“ THERE IS POTENTIAL
While starting a crop from young roots is more expensive than raising planting stock
from seed, it reduces the time to harvest and allows only healthy roots to be selected
for planting out.
A potentially profitable option for indoor hydroponic growers with limited space is to
not grow ginseng for harvest of the mature product (which then needs to be carefully
dried before sale), but to propagate from seed and sell only one- to two-year-old roots to
other growers. Ginseng seedlings can be grown at a much higher density than mature
plants and respond well to hydroponic nutrition — this allows the production of high-
health planting stock which has not been in contact with soil and is well suited to
further soilless production. Starting with stratified seed which is usually for sale in fall,
this needs to be sown a half-inch to one-inch deep, with an average germination rate
of 70 per cent. Seed beds containing a mix of fine grade perlite and coconut fiber and a
high-quality, low-mineral water source are suitable for the germination process
TO IMPROVE YIELDS
AND GROWTH RATES
THROUGH CLIMATE AND
ROOT ENVIRONMENTAL
CONTROL AS WELL AS
OPTIMAL NUTRITION. ”
Top: French tarragon is slow growing but
receives high prices on the fresh herb
market. Bottom: Ginseng has shown
increased root growth when exposed to
high concentrations of potassium.
Hydroponic Systems for Ginseng
Hydroponic systems for ginseng have had limited research, however,
there is potential to improve yields and growth rates through climate
and root environmental control as well as optimal nutrition. Ginseng
requires low light levels (heavy shading is used for outdoor crops)
with light saturation occurring in both seedlings and mature plants
at about 150 micromoles m-2 s-1 (1) which is around 7.5 per cent
of full sunlight. Too much light will reduce yields, burn leaves,
and lead to plant decline, while excess shade depresses the
yield potential. Much of the photo assimilate produced by the
ginseng leaves ends up in the thickened root system, however,
the yield of the roots can be increased by up to 25 per cent if the
flowering stems are removed as they form. Temperatures for
ginseng are similar to those for other cool-season crops, around
68-73°F (20-23°C). Growing mediums for ginseng must be free
draining, but at the same time not impede the development of
the forked roots — coconut fiber, or mixtures of fiber and perlite
under drip irrigation are suitable. Overly wet substrate conditions
should be avoided as these attract fungus gnats, the larvae of which
can damage the roots and introduce infection. Some research has
also indicated that for high-quality root production, ginseng can be
grown aeroponically without the requirement for any growing medium.
Spraying roots for 30 seconds every 10 minutes in the light period, and for
30 seconds every 30 minutes during the dark, has been stated as a suitable
frequency. Ginseng can be prone to root rot and physiological disorders, so the use
of disease-free root stock is recommended along with high quality water sources
and solution disinfection. There is little information on suitable nutrient ratios or
elemental levels for hydroponic ginseng, however, a low EC of 0.5-1.1 has been
suggested for solution culture system. A high concentration of potassium has also
been stated to result in an increase in ginseng root growth.
Harvesting ginseng roots at the end of the growth period occurs when they have
reached a fresh weight of around an ounce. Harvesting needs to be carefully carried
out as damaged roots receive lower prices than intact ones. After harvest, substrate
grown roots need to be washed then dried in drying rooms with forced air to ensure
mold growth does not occur. Once dried, roots can be packed and stored until sold.
Profitable hydroponic crops for indoor growers are worth a little investigation into
market prices and cultivation techniques, taking into account yields, growing space,
and time to maturity. However, many opportunities and a diverse range of crops
exist within niche markets, even if some trial and error may be needed to perfect a
new commercial enterprise.
Maximum Yield
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