Comments on: Winter Care Tips for Goji Berry Plants

By: Pamela

Pamela — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:44:23 +0000

I have started my goji berries inside in a hydroponic set up. They should be ready for planting in the spring. They are doing very well and have missed the period we experienced before when they were planted directly in soil. Using the soil method they got very spindly about 2 weeks after sprouting and fell over, needing support and much tlc to get them going. In the hydroponic set up they are doing much better but this time the germination rate was about 50% compared to the 100% germination experienced in the soil growing. My question is this, has anyone tried to grow them in a 4a to 4b growing zone. It will get down to 35 below in the winter sometimes but 20 below is common. Also any idea as to the length of the growing season needed in order to get mature berries?

By: Gregory L. Wilmes

Gregory L. Wilmes — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:16:39 +0000

I am thinking of protecting my goji berries by making an enclosure out of bales of hay. I am in Minnesota (zone 4) and am just worried about the very cold days in January and February.

By: Teresa D Campbel

Teresa D Campbel — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 04:18:36 +0000

I have 6 Goji plants I bought two years ago. I live in N.E. Washington state, my planting zone is 5. I bought my plants from Timpanagos Nursery,out of Utah. They also sell some extremely good liquid fertilizer for the gojis, which help them bloom and grow exceedingly well. Their phone support is sadly, pretty non-existent.

I got information from a local nursery on how to winter over my gojis. I first cut my plants down in the late fall to about 12 inches or a little less. Then I took 5 gallon buckets and cut out the bottom, set them over the plants and pushed them down into the dirt a bit, them absolutely stuffed them clear brim full of clean straw. Then, I took heavy plastic sheeting and cut large squares out of it, took large zip ties and fastened the plastic over the tops of the buckets, fastening it around the outside of the buckets with the zip ties.

I actually had to fasten 2 ties together to get around the bucket. Make the plastic squares large enough to reach the ground around the bucket and heap up more straw around that. My plants made it through my winter just fine. We have a lot of snow and some time in Dec and Jan when it gets a ways below zero. It works great, but now that they are taller, I’m wondering what to do this winter!

Any suggestions? I don’t want to cut them back like that every year, unless it won’t hurt to do that. I have planted mine in my regular vegetable garden. My garden frys in the summer and so I keep straw around the bottoms to help hold in the water. They do fine. Any help on the wintering question would be greatly appreciated. Thanks…

By: Rod

Rod — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 01:22:07 +0000

Crystal, as far as I know from experience, goji flower and fruit in the first year. Mine suffered attack from a kind of leaf beetle and also from dusty mildew, but they still fruited abundantly in the first year. These are tough plants which do their thing without much assistance. Incidentally, hover flies seem particularly fond of the goji flowers.

By: Charlotte

Charlotte — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:15:21 +0000

I was thrilled to find Goji plants in 3″ pots at Lowe’s Garden Center for $3.45!!! Didn’t even know they were available, and had purchased some of the dried fruits. These alrady have tendrils about 18″ long, and the base stem is about 2 to 3″… 3 look like they could go in a large hanging basket, or pot. I live in Texas so am going back for a couple more to train up a tree in the sun, and contain them with chicken wire.

You never know what “rare” plants you’ll find at common stores… last year it was a Rangoon Creeper at HEB grocery… have never found another one and they smell like heaven!

By: Kim Johanson

Kim Johanson — Wed, 21 May 2008 20:54:20 +0000

I live in Southern California. I planted a Goji plant three years ago. It is about five feet tall. The blooms are small and it has had a few berries but the largest are maybe 1/4 inch long. Am I too impatient or will they just not grow well here. We get at the most 300 chill hours a winter here. Anybody have any success in a similar climate?
Kim

By: Crystal Fisher - zone 8b

Crystal Fisher - zone 8b — Fri, 02 May 2008 03:41:54 +0000

Trying to get all of our questions answered seems to be a bit difficult. Just finding growers who can answer those questions seems to be difficult. My guess is that we will become our own experts on this plant through our own experience and that which we share with each other. While goji berries might eventually become drought tolerant, it seems that they might appreciate more water in getting them established in your yard. It might help if we’d all list what zones we all have ours growing in. It sure would help me since our winters are relatively mild compared to others.

I’ve just learned to plant goji berries on 8′ centers (if anyone has other info, PLMK) and keeping them pruned down to 6′ tall/wide. Apparently, making it easier to harvest when the time comes. I plan to put tomato cages around mine in the beginning because they do appear to need staking – my tallest one is staked for support.. I had considered stringing wire from one to another so they could be trained to vine like that, but have reconsidered that and plan to grow them more like a bush with pruning.

I have some that I started last Fall from seeds. The tallest is 18″ and were planted in good potting soil mix. I hope to plant them later this summer if possible because I’ll be working to amend the soil for the next couple of months. I have some that I started a couple of months ago which have amazed me. Two are between 2″ and 5″. What has surprised me is that I hear about goji berries not blooming till they are older and not setting fruit till the following year. I think these were accidentally fertilized when I was feeding my blooming plants because they have set blooms. Even at 2″ height. A Master Gardener friend recommended removing the blooms because of the stress it might be putting on such a young plant. I plan to chat with her more about that because I know they won’t set any fruit for the next couple of years. But, this makes me aware that feeding them might be a good idea.

I look forward to getting more information as this site grows.
Crystal

By: Kenny Point

Kenny Point — Fri, 02 May 2008 03:31:04 +0000

Hi Joni, I have staked my plants just to help keep the goji berry plants growing upright. In addition to the stake I also surrounded the plant with a cylinder of fencing wire to keep the rabbits at bay... I learned the hard way that there are critters out there that will eat these young plants right down to the ground just as I shared in a past goji berry update.