Grapes and Ginsing?

[fantasymaker]

Has anyone tried growing grapes and Ginsing togather with the grapes providing the Ginsing the shade it needs?
Im visualizing growing the grapes up and OVER across a latice work "ceiling" so that they provide a complete groundshade for ginsing.

[CaliannG]

Hmmm, I am not sure.

I know Ginseng and Goldenseal both favor hardwood forests with a mixture of oak and maple...and some studies have shown that this is because of the low levels of juglone that both species emit....high enough to repel many plants that compete for resources with ginseng and goldenseal, but not so high as black walnut, which would kill off the ginseng itself.

Grape is *highly* sensitive to juglone and does not produce it, so growing ginseng as a companion to it might have some specific drawbacks. (Lots and lots of weeding to prevent competition, for one.) I don't know what other things that hardwoods excrete that ginseng specifically uses.

[Wisconsin Ann]

I believe grapes do well with a PH of above 6.0, while ginseng has a lower requirement, but not by much. Grapes aren't very heavy feeders, so the nutrients wouldn't be a problem.

A good friend of mine (way back when ) started growing ginseng and so, of course, all of us read up on it, and he was forever talking about it. As I recall, Ginseng has a very very narrow er...window. specific soils, light requirements, nutrients..all have to be balanced carefully. But since grapes don't really seem to care much except that they don't like being wet, and need a neutralish to alkaline soil...you may have an good idea there.

The light is about the biggest thing that I would think could mess you up. Grapes don't get all leafy until much later in spring,...so would that cause a problem with the emerging ginseng? Perhaps a simple burlap type cover for the first months until the grapes grew up and leafed out?

[fantasymaker]

There were more posts in this thread where did they go_

[silverbackMP]

They use shade cloth for Ginseng in Korea--hectares and hectares of ginseng farms. If they could grow it with grapes, I'm sure they would.

BTW, cultivated ginseng is not worth nearly as much as the wild.

[paintboy]

Originally Posted by fantasymaker

There were more posts in this thread where did they go_

The post thief strikes again

[the mama]

I have a great place to grow ginseng, but will deer and rabbits destroy my plantings?

[Dexter]

Most, or all of the ginseng growers in this region went out of business. I you plan to grow it commercially, research research research.

[fantasymaker]

Any idea why?

[charliesbugs]

I have been messing around with ginseng over 40years ,digging wild and growing it. The one thing that always come up is it is found with hardwood as as oak and maple. Oaks and hard maple do not grow where it is wet or has swampy conditions,or as an old saying goes ginseng does not do good with wet feet. The walnut issue I am not sure about,as I have some four prong growing10/15 ft. from some walnut trees that drop their nuts right on them, walnuts will grow about anywhere. I think Wis. Ann said it best there is a verytight window to growing" sang" which I think she means everything has to be just right. Ginseng will grow in very heavy shade, but will not produce much seed,the bigger and redder the seen pod tells if it is in a good spot, it does need sun not a lot, but some. I have some growing along a heavy shaded "crick" bank but there again conditions are just right. Have made a little money with it over the years selling seed and starter roots at fleamarkets but new regulations come out so I stopped that as 27 pages of can dos or can not dos leaves one wondering. As to getting rich , buy a lottery ticket. I hope this may help someone.