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RE: Gingseng planting: Farm the forest floor
Besides the root can you use any other parts of the plant? How old does the plant need to be before you can collect seed from it? Just out of curiosity as I doubt it would grow in my part of the world! Lol!
Also do you think you'll dot some of the plants around in other areas of the forest when you transplant to try and get the wild population back up and hopefully give more chance that it will be missed by poachers?
Absolutely!! The leaves, stems, berries and root can all be used. The leaves actually have some beneficial constituents that are higher than the roots! I'll be harvesting leaves next year for tinctures, I'll definitely be doing a post about the process when I do. The berries make excellent juice (save the seeds though!)
Absolutely we plant for wild population too. Every year as we walking around the woods this time of year we will take 10+seeds with us and just pop them in nice little spots here and there. I'll start my transplant work next week and will be doing the same thing with them here and there. We try to put them in areas where we see their natural companion plants and of course ideal habitat. I also gift seeds and transplants to local friends who have similar desires to see the plant make a comeback. I'm actually considering doing something similar on here and offering a stock or seed swap with them...do you think something like that would go over well?
That's interesting on the leaves being higher than the root in some ways. It seems so much more sustainable to the plant to harvest the growing parts over the root. I wonder if a trend can be turned more towards that in the supplements market. 🤔 Looking forward to seeing how you make tincture. It's it a long process? Oh yes, of course save the seeds! Precious little life givers. 😁
I think offering stock and seed swaps would go over fantastically within the homesteading group. I know in the US some are already doing that. I believe it's part of our culture to swap and share! 😆
Mountain Rose Herbs is now buying leaves from some people I know. I'm hoping we can join within the next few years with that. Harvesting the areal parts of the plant is much much more sustainable but it is definitely different medicine than the root, as with most herbs. I'm just beginning to learn about the leaf medicine. I first heard about it earlier this year at a forestry seminar. Look into the Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition if you are interested in getting started with growing woodland medicinals, great organization and resource for those of us in this movement.
I'll probably offer a swap within the next month!
I'm not sure if woodland plants is something I could grow here. I'm on an urban block anyway and in South Australia, so it probably wouldn't be anything like you would grow. Perhaps I should look into woodland plants for here though in case I do one day get somewhere I could do that sort of thing.
Oh i couldn't swap outside of the USA anyway. There are strict regulations surrounding that. :-/
Aussie imports are really tight anyway. No way they'd allow it. I was thinking more about researching native species here.
Do it! Do it! Do it!! I think every continent has plants that could use some assistance at the moment. Share what you find!