Goji Berry Growing Guide

Lycium barbarum

Goji Berry

Crop Rotation Group

Solanaceae (Potato and tomato family) ●

Soil

Moist, well-drained soil enriched with plenty of compost.

Position

Full sun to part shade.

Frost tolerant

Established plants are winter hardy at least to -23°C (-10°F ). Goji berry grows best where summers are hot and winters are mild.

Feeding

None needed, but young plants require steady moisture to become established.

Spacing

Single Plants: 2.00m (6' 6") each way (minimum)
Rows: 2.00m (6' 6") with 2.00m (6' 6") row gap (minimum)

Sow and Plant

Start seeds indoors in late winter, and grow under bright light. Set out hardened-off seedlings or a purchased plant in spring at about the time of your last frost. Water regularly to keep the roots from drying out.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalised calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.

Notes

Native to China, Goji berry is considered invasive in parts the US, please keep this in mind if you are in parts of Australia or New Zealand with conditions that favour the spread of the plant. Plants have very vigorous roots that spread aggressively into nearby soil. The berries are high in antioxidants, and often are considered a superfood.

Harvesting

Pick goji berries when they turn a deep red colour and pull away freely with a gentle tug. Gently wash and dry berries to be used in teas. Or, cook the seedy berries into a juice for making syrup. Fruits left on the plant will be harvested by animals and birds in early autumn.

Troubleshooting

Goji berries are subject to winter injury, but new plants can be grown from surviving buds taken from near the base of the plants. Prune plants more than two years old to remove old wood and control the height of the plants. Cutting back growing tips in spring encourages the plants to produce heavy-bearing lateral branches. In Australia fruit fly are a pest of goji berries, make sure to take appropriate control measures in areas where they are present. It is important to dispose of any infected fruit and fruit has fallen to the ground by placing them in a sealed plastic bag in the sun for at least 7 days to kill the eggs and larvae. Do not compost fruit as this will lead to the fruit fly completing their life cycle and lead to the problem re-occuring.

Planting and Harvesting Calendar

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Pests which Affect Goji Berry