Abstract: Background: In Changbai Mountains, Panax ginseng (ginseng) was cultivated in a mixture of the humus and albic horizons of albic luvisol in raised garden with plastic shade. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of ginseng planting on soil characteristics.Methods: The mixed-bed soils were seasonally collected at intervals of 0-5, 5-10 and 10-15 cm for different-aged ginsengs. Soil physico-chemical characteristics were studied using general methods. Aluminium (Al) was extracted from the soil solids with NH4Cl (exchangeable Al, Ex-Al3+) and Na-pyrophosphate (organic Al, Alp) and was measured with an atomic absorption spectrophotometer.Results: A remarkable decrease in the pH, concentrations of exchangeable calcium (Ex-Ca2+), NH4+, total organic carbon (TOC) and Alp, as well as a pronounced increase in the bulk density were observed in the different-aged ginseng soils from one spring to the next. The decrease in pH in the ginseng soils was positively correlated with the NH4+ (r=0.463, p