Keeping Ginseng Seeds

I’m late getting my seeds planted. They ordinarily would go in the ground in fall, but this year I didn’t get the opportunity to do so. Now we’ve got freezing temps and snow on the ground. The snow should melt soon, with more possible next weekend. So at some point this week I’ll get them planted if the weather allows.

In the meantime, they’re waiting in a yogurt cup full of coconut coir. And they’re doing just fine. Some have sprouted already, and most are ‘smiling’. When the next chance arrives, I’ll plant them into my seedling beds.

To keep seeds like this, the coir needs to stay moist and the temperatures need to fluctuate as they would in the wild. Except I don’t let them freeze. Since our house doesn’t have central A/C or heat, even the kitchen goes down to the 40’s at night. And there are some spots I can’t put them inside, or they might actually freeze, lol. I put them in the refrigerator for a few days at a time, and take them out for a week or so at a time. They’re looking great, so this is working out fine.

When will the seedlings be ready?

Once they unfurl and fully open, I’ll transplant the seedlings to pots. This usually happens from mid-April to the beginning of May. If you’d like me to let you know when they’re ready, email me. I’ll add you to my notification list.

When will the Habitat Garden be open?

It’s open for tours at about the same time as when the plants begin to unfurl. Email me if you’d like to be notified about this, too.