[danmac]

Yes, I reckon you are right, Cooler. I might create an artificial hedge later in the year using chicken wire or the like, as I don't really have a suitable natural hedge, or at least a hedge that is suitably positioned.
I found another site with some reasonably good pics of goji plants as they are grown commercially in China. Apparently they belong to some California based health food company who went out to look at their crops. Anyway, pages 12 through to 15 of their trip pictures contain the photos.
For anyone interested look here:
http://www.caoh.org/gojipictures12.html

[cooler]

Seems they are quite floppy or vinelike alright danmac. From that page you linked to "All of the vines are organically farmed and are between five and six years old. ". VINES and an idea of how long to wait for a good commercial crop. You will probably have to wait a shorter time to satisfy your needs, plus you have loads of plants.

[soonerhubler]

I registered here because of this thread. I recently (last week) sprouted some Goji seeds from some dried berries. After that and reading this thread, I went crazy and am now potting another 20 seeds in hopes of creating more plants. FYI, they're growing well here in Oklahoma so far.

[Sb]

[danmac]

It's all part of my plan for world domination, hehe.
Seriously, it's really nice to hear that others are also getting started with some goji plants in various places around the world. I hope that you all succeed and that we all get lots of berries.

[soonerhubler]

[shaffy712]

I have been reading a whole lot about how to grow the seeds from a Goji Berry. This seems like it is the only site that has anyone talking about how to grow them from dried seeds, but there are plenty of sites out there on how to grow them from internet bought seeds that were never dried like the shade dried berries were.

Just and FYI: It does take typically 3 years for the plant to finally start to Berry. But it blooms with mostly purple (and sometimes white and purple) beautiful flowers. meanwhile so it is still really pretty to look at. I have personally never grown them but I wanted to thank everyone here who shared their knowledge! I just extracted my seeds from my shade dried organic goji berries (which was a pain!) and then planted them in my transplant shock free "cow pots". Google them, they are great pots! We shall see if I have any of the success the few of you have had! Thanks for helping me out!

-Kerry

[MrDamon]

I see the thread creator has not been active on the forum for almost a year now but does anyone else have any updates on similar projects started around the same time as danmac or shall I get a batch going myself..?

[Belfast]

I got some goji berries germinating too now.

I found the germination rate very low.

after 3 attempts I now have lots of seedlings.

How old do Goji berries have to be before they produce fruit?

[sineadfoxy]

Hey all, just bought 3 goji plants today in Aldi in Carlow for €2.65each and was looking up what to do with them as I wasn't too sure what I had bought! Now after looking at the thread I feel like such a cheat! I was after googling it and looks like they get BIG! 3mtrs high! I just plonked them in beside my blueberries! I'll have to post a few pics of what I have tomorrow!

[sal]

just saw this topic,and in my cupboard i have 3 sample packets of gojo berries mixed with other things,i picked them up in milltown market a while back,so now i`m going to give this a go too,as is my daughter ,i like the plants ,they look good anyway even if they dont grow the berries,and as i live about 4 miles from castleisland will look in the old curiosity shop for the feed.

[Belfast]

Growing Goji Berries
They’re the latest ‘must have’ miracle berry in celebrity circles. Said to banish cellulite, boost your immune system, contain more vitamin C than oranges and more iron than steak, this Himalayan berry is quite a catch. There’s one problem though, they’re very expensive to buy. Good news then, that these little red berries can be grown in the UK’s climate easily, and you can eat piles of fresh goji berries throughout the summer months from just a few, small bushes.

Growing your own goji berries is not only kinder to your wallet; it’s kinder to the environment too. They are now commercially grown in China, Mongolia and Tibet. The food miles involved in shipping them over to health shops in the UK are quite substantial, so if you have room for a bush or two in your garden or on your balcony, they’ll be a wealth of benefits involved.

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

aslo
http://www.buygojiberriesonline.co.uk/growing-goji/growing-goji-berries.html

Goji Berry Plant
Lycium barbarum

Whilst some may pretend Goji Berries are new to the UK and a secret to the Western world it is well documented that Goji’s were first introduced to the UK in the 1600’s. The name ‘Goji’ is fairly new and is based on the Chinese name ‘Gou Qi Zi’ – before this it has been known as The Chinese Wolfberry, The Matrimony Vine, The Chinese Boxthorn, The Red Medlar and even The Duke Of Argyll’s Tea Tree. Surprisingly it is known to be a naturalised specie in the UK, being found in hedgerows in some parts of the Country.

What has only recently been brought to the attention of much the UK populace is the purported wonderfood status of this berry, and to this end below we detail below some of the truly miraculous medicinal benefits of the Goji Berry

Forgetting all the health benefits of Goji's, they are a lovely fruit. Eat them fresh (shake them from the plant to prevent your hands oxidising them and making them go black), or dry them and eat them like sweets or add them to muesli to make your breakfasts power packed. You can even infuse them into a refreshing (and healthy) tea.

Self fertile and hardy to all extremes of climate -15°C - +40°C and drought tolerant as well; is there anything easier to grow? A single plant will produce over 2lbs (1kg) of berries in it second year.

Follow our simple guidance on how to grow Goji Berries for complete success.
Warning Of Goji Berry Imports
Like everything else, our Goji's are produced here on our nursery in the UK and are therefore exempt from the DEFRA requirement that all Goji's imported from outside Europe are destroyed due to concerns of disease being passed to other plants such as tomatoes and potatoes, full information of which can be found at http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/lycium.pdf. We are aware DEFRA are also currently investigating the fact that certain other suppliers have been importing their Goji's from China via Holland - thus securing a false European Plant Passport and we understand prosecutions are likely. Most of these plants we understand are bare rooted (and were shown on BBC Gardeners World). Our Goji plants and our production methods were fully inspected and approved by DEFRA as at the 23 April 2008. A further bulletin from DEFRA can be viewed at http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2008/080430b.htm. Should you become aware of any of these bare rooted plants and/or incorrectly certified plants we urge you to contact DEFRA directly as the impact on UK grown potatoes and tomatoes would be huge if disease was introduced.
http://www.victoriananursery.co.uk/exotic_fruits/goji_berry/

How To Grow Goji Berries

For plants received after the end of August we would recommend that you over winter in a cold greenhouse or on a light airy window sill and plant out the following Spring (around May time).

Goji Berries prefer a full sun or partial shade position and once established are wind tolerant and similarly salt wind tolerant. Once established they will prove frost hardy to at least -15°C but will similarly survive temperatures as high as 40°C. Goji's prefer a well drained rich soil but will perform well on lighter sandy soils - in some parts of the world they have been used as soil stabilisation plant; under no circumstances will they tolerate heavy soils prone to laying wet. They have good tolerance to drought but attention should be paid to watering in the first season after they are planted out.
Container Growing

Goji Berries can perform well if grown in a patio tub or container and should ideally be allowed to grow to a minimum height of around 3ft - 4ft and similar width in order that they can produce a worthwhile crop.

Do not over-pot your Goji plant as this may cause your plant's roots to become waterlogged; pot up into a container just one or two sizes larger and allow the plant to fully root out before re-potting into the next size up - continuing until you have reached your final chosen size of container. Any proprietary potting compost will be fine though we would always recommend the addition of a little horticultural grit to improve drainage, particularly if you choose to use a soil based compost such as John Innes or similar.

Long-term the ideal size of container would be something like a half-cut wooden barrel or similar. Good drainage is essential. Holes should be made in the base, and possibly in the sides at the base as well. Avoid standing the container where it will become waterlogged. Ideally the container should be stood on a couple of house bricks or gravel to assist drainage. A little brick mortar rubble in the bottom of the container to cover the drainage holes and to stop the soil falling through is recommended.

After their first full growing year, container grown plants should prove perfectly hardy and can be left out all year round - that said, as with anything container grown, Winter protection will improve Spring growth and ultimately yield.
Planting Out

Goji Berries will grow in most soil types, but will not tolerate wet soggy soils, and prefer a full sun position. If planting more than one allow a minimum of 6-8ft apart and remember that if you have room they can be allowed to grow to their full height of 8ft - 10ft.

As with many things in life, remember that a little extra care and time taken with planting out will pay dividends for many years to come! Dig the ground over well and incorporate some organic matter such as well rotted manure (not fresh) or compost to give your plant the best start. Plant to the level the plant has been grown; firm in well and water if soil is dry. Under no circumstances should you use any stimulants, fertiliser or bonemeal at planting time as such products will 'burn' any new root growth and actually slow your plant's development!

In the first growing season after planting it is vital to ensure the plant is adequately watered - and this is even more critical in extended dry periods or drought. When watering any newly planted stock a 'heavy soaking' once a week is favourable to a 'light shower' every day, and will encourage a good deep root system Keep the area around the base of your plant free of weeds and grass which would otherwise compete for both moisture and nutrients.
Feeding

During the active growing season an occasional feed with our 'Instant Life' or a light top dress with a base fertiliser will prove beneficial. Under no circumstances be tempted to overfeed though!
Pruning

Pruning is best undertaken in the early Spring just as the plant breaks into growth. We would recommend pruning is kept to a minimum in order to maximise fruit yield - though Goji's will recover well from hard pruning.
Fruiting & Picking

Small purple and white trumpet flowers in Summer are followed by small oval berries that are orange red in colour; these can be harvested until the first frosts. It is better to shake the berries from the plant rather than picking by hand as this will cause the fruit to oxidize and become black in colour.
The Health Benefits Of Goji Berries

According to folklore, people living in the Himalayas who eat Goji Berries are reputed to live to between 120 and 150 years old. The famous Li Quing Yuen is said to have lived to over 250 years, and ate Goji berries on a daily basis. We cannot of course promise you such longentivity but... watch this space for far more information!

An ancient account of the wonderful Goji
Amazed at the magic of the Goji the merchant bowed to the lady with respect and asked, "may I be so bold as to ask what magical herb you posses?"
The lady replied, " this herb has five names. You want to take a different part of the herb each season...
In Spring you take its leaves, which are known as the Essence Of Heaven.
In Summer you take its flowers, which are known as the Longevity of Life.
In Autumn you take its fruits, which are known as the Chinese Wolfberry.
In Winter you take the bark of its root, which is known as the skin and bone of the Earth, or the Staff of the Almighty Creator.
Taking these four parts in the four Seasons respectively will give you life as lofty as Heaven and Earth."

Growing Goji Berry
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/growing-goji-berry.html

[Foxylock]

Well Belfast you must have consumed a handful or two of these Goji berries in order to get through that post

Thank you for such a comprehensive and informative post on a fascinating topic, oh and inspiring as well, yes, I have been inspired. Well done.

[Belfast]

Thanks Foxylock
Goji berries have not done so well this year.
Growing for seed this year
lack of sun and too much rain.

[minky]

Hello Ireland! i was just looking around for some info about indoor Goji growing, and wanted to share my brief and limited experience with this cool plant. I sprouted several plants from seeds I took from dried Goji berries. I have heard that air dried work better than sundried gojis. im not sure which mine were, but i have had good results indoors so far. Also, I thank you folks for the info i have seen so far, especially the seaweed based nutrient. take care, and thanks for letting me be in your forum.