Buying ginseng rootlets for transplanting
For several reasons, my preferred method of starting a ginseng crop is planting stratified ginseng seeds, but there is one big advantage to planting rootlets instead: You get a one to two year head start on growing your crop which means you'll be able to harvest it and bank the proceeds that much faster.
The big downside to buying rootlets instead of seeds is the cost. As of this writing you can buy stratified seeds for as little as $40 per pound (7,000-8,000 seeds), but just 20 one year old rootlets will set you back around $15! And if you prefer to buy two year old rootlets it will cost you almost double that amount.
Of course not all of those 7,000-8,000 seeds in a pound will end up sprouting and growing into a ginseng plant, but even if only 1/3 to 1/2 of them make it you'll still end up with anywhere from 2,300 to 4,000 viable ginseng plants for your $40 initial investment. That's just a tiny fraction of what you would have to pay for that many rootlets.
All of that being said, many people do prefer to plant rootlets instead of seeds, and that's fine. Just make sure you purchase your ginseng rootlets from a reputable supplier as determined by you after asking for and checking out several references for each.
At $40 per pound for seeds, you can probably afford to take a chance on most any supplier, but when you're laying out a lot of cash for enough rootlets to plant a decent size ginseng crop you need to be extra careful.
Here are a few questions to ask the suppliers:
1 - How long have you been in the ginseng business? You'll want to steer clear of any fly-by-night operations regardless of the prices quoted.
2 - Are your rootlets grown under natural shade or man-made shade? When it comes to growing ginseng, natural is always better than man-made.
3 - What kind of guarantee do you offer to back up the sale? At a minimum they should offer to replace any rootlets that fail to come up the first spring after planting.
The following are questions that you should ask the references (customers) that the suppliers refer you to:
1 - Was the ordering process fast and easy or did you have problems getting information and assistance when requested?
2 - Was the order shipped promptly (or at the shipping time quoted when the order was placed)?
3 - Were the rootlets packaged securely and discreetly (and did they arrive in good shape)?
4 - If any problems arose, did the supplier work with you to resolve them to your satisfaction within a reasonable length of time?
5 - Overall, how satisfied are you with your purchase from this supplier, and would you buy from them again?
Conclusion: When planning to purchase ginseng rootlets, a little homework can go a long way towards ensuring that you receive what you pay for and that any problems are resolved as quickly a possible. It will also provide a little "insurance" for what could easily turn into an expenditure of several thousand dollars.