floor is blanketed with wild leek and trillium, Dutchmen's britches grow all over as well as jack in the pulpits and blue cohosh. The problem in Michigan is that it has to be age verified in order to sell and if the age doesn't match the log book you're kind of screwed. I plan on ordering seed in a few weeks and am going to do a survey of the property to see just how much is actually there and in what areas.

I cant wait for the snow to leave not only to search for my much beloved morels but to actually see how much ginseng I have growing. I think I have become obsessed now or maybe its cabin fever, but cant wait until spring.

[Brad]

First off, plant in the fall.  Any seed you order "in a few weeks" (unless advanced order for fall 2014) will be last fall's seed which might be a big gamble.  Always plant ginseng (and any other perennial in the fall)

I'm also concerned that you said it grows in the less shaded areas, and the term you used was bush.  Ginseng doesn't grow in a bush.

[double d]

Sorry Brad we have a  miss understanding, the raspberry bushes I have don't grow under the canopy but the ginseng sprouts, that in my opinion, look more like the new growth of raspberry's than strawberry, come up under the canopy and see them quite frequently when searching for morels. As for bushes I mean the four prongs, which resemble a small bush or small shrub when in full glory. My side yards are wooded not open. I would say my property is 90% wooded and was selective cut over 20-30 years ago leaving much older trees with a very high canopy. I have tree saplings that have sprouted throughout but most of the under growth is all companion plants.

Also I was planning on pre-ordering my seed, if possible from you, to ensure I have what is needed for the fall. I'm just waiting for some money to come in before hand, sorry for any confusion.

when it gets later in the year and everything is up I will take pics to show you, considering this property was selective cut so long ago I may have some really old roots out there and cant harvest

 I was unaware that ginseng grew in Michigan so I really didn't pay much attention, I only noticed the plants on occasion and wondered what they were. Now that I know I will perform a survey and who knows I may have patches all over that I just never paid any attention to. I usually only look for morels or deer sign my focus wasn't on ginseng. However I'm 99.9% that is what's growing.

[Brad]

Oh, Ok.  That makes it much more clear for me.  Thanks!

[JWforestSeng]

I would love to see his pics. Did he order form you Brad?

[Brad]

I don't know.  I sell to people's real names and don't generally try to put screen names and real names together