May 13, 2010
Barbara Simpson
Simcoe Reformer

Local ginseng growers are already off to a rocky start this season.

Monday morning's widespread frost has damaged the perennial herb, particularly first year seedlings that haven't laid down roots.

In fact, local grower Doug Bradley has lost a 10-acre field west of Lynedoch due to the recent blast of frost. It is the same field he lost a year ago when frost settled in during the May 24 weekend.

"The first-year seedlings don't have roots, so when the top goes, they're done," explained Bradley, who is also chair of the Ontario Ginseng Growers Association.

The frost also plagues mature ginseng crops. The snap of cold can reduce the yield of seed. It can also freeze stems to mush, making them more prone to disease.

This May freeze is a similar start to last year's ginseng growing season -- a season that proved to be riddled with difficult growing weather. Frost coupled with rain and a lack of heat led to the loss of first year seedlings, a lack of root growth, and even mould and root rot due to the damp conditions.

But this blast of frost didn't only impact local ginseng growers.

Asparagus has also fallen victim to frost across North America, said Brenda Lammens, who grows the crop with her husband Raymond in the Langton area.

Frost hit growers from Harrow in southwestern Ontario to Prince Edward County in eastern Ontario and into Quebec, says Lammens, who serves as the chair of the Ontario Asparagus Growers' Marketing Board. Frost in Michigan proved to be even worse.

"Asparagus is down for the week and the supply chain in North America is shut down for the week," Lammens said. "Hopefully by the end of the week, we'll be going again because it doesn't look like it will be too warm."

Lammens lost 85% to 90% of the asparagus that was up.

"I know everything in one 10-acre field was frozen," Lammens said.

Damaged asparagus was also being cut at the Lammens' farm.

She said the crop will come back, but it will take heat. The rain forecast for midweek is needed as high winds on the weekend dried the soil out.

"It's going to be a slow week," Lammens said.

Local ginseng growers also realize that conditions could be worse. Fellow ginseng growers in Wisconsin have been riddled with snow in May.

"They're in really poor shape this year," Bradley added.

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