The goji berry is a miracle of nature. Their fruits fulfill two expectations at the same time. You can find out how to grow and care for this plant here.
Fruit and vegetables from your own garden promote well-being and he alth. Hobby gardeners know which fruits and vegetables are good for them.
Goji berries (Lycium barbarum) are undoubtedly such a beneficial fruit. In many places it is also called the “wolfberry plant”. There are also a few trivial names such as dodder or Chinese wolfberry.
Their fruits, which taste of cherries and cranberries, and their he alth-promoting effects have won numerous lovers among gardeners. That's why you should be pleased that the goji berry can also be grown in your own garden without any problems.
Short description of plants
This climbing shrub probably originally came from Southeast Europe and Southeast Asia. The Ranker can reach a height of up to 3.5 meters and a width of about 1 meter. It grows overhanging as a shrub.
From June to August, the goji berry develops purple flowers. This then develops into elongated to roundish, orange-red fruits, which you can then harvest from August to October. The shrub bears fruit for the first time three years after it was planted.
These demands are made by the goji berry
❍ Location:
For the wolfberry plant, be sure to choose a sunny and airy location. Sunlight is particularly important for a high-yield harvest. In addition, the shrub should be well ventilated, otherwise there is a risk that it will be attacked by powdery mildew.
❍ Bottom:
On garden soils that are well accepted by the goji berry, the climbing shrub also forms runners. The ideal soil for the plant is permeable, as well as sufficiently moist and humus. If your garden soil is rather heavy, loosen it up with sand and a good dose of hummus.
By the way, goji berries can also be cultivated in regions with saline soil.
❍ Planting time:
You can plant the wolfberry plant all year round, provided the ground is frost-free at the beginning of the year. some onlinePlant suppliers offer young plants in 2 liter pots from April to September.
The best time to plant goji berries is spring, from March to May. This allows the Ranker to develop optimally over the growing season.
❍ Planting Instructions:
- Dig a 40 cm deep hole for the young plant. Put compost in this planting hole. You can also mix the excavated soil with compost.
- Now place the plant in the planting hole so that it sits 30 centimeters deep in the ground. Then fill in the hole with the excavated earth.
- Before the young plant is watered, it is best to create a watering rim around the root area. Finally, the plant is thoroughly watered.
To make it easier for the young goji berries to grow, you should water them regularly in the first few weeks after planting.
How to properly care for the plant
Watering and fertilizing:
Once the plant has grown well, only water it if the drought persists. The soil can be damp, but the goji berry does not tolerate too much moisture.
To fertilize, add fresh compost around the root area in spring. Further fertilization is not required.
Pruning:
With the right pruning, you will ensure that the plant becomes strong and stable.
❶ In the first year after planting, cut back your goji berries to 20 centimetres.
❷ A year later, leave no more than 5 or 6 thick shoots, you can remove all the others. They will form flowers in July on the upper part of the shoots you left.
❸ They first rejuvenate the ranker in the 4th year after planting and every 2 years thereafter. Remove 2 old shoots at a time. Two young shoots allow you to regrow. You should leave a maximum of 10 shoots permanently.
❹ However, you can regularly remove dead, dry wood.
Diseases & Pests:
The wolfberry plant is often susceptible to powdery mildew. The damage becomes clear from the white, mealy coating on the leaves and later on the entire plant. Affected plant parts are generously cut from the bush and disposed of with household waste.
You should avoid using fungicides as far as possible, since you may ingest them through fruit. As a preventive measure, you can spray the wolfberry plant every 2 weeks from the start of sprouting with a plant decoction made from field horsetail. This makes it stronger and more resistant toPowdery mildew.
Hiberation:
The goje berry is frost hardy down to -26°C. There is therefore no need for winter protection for the shrub.
If you put your young plants into the ground in autumn, then frost protection for the first winter is appropriate. Cover the root area with a layer of leaf mulch: It is best to protect the shoots with needle brushwood.
Summary:
The goji berry is a climbing shrub with tasty and he alth-promoting fruits. The shrub can grow up to 3.5 meters high. He loves a sunny and airy place. The soil should be permeable, moist and humus.
The fruit bush is watered during prolonged drought and only fertilized with compost. The cut follows a special chronology. The goji berry is hardy, but the autumn planting should be protected in the first winter.