Indiana Ag Connection - Extension Field Day to Explore Ginseng Potential

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Extension Field Day to Explore Ginseng Potential
Indiana Ag Connection - 08/25/2016

Landowners who have an established reforestation plot or woodlands area can learn how to diversify it by attending a Purdue Extension field day on growing ginseng.

The Ginseng Field Day on Sept. 29 will offer an introduction to American ginseng, laws relating to ginseng harvesting and marketing, sources of seed and plants, planting site selection and preparation, planting and management options, timelines and economic models.

The event in West Lafayette will be held 5-8 p.m. Sept. 29, beginning at the Purdue University Richard G. Lugar Forestry Farm, 555 N. Sharon Chapel Road, and concluding at the Purdue John S. Wright Forestry Center, 1007 N. 725 W. Dinner will be served.

"We are looking at ginseng because there is a good market for it as an herbal remedy," said Lenny Farlee, Purdue Extension sustaining hardwood specialist. Most is sold to East Asian markets.

In addition, Ginseng requires shade, so it fits well into forest management and agro-forestry systems, he said.

Purdue researchers are planting ginseng in tree plantations to explore the potential for landowners to grow and harvest it while they wait for their timber to be ready for sale.

"There are a lot of uncertainties with this system, and the ginseng will take 7-10 years to mature, so this program in the first year is about outlining opportunities and resources," Farlee said. "It will take some time to know how to best manage this crop in tree plantings."

Farlee explained that most ginseng is collected as wild plants in the forest, grown by seeding into forests or grown under artificial shade in beds. The slow-growing forest ginseng has a much higher value per pound but is subject to deer and rodent damage, disease and theft. Ginseng grown in beds requires a large investment in equipment and supplies as well as management, and the faster growing roots are worth much less per pound than the wild-grown roots.

Participation in the field day is free, but registration is required. Registration is available at http://bit.ly/2b19yHi.

The field day is made possible by the state Legislature's AgSEED funding to Purdue University to support Indiana agriculture and rural development.

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