Growing Goji Berries – A Beginners Guide

Table of Contents

Growing Goji Berries

Introduction of Growing Goji Berries:- The Goji plant is a slightly thorny deciduous woody shrub, typically 3 to 6 ft tall when cultivated and pruned, although plants could reach 12 feet tall in their normal condition. Goji berry or Wolfberry leaves kind on the take either in an alternating structure or in packages of up to 3, each having either a lanceolate or egg-like form.

These species create a bright orange-red, ellipsoid berry 1 to 2 cm in diameter. The amount of seeds in each berry varies widely according to cultivar and fruit size, containing 10 to 60 tiny yellowish seeds which can be compressed with a curved embryo. China is number one in commercial Goji berry production. Goji berries can be grown indoors, in pots, containers, and in the greenhouse. Commercial growing of Goji berries will bring good profits under ideal horticulture cultivation practices. Growing Goji berries commercially increasing as they are known for their high medicinal values and nutritive values.

In case, you are not growing these berries on a commercial scale, It is much better to place the Goji berry plant inside your home or in a greenhouse during the first 6 weeks of its own development. But after it is fully grown, you are able to transplant the bush into your lawn or garden to make it further grow.

Growing Goji berries in a Pot:- If you wish to grow Goji berry plants in a pot, they should be started off in a 12″ Pot and re-potted annually whilst they are dormant until they finally reach a 55 cm-60 cm container. A general-purpose compost should be used with the A slow-release fertilizer is also added to The compost.

Growing Goji Berries in a pot.
Growing Goji Berries in a pot.

Scientific Name of Goji Berry:- Solanaceae.

Family Name of Goji Berry:- Nightshade.

Genus of Goji Berry:- Lycium.

Common Names of Goji Berry:- Goji, Himalayan Goji berry, goji berry, matrimony vine, boxthorn, or wolfberry.

Health Benefits of Goji Berry:- The following are some of the health benefits of Goji Berries.

Goji Berry Health Benefits.
Goji Berry Health Benefits.
  • Goji berries are a good source of antioxidants and nutrients.
  • Goji berries are good for skin health.
  • Goji berries help in protecting eye health.
  • Regular consumption of Goji berries can help in stabilizing blood sugar levels.
  • These berries are excellent in detoxifying the liver
  • Goji berries boost energy levels.
  • These berries are also helpful in boosting fertility.

Varieties of Goji Berry:- Crimson Star, Phoenix Tears, Big LifeBerry, and Sweet LifeBerry.a

Climate Requirement for Growing Goji Berries:- Goji berries may withstand both warm summers and cold winters. But this kind of plant doesn’t like too much water. If you live in a place with regular rain, you are able to keep your Goji plant indoors.

The plants do best in full sunlight, so pick a place in your backyard that receives sunlight all day. If you can’t find a location that will provide ample exposure to sunlight, maintain your Goji berry plant indoors and beneath a complete spectrum light for 2 hours every day. This will make certain that the plant yields the maximum berries. Usually, Goji plants need at least 8 hours of sunlight daily  for optimal growth and yield

Soil Requirement for Growing Goji Berries:- Goji berry plants can be grown on a wide variety of soils rich in organic matter with a pH range of 6.5 to 7.0. Avoid soils with salinity as these plants cannot tolerate this kind of soil. The ideal soils for optimum yield are well-drained light sandy loams. It requires good sunshine as well. Goji berries can be grown in USDA (Us department of agriculture) Hardiness Zones of 2 to 7. Commercial Goji berry growers should conduct a soil test for the feasibility of growing Goji berries. This test also makes you supplement any nutrient and micronutrient deficiencies in the soil.

Propagation in Growing Goji Berries:- Goji berry plant propagation may be done both with softwood (new growth) cuttings taken in the summer and with hardwood (old-growth) cuttings taken in the winter. Softwood cuttings have a tendency to take root more reliably.

Take your softwood cuttings in the summertime — cuttings must be 4″ to 6″ long with three or more sets of leaves. Take the cuttings in the early morning, when their moisture content is highest, and then wrap them in a moist towel to prevent them from drying out. Remove the leaves in the bottom half of the cuttings, dip the ends in a rooting hormone, and set them in tiny baskets of half perlite, half peat moss. Wrap and seal the strands in plastic bags and open up them every other day to permit air circulation. The crucial thing is to maintain the cuttings moist until they root. After a couple of weeks, eliminate the bag. Bring the pots indoors for their first winter to allow the plants to become established.

Land Preparation in Growing Goji Berries:- The selected field dedicated to Goji berry plantation should be well prepared. The most appropriate terrains are people who were used for annual crops of grass. During the fall or early in spring over the field have to be dispersed fertilizer of superphosphate 350 to 400kg/ha, potassium of 150kg/ha, and well-decomposed manure of 20 to 25 tonnes/ha, after that the field is ploughed at 30 to 35 cm depth one month prior to planting.

Spacing and Planting in Growing Goji Berries:- The Planting of Goji berries is done in spring or summer. Before planting the field is levelled as well as also marked. When developing large-scale plantations cultivated with machinery the plants have been planted in rows with 2 meters to 2.5 meters distance in between and also the 1.5 meters to 1.8 meters distance between the plants in the rows. For smaller plantations with hand cultivation, the distances between the rows are up to 1.5m and 1m involving the plants. The planting is created in holes, wide enough to place easily the plant roots. The young seedlings are carefully taken out of the container taking care not to disturb the root system. The plant is put in a little handmade hole. Take care not to place the plat deeper than it had been in the container. After planting the soil is nicely pressed and watered with 3 to 4 liters each. To avoid fast water evaporation cover the area with dry soil or use foil. After planting the soil between the rows is well pressed and we advocate using a little cultivator to make it friable. During drought, the young plantation is watered an additional 1 to 2 times in summer.

Irrigation in Growing Goji Berries:- These plants do not tolerate too much of water and avoid any water logging conditions. Make sure the soil has good moisture content until roots are established in the soil. Avoid water stress especially at the time of berry formation. The drip irrigation system would be a perfect choice for irrigation in growing Goji berries. Small-scale farmers can get 90% of subsidy on drip system from state government schemes in India.

Manures and Fertilizers in Growing Goji Berries:- Nothing was known about fertility requirements. However, an excellent starting point is to amend the field as for tomatoes. Nitrogen in 35 kg to 40 kg/acre each year is suggested for a mature planting, split into three applications applied at bud break, at flowering, and then as fruit begin to ripen. Plants are sensitive to high sodium levels; compost may be used to provide nutrients so long as sodium levels aren’t excessive. Manure should be supplemented as mentioned in the land preparation section of this article.

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Intercultural Operations in Growing Goji Berries:- Timely and proper intercultural operations are required for healthy growth of the trees, quality produce, and higher yields.

  • Pruning: The idea of pruning in growing Goji berries is to limit plant height, improve ease of harvest, promote light penetration into the plant, improve foliage drying, and also encourage the formation of lateral branches to maximize berry fruit yield. Canes that are un-tipped will continue to grow and produce few lateral branches while canes that are led back will produce more laterals and higher yields. The Goji berry plants usually are limited to 1 single main stem. Pruning should be carried out during the dormant period to remove spindly canes, remove dead and damaged wood, improve plant shape, and shorten laterals. During the summer, pruning should be carried to head back expansion, promote the lateral formation, and then eliminate fresh limbs. One of the most important goals of pruning is to create an open canopy structure that allows loads of sunlight infiltration.
  • Mulching: Mulching should be carried out at the plant base with natural mulch material like paddy husk, dry leaves to control weed growth and prevent water evaporation. This can also prevent soil erosion. The natural mulch martial also works as an excellent organic matter after some time.

Pests and Diseases in Growing Goji Berries:- Pests in growing Goji Berries include potato leafhopper, Japanese beetle, thrips, aphids, and spider mites. Spotted wing drosophila adults happen to be found in production fields though the degree of fruit infestation by larvae was not determined.

Diseases in growing Goji berries include anthracnose, early blight, and powdery mildew. Blossom end rot has been an issue as well if moisture levels were irregular. Aphids and gall mites happen to be problematic in other countries, and birds have been reported to have an affinity for their fruit.

Note: Your local horticulture department is a good source of finding information about pests and diseases in Growing Goji Berries. Don’t experiment on your own without knowing the symptoms and causes of pests and diseases.

Harvesting and Yield in Growing Goji Berries:- Plants first bloom in late spring to early summer, and fruit will begin to ripen in mid-summer. Presently, harvesting is carried out by hand, as the berries leak juice and turns black if they are bruised, or squashed. Berries are currently sold mainly as dried products, but they could also be sold and eaten fresh or turned into juice. Labor requirements are substantial. Goji berry trees Plants will begin fruiting 2 years following seeding, or the year following planting if the 1-year-old transplants are employed. The yield of the berries depends on variety, soil type, irrigation, plant age, and other cultivation practices. Total yields will be attained four to five years out of seeding. Maximum yields in China are reported to be approximately 3200 kg/acre.

Harvested Goji Berries Drying.
Harvested Goji Berries Drying.

Marketing of Goji Berry:- Goji berries can be transported to local markets for fresh consumption or Dried berries can be sold to wholesale markets.

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7 COMMENTS

  1. Blossom end rot, to my knowledge, is caused by too much Nitrogen in the soil. This article is very informative with lots of trustable ideal concepts for growing goji berries from pots. Thanks for the advice.

  2. Thank you so much Jagdish Reddy for the article. It is really helpful as I plan to start growing Goji berries commercially.

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