How To Grow Ginseng

Infomation about planting, harvesting, and growing your own herbal garden or Ginseng patch.

If it is your first time, don't start out spending a lot of money on a large amount of seeds or roots. Start small and plant more and more each year. The most important thing is to START and to plant seeds or roots EVERY year. Each year you will have more and more ginseng roots and seeds, and you will become even more interested in it. Also, if you plant every year, when you do begin to harvest, you will have a harvest every year.

GINSENG is a fleshy rooted herb, native to well drained, cool, shaded hardwood forests. Ginseng does not grow in full sunlight, so the natural place to plant it is in hardwood forests, where the trees provide the needed shade. Ginseng is a perennial plant, but unlike other perennials, it lies dormant some years and does not grow new tops every year. The root does not die, but lies dormant until the following year. Ginseng is one of the most sought after herbs on the market. The future for growing ginseng looks promising for many years as more and more is being used now in the United States in addition to the Orient. All Health Food stores, drug stores, and even small gas stations now sell it in capsules, powdered, etc. The demand keeps growing every year.

Highly prized by Asian cultures as an aphrodisiac and a cure for everything from impotence to lack of concentration, it relieves fatigue, mental and nervous exhaustion. The Chinese have always placed a high value on ginseng and millions have used it for centuries. Western people have remained skeptical of its use because the Chinese people prepare and use this herb in superstitious ways. Carrying a dried root in their pocket for good luck is one of these superstitions. It is said that the use of ginseng will add a decade of years to a human life. The most desired root for this purpose is one in the shape of the human body. These roots have been known to bring their weight in gold. The Chinese put the highest value on ginseng. It's used only by the wealthiest and will bring several hundred dollars per pound.

One year old plants will have 3 leaflets, similar to a strawberry plant.

The second year usually produces 5 leaflets, and the following years, it begins to branch out with 2, 3, or 4 prongs with 3 to 5 leaflets in each prong.

Ginseng grows in the wild about 1 foot tall and they bloom in the summer. When it ripens in the fall or late summer with bright red berries, each berry usually contains 2-3 seeds. The seeds may be kept in damp sand for 1 year and used for replanting or they can be sold. In its wild, natural state, it grows in cool, shady, hardwood forest that takes about 6 to 8 years to grow to the point where its roots are large enough to harvest. If it is cultivated using fertilizers and persticides, you can start harvesting the roots in about 4-5 years, but wild ginseng gets a much better price.

Growers cannot expect to reap the rich rewards of the harvest overnight. Ginseng is a slow growing plant that takes years to grow, but in a few years you will have a great start for a huge profit. It is impossible to get a full picture of growing ginseng in any book. Everyone is different and have different plans. We hope that we can give you some ideas without making too many mistakes. Feel free to ask any questions at any time. The most important thing is to START and to plant seeds or roots EVERY year. Each year you will have more and more ginseng roots and seeds and you will become even more interested in it. Also, if you plant every year, when you do begin to harvest, you will have a harvest every year. It's OK to start small to get some experience growing ginseng. That's the best way and it will not cost you a lot of money. In 4 or 5 years you will start to have your own seeds to plant. Your small hobby or venture will be getting bigger and bigger every year.