This hardy deciduous shrub has gained a lot of fans in recent years. Every year it produces a rich harvest of nutritious red berries that can be eaten fresh, cooked in soup, or dried. The Goji Berry is not only healthy, but also beautiful to look at if it is properly cared for and given a suitable location. Depending on the variety, it bears fruit in the third year if it is grown from cuttings. The goji plant blooms in July but some varieties as early as June to August. It bears fruit between August and September.
A good harvest starts with choosing the right variety
It is not recommended to buy unverified wild Goji varieties offered by unreliable sellers. They are neither convincing in terms of taste nor do they produce enough fruit. The following varieties are recommended: BIG LIFEBERRY (high-yielding, strong bush, larger fruits), SWEET LIFEBERRY (numerous sweet-tasting fruits) and No.1 LIFEBERRY. Always buy from reliable and verified sellers. It is best to buy from a nursery grower.
Goji plant have vigorous roots that could spread aggressively
Goji plant naturally spread by root suckers, which can extend throughout the entire garden. This feature points to the unusual vitality of this species. Without root suckers growth control, the Goji plant will quickly become an unwanted weed. Some Goji growers recommend planting the shrub in a large container so that the roots do not drag through the garden, as they can reach very deep into the soil and are therefore difficult to dig it up. Goji plants are quite robust. They can survive very cold frost periods of around -25°C as well as (not too long) heat periods. Goji plants are self-fertile. No next plant is needed for pollination.
Planting and Location
The goji berry is relatively undemanding if it gets the right location. It needs a lot of sun and warmth so that it can bloom profusely and produce fruit. The best time to plant the goji plant is spring - the months of April and May. Goji plants need enough space to thrive. Plan on one square meter per plant. If you want to plant several Goji plants, leave 2 m of space between the plants. The root ball of the Goji plant is planted approx. 30 cm deep. Fertilize the plant with organic fertilizer - your own compost is ideal for this. If the plant was freshly planted, it needs a lot of water so that it can grow well. In dry summer months it is sufficient to water it once a week. But also make sure that the goji plant does not get waterlogged. She doesn't like that at all.
Regular Goji trimming is essential
The Goji plant can grow very large - up to 2 meters high and 1 meter wide. In the first year it can reach a height of 1 meter. Young shoots can grow up to 3 m long in a year. So that the plant looks good and can produce fruit, it should be cut - once or twice a year, in spring and autumn - depending on how fast it is growing.
The goji plant should not have more than 5 shoots. These shoots should not be longer than 50 to 60 cm. This means that if your plant develops long shoots, these must be cut back to a length of approx. 60 cm. At this point of the cut the plant will branch out again. That's why it becomes beautifully bushy, can supply its branches with the necessary nutrients and, as a result, produces plenty of fruit. Each cut causes the plant to branch out and become bushier and denser.
If the shoots are too long, the plant needs a lot of strength to support them. The result: it produces fewer flowers and fruits. The young and long shoots have a tendency to sink to the ground and take root again. This shouldn't happen under any circumstances. If the shoots are comparatively short, simply tie them up (e.g. on a stick with some floral wire). They then hold themselves together as they become woody over time. If they are very long, be sure to cut the shoots back.
If the goji plant is not cared for or is cared for only irregularly, it will overgrow everything and be prone to mildew. That's why regular pruning is absolutely necessary. If it still gets powdery mildew, you should avoid using pesticides because these penetrate the plant - and the health benefits of this plant are lost. Simply cut off the affected branches and throw them in the household waste - never in the compost.
Harvesting and processing the goji berries
Goji berries can be frozen or gently dried in the sun (or oven). This makes them last longer and you have a healthy nutritional supplement even in winter. It can also be eaten raw when fresh or made into juice. The goji berry is very versatile, as are its ingredients. You may need to sweeten your own goji berries. This depends not only on the variety or mineral-rich soil, but also on a warm, sunny summer.
