How to start ginseng?

As a family herbalist, with a burgeoning love of gardening, and deep desire to grow my own perennial herbs, something I've been wanting to learn is how to grow my own ginseng. I live in the woods, so a forest garden is pretty much a no-brainer, because the one thing I know about ginseng's preferred habitat is forest. But, I've not found any, yet (I'm in the Missouri Ozarks, so not impossible). I *could* also do it as a tree guild member, but I really want to start it and let it naturalize on our acreage. But, I have no idea where to start with it. Thoughts?

Johnny’s sells seeds. They need stratification, or fall planting.  A few seeds are expensive, but buying a bulk bag isn’t much more. We bought a big bag and planted anywhere we thought it had a chance. Hasn’t been long enough to know if it worked.

It’s picky about soil and light—they grow where it’s so shaded almost nothing else grows. Northern or eastern slopes.  Often the same areas that fiddle head ferns grow.

Search on YouTube for wildcraft simulated.

I planted some ginseng and golden seal several years ago in our small wooded area in zone 6, but none of it took.  It was a swampy woods, with more softwoods than hard, so probably not the best environment, but I wanted to try anyway.  I planted them on what little north facing slopes I could find, sheltered behind trees, not too far from the creek.

We've just moved to a zone 5 hardwood forested area, so I will try again this fall.  We do have a north facing slope here and lots of ferns, so hopefully this time will be better.  

Ginseng grows in similar soil condition where you can find abundant mayapple and trillium as understory species in hardwood forest. Do you have those indicators in your woods?

May Lotito wrote:Ginseng grows in similar soil condition where you can find abundant mayapple and trillium as understory species in hardwood forest. Do you have those indicators in your woods?

I need to do some more detailed exploring once we're unpacked, but I do believe I saw some mayapple not too far off the long driveway that goes through the wooded area.  I'll keep my eyes open for trillium now too, thanks!  Our soil is quite sandy, but there's a decent duff layer in the woods, so I have hope...