Superfoods From Your Garden - How to Grow Goji Berries

Growing your own superfoods is such a smart idea! And you can easily do it with a little guidance.

Today we are talking Goji Berries. They are a true powerhouse! And as many believe a fountain of youth. Goji Berries are also known as Wolfberries and they are  bright orange-red berries that come from a shrub that’s native in the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet and Mongolia. They are a member of the nightshade family (Solonaceae), which contains many other common vegetables such as potato, tomato, eggplant, and pepper, as well as some poisonous plants like belladonna and deadly nightshade. In Asia, Goji Berries have been eaten for generations in the hope of living longer. This little berries have been used for centuries in treating diabetes, high blood pressure, fever, and age-related eye problems. They can be eaten raw, dried, cooked or used in juices, medicines, wines and herbal teas.

So, what is it that makes Goji Berries a true Superfood? Well, they contain all essential amino acids, goji berries also have the highest concentration of protein of any fruit. They are also loaded with vitamin C, contain more carotenoids than any other food, have twenty-one trace minerals, and are high in fiber. Boasting 15 times the amount of iron found in spinach, as well as calcium, zinc, selenium and many other important trace minerals, there is no doubt that the humble Goji Berries are a true nutritional powerhouse.

Now you surely want to have them on your daily menu and what is the best way to do that then to grow your own Goji Berries in your garden? Believe it or not growing them requires very little time and resources. Here is all you need to know to do just that…

The Lycium barbarum variety of Goji Berry Plants are a perennial in zones 3 to 10, which means they are quite remarkably heat and cold tolerant.

Goji Berries grow well both in containers or in your garden soil. What is important to know is that they don’t like acid soil so checking your soil pH before planing them is essential. pH between 6.8 – 8.1 is just right. You can add lime to raise the pH if necessary or aluminum sulfate to lower it.

Goji Berries in Containers

The only disadvantage to growing Goji Berries in containers is that the plants will stop growing when their roots touch the bottom of the container. This is because Goji Berries grow deep. As for the advantages, first and most important is the fact that you may see your first Goji Berries in the first or second season instead of the third which would be the case if you grow them in your garden soil.

First thing to do is to purchase healthy Goji Berry bushes from a trusted nursery and replant them in a deep container one or two sizes larger filled with a well-draining potting mix. Fill the container, leaving 2 to 3-inches at the top. Make sure your container has drainage holes. Water well. If you have bought bare root plants place in a jar or container with room-temperature water and allow them to soak for about 15-minutes then proceed with planting them in your prepared containers. Place your container in a bright room where it can get plenty of sun. Keep the soil moist until you see new growth sprouting (usually in 2 weeks). It is best to water 2 times a week until established, then reduce to once a week. Fertilize the plant with a liquid fertilizer once every 14 days during the summer and fall growing season. If you are lucky enough you might see flowers and then fruits the first season, but mostly likely the second. Remember to prune your plants in the summer to control size.

Goji Berries in the Ground

Just choose a sunny location, plant your Goji Berry plants and watch them grow up to 8 to 10 feet tall! We recommend starting your plants in containers. Choose 4-6 inch peat pots. When you see new growths sprouting transplant your plants outside without getting them out of the peat pots. Don’t forget to check your soil’s pH. Mulch at least 3 inches deep with wood chips or leaves. You can expect full production of fruits in the third year.

Have in mind that the leaves have even more antioxidants than the berries. Goji berry plants lose their leaves in the fall, so be sure to pick them before the first frost. You can use them fresh as a savory addition to stir fries or salads, or dry them in a dehydrator. Also try crushing them for a healthy powder.

Pruning Goji Berries

Prune your Goji Berries during winter, but avoid heavy pruning the first year. Instead, make sure you identify the largest shoots that will be the main trunk and start with removing the lower lateral shoots. Keep the first 15 inches of the plant clear and when the plant reaches 24 inches remove the growing tip. This will stimulate the growth of additional side branches.

When your plant is an adult, pruning is much easier. Remove branches in order to keep the desired height and make sure you maintain that 15 inch clearness from the ground. You should always prune the plant after a heavy berry season as berries are produced on new growth only. Although fertilizer is not necessary, your plant will benefit from some kind of a regular feeding. When temperatures go bellow 50 degrees expect for your plant to go into dormancy until spring. Each early summer the plant will start producing small delicate flowers which will continue whole season until the fruit starts to grow. You’ll be picking your berries late summer/early autumn!

Superfoods From Your Garden - How to Grow Goji Berries