Collection pools can be dug to contain water run-off from ginseng gardens. Note the trench dug from the garden at the left to the collection pool. Such a pool should be in a low area and be deep enough to hold water from run-off after heavy rains. This garden also has trenches that have a generous covering of straw to avoid splashing. A garden that becomes flooded is susceptible to rusty root.
Rusty root can be a result of exposure of ginseng roots to excess water in the soil.
Symptoms can be similar to Rhizoctonia infection and even to some types of Cylindrocarpon infection. Low temperature injury also results in rusty root symptoms. Damage to the root is somewhat superficial but nevertheless is often enough to downgrade the root in the marketplace. This information is provided as a public service, but we cannot guarantee that the information is current or accurate. Readers should verify the information before acting on it.