Ginseng: Green Gold

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START SMALL AND PLAN AHEAD

Now, it's time to make another decision: How will you obtain the plants for the new bed? It's possible to get started in the ginseng business by digging up and transplanting wild roots, and then collecting, stratifying (preserving the seeds by arranging them between layers of a moisture-retaining material), and later planting the wildlings. Unfortunately, though, there's not much wild 'sang left . . . so you'd have to spend a great deal of time searching it out to collect it.

A more practical approach is to buy an initial batch of seedling roots or seeds from a successful grower (see the sidebar, "Estimating Costs and Profits", for a discussion of these two methods of stocking). Many regional farming publications carry classified ads for ginseng, and national magazines such as THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS, Progressive Farmer, and Fur-Fish-Game have several of these notices in each issue.

Before sending off your order, you'll have to decide whether you want to stick a tentative toe into ginseng farming or to take the full plunge. If you've had no experience, it may be a good idea to order a few dozen seedlings or the smallest quantity of seeds available (or a combination of both) for your first venture into the business. Plant the 'sang in your prepared bed, see how it performs throughout one summer, evaluate your prospects . . . and then proceed from there.

Even if you're already familiar with the botanical's cultivation and are eager to establish your homegrown income, it's probably wise to start at less than full production. I'd advise you to aim initially at growing enough plants to produce all your own seeds. Specifically, I'd recommend that, for the first year, you plant a fortieth of an acre-about 750 square feet of actual bedding space-as a permanent, seed-producing plot. (This is about the smallest area that's worth a businesslike effort to prepare and monitor conscientiously.) For this, you'll need to order either 2,000 seedling roots or 4,000 seeds.

Then, during your second season, plant another 750 square feet to give yourself a total of 1,500 square feet of seed-producing beds (all you're ever likely to need), which should yield about 15 pounds of seed yearly. You'll find that this amount-roughly 120,000 seeds - is enough to sow 7,500 square feet of beds on a quarter of an acre.

By starting with permanent seedbeds like those I've described, you can begin on a small scale, with a minimal capital outlay. Then, by the time you start harvesting your own seeds in quantity, you'll have several years of growing experience under your belt.

STORING AND SETTING OUT

As soon as you receive an order of seeds or rootlets, inspect them. If any are mushy or soft, return them for replacements. The stock should be planted promptly, but you can store the seeds or seedling roots temporarily in your refrigerator . . . or in another place where the temperature remains between 36° and 50°F. Do not freeze the stock, though. To store it safely, open the bags, add just a few drops of water, stir or shake the contents gently, and reseal the containers. Repeat this process every few days, since seeds are especially subject to mold or dehydration. Then-just before planting them soak the seeds or seedlings for 10 minutes in a solution of 1 part chlorine bleach to 9 parts water to reduce the possibility of fungal contamination.

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