Cornstalks stripped of husks, bean vines, cowpea hay, and buckwheat straw are also suitable if they do not contain weeds, seeds, or other materials attractive to rodents. Many growers of ginseng oppose excessive fertilizer use, as heavy use of chemical and barnyard fertilizers lessens the resemblance of cultivated ginseng to the wild root variety. Overmanuring also forces growth and lowers the resistance of ginseng to disease attacks. Some growers alleviate this problem by fertilizing with leaves or old sawdust of hardwood trees, or with ground-up, rotted hardwood. Others prefer woodland soil or rotted leaves four to six inches deep, spaded to a depth of about eight inches with fine raw bonemeal well worked in and applied at the rate of one pound per square yard.
Rodents can be the worst enemy in the cultivation of ginseng.
Fence beds should be constructed to keep out animals and to discourage theft. For subterranean rodents, the beds should be protected with boards or close mesh wire netting set 12 to 18 inches in the ground. Traps may also help control problems. Ginseng is also susceptible to fungal diseases associated with excess soil moisture and a lack of adequate ventilation. Errors in fertilization and soil treatments can also lower the plant's resistance to diseases.