Chapter 10: Ginseng Calendar

New growers frequently ask for a calendar of events for ginseng farming. The following table is provided for suggestion only. Repetitive themes will become self evident.

Please note: This calendar has been designed for artifically cultivated (under plastic netting) ginseng produced west of the Cascades in Washington, Oregon and northern California. The significant climatic differences in areas east of the Cascades would alter many of the pratices listed below.

Winter months: January-March
The winter months are devoted to clearing land and ensuring that all implements are ready for the season. New fields should be carefully walked and low spots noted and flagged. During the usual early February dry spell west of the Cascades, woody brush can be killed by girdling, or pulled out with heavy machinery. In late March just before the plants emerge, soil drenches of root rot combative fungicides should be applied if the ground lacks excellent drainage. If there are winter annuals growing in the established beds during years 1-4, one application of Roundup, broadcast applied, will kill them. Be sure that the ginseng is still dormant! Late March is the time to fertilize established beds.

Month	Year
	0	1	2	3	4
January	Walk prospective pasture or woodland, consult soils map	Attend NW Ginseng Growers meeting in Portland, OR	Attend NW Ginseng Growers meeting in Portland, OR	Attend NW Ginseng Growers meeting in Portland, OR	Attend NW Ginseng Growers meeting in Portland, OR
February	Flag low spots, cut any trees, and push or pull them out	Calibrate boom sprayer, tune-up tractor	Bait for mice, trap moles; indoor mechanical work	Attend BC Ginseng Growers Annual Meeting	Attend BC Ginseng Growers Annual Meeting
March	Drag out all woody debris	Apply Roundup broadcast to kill winter weeds, apply Ridomil or Alliette; fertilize	Ridomil or Alliette; boom spray Roundup; fertilize	Apply Ridomil or Alliette; boom spray Roundup; fertilize	Apply Ridomil or Alliette; boom spray Roundup; fertilize

Spring months: April-June
Growers will need to be present to ensure that the plants are protected with fungicides; the shade panels are spread out and secured, and that weeds are pulled when they are still small. New fields are prepared in April and May. Cover crops should be seeded by mid-June. All pests, including slugs, mice, moles should be controlled.

Month	Year
	0	1	2	3	4
April	Spray Roundup to kill pasture	Spray Rovral and/or fixed copper; unfurl shade panels in 3rd week of the month	Spray Rovral and/or fixed copper; unfurl shade panels	Spray Rovral and/or fixed copper; unfurl shade panels	Spray Rovral and or fixed copper; unfurl shade panels
May	Disc pastures 2x once grass is dead, seed cereal cover crops on new ground	Apply Rovral and or fixed copper; reapply sawdust as needed; hand weed; bait for slugs	Apply Rovral and/or fixed copper; re-apply sawdust as needed; hand weed; bait for slugs	See last year; look for used potato harvester; prep. new ground; bait for slugs	Build dryer or seek out lease space to dry root in the fall, trap or kill critters
June	Visit established farms	One final fungicide application before June 15, hand weed	Final fungicide; seed cereals when rain is forecasted	Final fungicide; seed cereals on new ground when rain is forecasted	Fungicide, cover crops; seed cereals

Summer months: July-August
During early July through the end of August plan to do some weeding as well as take time off for a well deserved 2-week vacation. Ginseng berries will be ready for harvest in late August. After de-pulping them and extracting the seeds, begin stratifying them. New fields should be prepared for fall planting. Established sand boxes will need to be un-earthed in late August and the seed carefully cleaned. Growers can either store the seed until sowing it in late September, or sell some of it to new growers. Enjoy the beautiful Northwest summers with friends and relatives.

Month	Year
	0	1	2	3	4
July	If cover crops are not used, add amendments	Weed; hire temporary workers so you can take a vacation	Plan for a 2-week family vacation; submit leaf samples for nutrition analysis	Plan a 2-week family vacation; submit leaf samples for nutrition analysis	2 week family vacation; submit leaf samples for nutrition analysis
August	Harvest cereals, and disc the stubble twice, order planting supplies	Prepare ground for next planting	Prepare ground for next planting; remove any berries	Pick berries; de-pulp them, load sand boxes; prep for 4th planting	Harvest berries; prep machinery for harvest (consider custom work)

Fall months: September-November
There never seems to be enough time in September! New fields will need to be shaped, planted, and finally mulched. Either hand or machine harvesting will occur on 4-year old beds. New growers should consider contracting out the digging if they don't have a modified potato harvester. Shade cloth will need furling after approximately September 10. Once dug, roots should be allowed to wilt before they are given a brief wash and then dried. It will take 10-12 days to dry them all. Fresh root can be dug on the nicer days and shipped off via UPS to buyers as needed.

Month	Year
	0	1	2	3	4
September	Final discing, shape beds, set poles, string cable, set anchors	Plant 2nd garden, furl up shade panels, attend NW Ginseng Grower's Field Day after having joined the Association	Plant 3rd garden, furl up shade, attend NW Ginseng Grower's Field Day	Plant 4th garden, furl shade, attend NW Ginseng Grower's Field Day	Plant, mulch, dig root, let it wilt, wash root, attend NW Ginseng Grower's Field Day
October	Sow seed, apply mulch, observe dryer at neighbors farm	Mulch 2nd garden; consider transplanting	Plant and mulch 3rd garden, consider transplanting 2-year roots if you have good soil drainage	Observe dryer at neighbors farm	Load dryer, dig fresh root
November	Visit a Chinese market (L.A., San Francisco, Vancouver, B.C..	Visit ginseng web sites, think marketing	Visit ginseng web sites, think marketing	Learn how to write web pages	Sort big root, cut ‘bullets’, dig fresh root

December
There is not much happening outside in the ginseng gardens this month. Enjoy the holidays with fellow growers, as well as family members. Keep close to your home computer where you can surf the net looking at ginseng related Web pages. You may even design your own Web page to advertise your dried ginseng, fresh root, and value-added products that you have manufactured.

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Special thanks to John Schroeder (chestnut@worldaccessnet.com), secretary for the Northwest Ginseng Growers Association, for letting me use the original Ginseng Calendar he authored in 1995.