{"id":2505,"date":"2019-06-12T07:35:09","date_gmt":"2019-06-12T07:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardener.guide\/?p=2505"},"modified":"2020-01-22T09:39:55","modified_gmt":"2020-01-22T09:39:55","slug":"14-insights-on-how-to-grow-goji-berry-in-your-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardener.guide\/14-insights-on-how-to-grow-goji-berry-in-your-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Insights on How to Grow Goji Berry in Your Garden"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Even though goji berries have experienced a spike in popularity in the past ten years, they\u2019ve been around for more than ten thousand. Originally from China, they can be found in gardens all over the world today \u2013 and they could make the perfect new addition to yours.

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Why would you choose to plant your own goji berry plant? They\u2019re one of the best possible sources of anti-oxidants, and they can provide you with a healthy snack and a way to boost your immune system \u2013 but more than this, there are few things that can be as exciting as harvesting berries from your own garden after months of hard work.
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They\u2019re not as hard to grow as you might imagine, and they grow happily in pots and in the ground in the majority of different climates and areas.  
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Here are 8 insights on how to grow goji berry in your garden.
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1. Selecting a Plant<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first thing a gardener should do once they\u2019ve decided to grow goji berries in their garden or in pots is to select a suitable plant to start with. This can usually be done by going to a local nursery, but there are also many great and reliable online retailers that you can order from \u2013 and many will ship your plants in an almost-ready-to-plant state.
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When selecting a suitable goji berry plant, a lot of gardeners choose to opt for plants that are at least two or three years old. While you can grow them from seeds, this can take up to three years or longer from the time the seeds go in the ground \u2013 and many gardeners would much rather have the two to three-year head start.
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Once you\u2019ve chosen your plant, goji berry plants need to be made accustomed to the conditions in which you want to grow them: They won\u2019t cope if they\u2019re just planted directly.
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2. Readying Your Plant<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the most important things to do for goji berry planting is to ready your plant for the conditions in which you\u2019d like to plant them. This isn\u2019t something that applies to most other plants, and it often surprises first-time goji berry gardeners that any of this is necessary at all.
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First, start off by putting your goji berry plant indoors rather than outdoors. Put it in an area where it gets access to at least four hours of shade during the day, and a couple more hours of direct sunlight.
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From there, keep your goji berry plants in these comfortable indoor conditions for at least two to three days, and then start to move them gradually further towards the outside. Leave them outside for an hour or two before bringing the plant back in.
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Over a week\u2019s period, increase the time the plant spends outside \u2013 and at the end of this week period, it should be ready for planting.
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3. Readying Soil Conditions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Soil conditions are one of the most important factors if you want to ensure that your entire garden is happy, and this is one part of the planting process that can start some weeks before you intend to plant anything in the ground. First, start off by marking areas in your garden on a diagram with which type of soil is predominant \u2013 things like gooseberries, blackberries and especially goji berries prefer to have access to very moist soil.
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Start off by working through the area you\u2019d like to plant with a gardening fork. Remove all traces of plant material or rocks until the soil has a smoother consistency. Then, you want to add at least one good layer of compost to the soil.
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Measure the pH of the soil once you\u2019re done to make sure that the conditions are optimal. The next step, Readying Soil Conditions Further, can help if your soil conditions aren\u2019t right just yet.
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4. Enriching the Soil Further<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve done the initial soil readying phase and you\u2019ve noticed that your soil isn\u2019t at the level where it should be for planting, then soil can be enriched further and adapted until it\u2019s where you need it to be.
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In order to reduce the acidity levels of soil before planting gooseberries, more compost can be mixed into the soil as an easy method \u2013 sometimes lime can also be added into the soil to decrease the acidity levels.
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Other times the levels of acidity might be too low instead, in which case you want to raise it: Add some diluted vinegar (one spoon to a gallon) and add this to the soil. Then measure pH levels again to see if it\u2019s closer to the optimal conditions.
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Remember that enriching the soil is a process that doesn\u2019t stop here: Acidity levels should be checked several times per year, especially if plants show any signs of unhappiness.
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5. Planting<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Goji berry plants should be made accustomed to the conditions in which you hope to grow them as we described above \u2013 and only after this are they ready to be planted in the ground. When you want to do the actual planting, it\u2019s best to do this on a cloudy day where plants won\u2019t get exposed to too much direct sunlight or wind.
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Goji berries are best planted deep into the ground: Start off by digging the hole and mixing in some compost, although when using store-bought fertilizer you should be careful to keep any of it away from directly touching the roots to avoid scorching.
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Sometimes goji berries can be supported with either a trellis or stick planted in the ground after planting, and this is especially recommended if you live in an area that gets more wind.
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If you choose to keep them in pots instead, they can grow just as happily either indoors or outside when kept in pots as long as the roots have enough room to breathe.
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6. Issues<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Goji berries have been around for more than five thousand years, which means that they\u2019re not nearly as complicated to grow as you might have imagined \u2013 especially not if most of the work has been done already in terms of getting the plant growing up to a two or three-year level
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At the same time, this doesn\u2019t mean that goji berry plants are completed effortless to grow, and there are still some common issues which might affect your goji berry plants.
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If you notice any yellowing of the leaves, it could mean that your goji berry plant is getting access to too much sunlight; in this case, netting can help to filter out the worst of the sun\u2019s rays.
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Sometimes yellowing leaves can also point to inadequate watering, common after a drought has occurred.
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There are also some types of diseases that might affect goji berry plants: In this case, it can be best to remove the affected plant entirely if it hasn\u2019t affected the rest.
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7. Pruning<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re growing your goji berry plant from seeds, it can take years before your plant is going to need any official pruning. Of course, if you instead choose to get your goji berry plant going from an existing three-year plant instead, the pruning phase can start off a few weeks after you\u2019ve put your plant into the ground \u2013 although not too soon.
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It\u2019s usually best for gardeners to develop a natural feel for when to prune their plants instead of relying on a set schedule to do it. Take a closer look at the plants and prune away any leaves that are dying off \u2013 this is more likely to happen after the plant has born fruit around the time the seasons change, but can sometimes happen at any point through the year.
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Don\u2019t over-prune your goji berry plant; this is just as bad as letting it waste energy by under-pruning.  <\/strong>
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8. Harvesting<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Harvesting is the part that gardeners spend most of the year waiting for, and it\u2019s why many gardeners choose to plant stronger plants that are closer to the flowering stage rather than planting their goji berries from seeds instead. When harvesting from goji berry plants, you want to do this based on how the berries feel \u2013 you\u2019re looking for a firm berry on the plant.
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Once the berries have gone soft, then you might notice that you have left them on for too long. These can be discarded, but can also be turned into jams or preserves if they are on the soft side that aren\u2019t suitable for anything else.
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Once you\u2019ve harvested from your goji berry plant, it\u2019s an ideal time to also trim the plant to ready it for the next growth phase. Sometimes people in colder areas might prefer to move their plants or span netting to protect them from the cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Growing Goji in Pots
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You can grow your goji in pots as well. Similar to raspberries, goji berries like to produce a long taproot, so you\u2019ll need a minimum 5-gallon container to accommodate the root structure. Growing your goji in containers will result in a smaller plant, but you get the benefits of reducing the chance of developing disease or pests in the plant.
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We recommend that you try using a material pot. Standard pots come from plastic, and as a result of the solid barrier around the container, the plant does not get much airflow to the roots, slowing growth. Material pots allow air to reach the root system, encouraging the rapid growth of the goji bush.
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Gojis planted in pots will still finish at the same time as those planted in the ground. However, you can also transplant goji bushes from the material pots into raised beds as well, the airflow makes the transition easy for the plant, speeding up its recovery from the stress of the transplant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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10. Transplanting Tips
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Transplanting goji berries requires a green thumb and a proven strategy to reduce stress on the plant. Before your transplant, prepare the flower bed to receive the plant. Dig a hole the same size as the material pot housing the goji bush. Sprinkle the bottom of the hole with mulch, and add some enzymes and beneficial bacteria to the soil.
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Remove your goji from the material pot by loosening the roots – to do this, fold in the sides of the container. Then, place the stem of the bush between your index and middle finger, and turn the plant upside down. The material pot should pull off easily, allowing you to plant the goji in its new home.
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It\u2019s best to do transplants on cloudy days when it\u2019s raining. Transplanting in the hot sun will increase stress on the goji bush. Always remember to water the plant thoroughly after transplanting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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11. Threats to Goji Berries
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Insects and birds can devastate your goji berry bush if you don\u2019t take care of it throughout the season. To protect your crop, cover the bushes with mesh netting to prevent birds from eating your berries. Most local gardening supply stores will have a range of nets to suit your garden and your plants.
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We recommend you go for the plastic netting, as we find it lasts longer than chicken wire. However, make sure that your mesh has enough space in-between the grid to allow for pollinators to enter and feed off of the plant. It\u2019s best if you wait till after pollination to set up your mesh.
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Goji berries are a favorite food of deer, rabbits, and chickens, that will do anything they can to get a hold of your gojis, right as they are ready to harvest. Set up a sturdy fence around your veggie garden to prevent deer and other animals from entering the growing area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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12. Goji Berry Disease
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Goji berry bushes are not for the amateur gardener. This tropical berry tends to experience disease easily, and it’s challenging to help them recover from issues like powdery mildew. If you notice that your plants look like someone broke into your veggie patch and went wild with a bottle of talcum powder \u2013 then you have a powdery mildew problem.
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In this case, it’s best to rent a blower from your garden service store, and dose your plants with sulfur to remove the mold. Anthracnose is another fungus that attacks the berries as they start to ripen, resulting in the development of a circular spot on the surface. As the disease progresses, the affected area starts to sink. Eventually, the spot turns dark, and the fruit begins to rot.
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Avoid watering your plants overhead, as this strategy may cause the onset of mildew. Always clear your garden of all plant debris, as many fungi can overwinter the season by hiding in dead plant debris.
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13. Why is My Goji Not Producing Berries?
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The growing season is coming to a close, and your goji bush is still not producing fruit \u2013 what gives? There are a variety of reasons why your bush may not be bearing berries this season. The first and most obvious reason is that goji does not bear fruit in their first season, the plants only start producing berry\u2019s in the second or third year after planting.
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It\u2019s for this reason that expert growers purchase 3-year old goji bushes for transplanting into the garden. Using this strategy allows you to benefit from a berry harvest, and it also helps you to avoid the growing pains associated with rearing goji from seed.
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Goji bushes also require full sun to bear fruit, so if you have your plant in a shady area, transplant it into the light. Soil pH is also a significant concern. Take a sample of your soil to a nursery for analysis, goji grow best in soil with a pH of between 6.8 and 8.1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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14. Drying Goji Berries
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As the season comes to an end, it\u2019s time to harvest your goji. The flowers of the tree start to turn into berries at the end of the summer, continuing into the late weeks of the fall. It\u2019s easy to damage goji when picking them from the tree, and unripe berries won\u2019t have the same sweet flavor as finished berry\u2019s.
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However, you can use this tip for harvesting your goji \u2013 place a plastic sheet around the base of the tree, and give the stem a good shake. The action will cause all the ripe berries to fall to the floor, where you can easily scoop them up off of the plastic. Continue this practice of shaking the tree every day, until all of the berries have fallen from the branches.
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You can eat the berries fresh, or leave them to dry out in the sun. Sundried goji are fantastic in trail mix for a healthy snack that gives you plenty of energy throughout the day.
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