Goji Berries - easy to grow?

lbt_2

Hi

I have seen an offer in Good Food Magazine for a free Goji Berry Bush, and I just wondered if they are easy to grow, and whether I can grow them in a pot?

I have never had a goji berry before so maybe I should try one first!!!

Many thanks

Plum_Pie

You can buy dried ones in Holland and Barrett. There are suggestions on Old Style as someone bought some, didn't like them and asked for recipes.

Joe on Gardeners World planted them in his allottment in Friady's ep - maybe you could find on BBC iPlayer or the beeb site?

surfsister

How to Grow Goji Berries

Once established, goji berries are incredibly easy to grow. They’ll grow in almost any type of soil, and can even thrive in poor soil, as they are used to the mountainous regions in the Himalayas. They are reasonably drought-tolerant, and will even grow in partial shade (though you’ll get more berries from them if you grow them in full sun).


You can grow them from seed, or buy them as young plants. Buying young plants is far easier, as goji berry seeds are prone to rot in the compost and you’re less likely to get good results. The seedlings also need to be kept in warm conditions for 12 months, so for practical reasons, buying young plants is the more sensible option.
Once they’re a year old, however, they are perfectly winter hardy. Unchecked, they grow into a thick bush that reaches up to three metres tall, with vines that can grow to nearly four metres. If regularly pruned, they will form attractive small bushes that produce more berries as a result.

Growing

When your plants first arrive it is likely they will just look like bare twigs with some roots on. Don’t worry, this is normal. If planted straight away and watered well they will grow leaves within two-three weeks. Dig a hole around 50cm deep and wide and place the goji berry plant in it.

Firm the soil around the plant and water well. Leave about 1m between plants and mulch the area around the stems with leafmoluld or garden compost to keep the soil moist and well-nourished. You can even grow the bushes into a goji berry hedge; simply plant them 1m apart in a straight line.

Flowers

After two years the bushes will start to fruit, and from four years you’ll start to get very heavy yields. In early summer the bushes will produce small, delicate, trumpet-shaped flowers that will be either white or purple. Both coloured flowers can feature on one plant, so they provide visual interest before the berry production begins.

The berries will begin to set in autumn. The ripe fruit are sweet and juicy and almost shiny in appearance. The flowers will continue to bloom right up until the first frosts, however, so your plants will be red, white and purple throughout late summer and autumn.
They are beautiful to have in your garden, delicious, nutritious, and cheap and easy to grow. If you want health-boosting berries on tap you should consider investing in a goji berry bush or two.

http://www.fruitexpert.co.uk/GrowingGojiBerries.html

Good luck I've just bought some an planted in a pot

Farway

I started some from seeds, I used a reduced packet from Julina Graves, ate most but sowed some Jan time

So far I have 4 seedlings, time will tell how this works out, thanks to surfsister, now I know to keep them a bit warm until next year when they will go out, assuming they survive

waggys

Hi, we ordered 3 plants from Thompson and Morgan and to buy the berries is rather expensive. Plants arrived looking as twigs. However, are growing really well in pots; looking forward to receving our first crop!

potsofmoney_(I_wish)

There was a question on radio 4 (gardeners question time) from a guy who wanted a minimum effort garden which could also feed him, one of the panel recommended a Gogi Berry bush, apparently their very easy and produce well once they get going. I've ordered one from T and M as well so fingers crossed.

lbt_2

Hi surfsister

I love that website - it has loads of useful info.

Where did you order your bush from? I want to grow blackcurrants, gooseberries and blueberries too, and my local garden centre never seems to have what I want.

Thanks

buddywitch

Farway wrote: »

I started some from seeds, I used a reduced packet from Julina Graves, ate most but sowed some Jan time

So far I have 4 seedlings, time will tell how this works out, thanks to surfsister, now I know to keep them a bit warm until next year when they will go out, assuming they survive

How have you got on with the goji berries, did they manage to survive?

Farway

buddywitch wrote: »

How have you got on with the goji berries, did they manage to survive?

Yes they survived, I had 6 in the end.

One now has just got a few fresh leaves opening, the others just a glimmer of buds, but the lovely spring sunshine should bring them on

elliep_2

Did you just grow them from seeds inside the ones you get from the health food shop? I've not seen goji seeds anywhere else.

Farway

elliep wrote: »

Did you just grow them from seeds inside the ones you get from the health food shop? I've not seen goji seeds anywhere else.

Yes, that is just what I did, see my post this thread from last year [28-04-2008, 5:46 PM]

There are loads inside one berry, so not stuck for choice and you can eat the most of them you buy

PS, once germinated mine have been outside since last spring, but I am in southern Hampshire