Goji berries: planting and care, varieties with descriptions, use in landscape design

Goji berry – this combination has been on everyone’s lips in recent years. Even for people who are far from gardening. And not everyone realizes that this plant, which seems so exotic, lives quietly in the wild in the vastness of Russia, although mainly in the southern regions.The plant is not particularly whimsical, so planting and caring for goji berries in the open ground of most regions of Russia is quite accessible even to inexperienced gardeners.

General description of the bush

Such famous goji berries have a real, quite ordinary botanical name - wolfberry. The genus Dereza is part of the Solanaceae family, which also includes many well-known garden crops: tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and physalis. There are two main types of wolfberry or goji berry: Chinese and common.

The Chinese dereza originates from Tibet, which is currently an autonomous region of China. There it grows in the rather harsh conditions of the Tibetan Plateau.

If you pronounce the word “dereza” in Chinese, the result will be something that is most consonant with the word “goji”. This is where the now popular name for this plant comes from. Further in the article you will not only find a description of the goji berry bush, but also learn the features of planting and caring for it.

Another species, the common wolfberry, is actually not much inferior in its properties to its Chinese sister. But it has a much wider area of ​​distribution. It is found everywhere throughout China, and in other countries of Southeast Asia, as well as in Central Asia, Ukraine, Primorye, and the Caucasus.

Dereza is a fairly tall shrub, capable of growing up to 3-3.5 m in height. The branches grow straight at first, but droop very quickly.The shoots of gojima have thorns and the leaves are small and longitudinally elongated. On the upper side the foliage has a light green color, on the reverse side it has a bluish tint. The leaves fall off in winter.

Goji berry plants have a powerful root system that can grow over considerable distances and form many root suckers. Therefore, in the southern regions, wolfberry, also known as goji berry, is considered a malicious weed if it gets into the garden. The crown can also grow well in width, eventually forming thickets up to 5 m in diameter.

Goji berry has many related folk names: Tibetan barberry, red medlar, Chinese wolfberry, and even wolfberry. All these names most likely appeared due to the shape and color of the berries. They really slightly resemble barberry berries, oval-oblong in shape and most often coral in color. Although the shades of different varieties may differ. The largest berries can reach 12-14 mm in length. As a rule, they surround the shoots in whole scatterings.

Depending on the variety and climatic conditions of the region, goji berries ripen between May and October. In China, during this time they manage to harvest as many as 13 harvests. True, the most valuable berries in terms of their properties ripen in August-September.

How does goji bloom?

The goji berry bush can bloom in favorable conditions as early as May and the flowering period continues until October. However, in the middle zone flowering usually begins no earlier than June.Instead of withered flowers, berries soon form, but new buds are simultaneously formed on the shoots.

Goji berry flowers are small in size (1-2 cm in diameter), planted singly or 2-5 at a time in the leaf axils. Their color is violet-purple, the shape resembles a wide open bell or star. The flowers are characterized by a subtle pleasant aroma. Bees love to visit them, collecting pollen and nectar.

The use of goji in landscape design

Goji berry plants, of course, look cute in the garden, but they are unlikely to be so decorative as to attract everyone's attention. They will look good in a hedge that encloses an area, or serves as a division of the garden into zones.

However, professional gardeners, with the help of regular pruning, even manage to grow and form standard trees from plants, which look very elegant even as tapeworms.

Using the trailing form of the shoots, goji berries can be grown as a woody vine, much like a grape. In this case, when planting, plants should be provided with stable support and shoots should be periodically tied to it. It is also important to prune them correctly, giving them the right direction of growth.

Thanks to the powerful root system of the plant, goji berries are good to grow to strengthen slopes, if any, in the garden. But you shouldn’t plant them close to the garden, so that later you won’t have to deal with abundant root growth.

Types and varieties of goji

There are at least 40 different varieties of goji berries in Tibet and China. Since the growing popularity of this plant, European breeders have also done a lot in obtaining new interesting varieties of goji berries.The following varieties are the most unpretentious for cultivation and worthy of the attention of Russian gardeners.

New Big

This variety is the fruit of the creation of breeders from Poland. Plants are able to bear their first fruits literally in the first year after planting. The variety is distinguished by powerful growth energy; in just one season its shoots can grow a meter in length. An additional advantage of the variety is the small number of thorns.

New Big is very resistant to adverse environmental conditions: it tolerates strong winds, heat and air pollution. It is easy to grow even in the city. It is also resistant to frost - it can withstand temperatures down to -30-33 °C.

The berries are sweet and large (up to 1 cm wide and up to 2 cm long), and have a fiery red hue. They ripen starting in mid-August. In more northern regions, the ripening period for New Big goji berries may shift to September-October.

Lhasa

This variety, originally from China, is also distinguished by its early fruiting period. A quite noticeable harvest can be obtained already in the second year after planting the seedling. The bushes reach a height of 300 cm and are quite prickly. The fruits are large, sweet and sour with a barely noticeable bitterness in the aftertaste, and have a deep orange color. From one plant you can get from 3.5 to 4 kg of berries per season.

Sugar giant

This variety has the largest fruits, up to 2.4 cm in length. True, they are formed only 3-4 years after planting. The bushes are also distinguished by significant growth vigor and grow well both in height and width. The yield is impressive - up to 5 kg of berries per plant per season. The fruits ripen relatively late, from late August to October. The taste of the berries is very pleasant, sweet with a slight sourness.This variety is most often called Tibetan barberry. It is also quite resistant to frost, the shoots can withstand temperatures down to -30 °C without freezing.

Sweet Amber

A fairly new variety of goji berries, bred in China only in 2016. The berries have a special amber, translucent hue and an almost honey taste. The fruits appear 2 or 3 years after planting and ripen in August-September. The plants themselves are not very large, reaching an average of 2.5 m in height. The variety has particular demands on lighting. The dessert taste of the berries is guaranteed only in sunlit areas. Otherwise, it is as easy to grow as other goji varieties.

Superfood

Bright red, rather large berries appear on heavily leafy, slightly thorny branches approximately 3 years after planting the seedling in a permanent place. The variety was obtained in Tibet. The bushes reach an average height of 300 cm, are frost-resistant, but require sunlight.

How does goji reproduce?

The goji berry plant can be propagated quite easily by almost all known methods:

1. The seed method is the most popular because of its relative cheapness. But plants begin to bear fruit only 4-5 years after sowing and do not always retain the properties of the mother plant.
2. Goji plants that have reached the age of 3-4 years are propagated by layering, preferably after the first fruiting. In the summer, it is enough to just dig up part of a side branch and by autumn the new plant can be transplanted to a permanent place of growth.
3. It is also easy to grow goji berries from cuttings. To do this, you need segments of shoots from 15 to 20 cm long, with at least 3-4 buds.They are rooted in a greenhouse or under a bottle, and planted in a permanent place next season.
4. The easiest way is propagation by root shoots. To do this, in late spring they simply dig up one of the shoots growing near the mother plant.

How to plant goji berries

Goji berries are not at all picky about where they grow and care. Only young, newly planted plants will require some attention. It is more important to regularly limit both the growth of shoots through pruning and the growth of the root system.

When to plant goji seedlings: spring or autumn

In regions with a relatively mild climate, where autumn is warm and long, it is better to plant goji berries during the autumn months. In the middle zone and in more northern regions, it is wiser to plant seedlings in the spring months so that the plants have time to better take root in a new place.

Site selection and soil preparation

Most species of wild wolfberry are not at all picky about choosing a place to grow. Of course, they prefer a sunny location, but will easily tolerate some shade during the day. True, it is advisable to grow certain varieties exclusively in sunny areas.

Given the powerful root system of goji, they should not be planted near plants with delicate roots. Over time, goji can easily crush them with its power. It is better to immediately dig slate or iron barriers into the ground so that the roots can spread over a large area. Or choose a place where goji can’t bother anyone. After all, its requirements for soil composition are minimal - plants can thrive even on rocky and very poor soils. Soil acidity can be any.Although goji grows best on neutral or slightly alkaline soils.

Plants tolerate dry conditions well. Adult specimens are able to grow with virtually no watering. But goji does not really like close groundwater. In these cases, it is necessary to create a good drainage layer during planting.

Preparing seedlings for planting

Goji seedlings are often offered for planting with a closed root system. In this case, they do not require any special preparation. Unless the soil in the containers is very dry. In this case, the entire pot should be dipped in a container of water for 30 minutes.

If the roots of the plant are bare and covered only with paper and polyethylene, then before planting they must be soaked for several hours in water at room temperature.

How to plant goji berries

Usually the process of planting goji seedlings in open ground is quite traditional. A few days before planting, prepare a hole measuring about 30 x 40 cm. If water stagnates in the area, then it is necessary to create a drainage layer of gravel or brick fragments at least 15 cm high at the bottom of the hole.

Then a planting mixture is prepared from garden soil and sand in equal quantities with the addition of humus, wood ash and a handful of double superphosphate. Fill the hole with half the volume of the planting mixture, place the seedling inside and add the remaining amount of soil. The goji seedling can be slightly deepened when planting.

After planting, the goji bush is watered moderately and covered with a small amount of peat or chopped straw.

How to grow goji berries

To successfully grow goji berry trees, it is recommended to follow only the most basic care rules.

Watering schedule

Young goji plants are most sensitive to watering regime in the first year after planting. They should not be overfilled. And during periods of heavy or prolonged rain, it is even recommended to protect the root zone with a piece of polyethylene. If there is no rainfall for a long time, then the seedlings, of course, need watering, but not more than 2-3 times a week. In the second year, goji can be watered regularly only in the hottest and driest weather. Mature plants usually require little or no watering.

When and what to feed

Goji is a very unpretentious plant and successfully grows and bears fruit even without additional fertilizing. But if you want to get particularly lush growth and a bountiful harvest, then in the spring you can feed the bushes with a complex fertilizer with microelements.

Loosening and mulching the soil

Loosening allows you to increase the access of oxygen to the roots, and at the same time free the root area from weeds. This turns out to be especially true for young plants. But mulching plays an even greater role, additionally retaining moisture and preventing the sun from overheating the soil near the roots.

Pruning goji bushes

In growing and caring for goji berries, pruning can play a special role so as not to grow what you see in the photo.

From the very first months and even weeks of life, goji shoots must be at least pinched so that they begin to actively bush.From them you can form both a standard tree and a densely twisting vine.

In the first case, pruning goji begins in the spring, in the second year after planting, immediately after the buds open. It is necessary to cut off all shoots on the central shoot to 1 m in height. Then the central shoot itself is pruned to stop growth at a height of about 1.5-2 m. All other branches are periodically shortened for more intensive branching.

In the second case, for goji, even during planting, it is necessary to provide a stable support from several pillars or mesh. It is necessary to tie all the main shoots to the support, periodically pinching their tips for branching.

To obtain maximum yield, you should act differently. After all, you need to remember that the goji shoots of the last season are the most productive. Therefore, when pruning goji in the fall, you can safely remove fruit-bearing shoots and those that are more than three years old. This will defuse the crown and next year the bushes will bloom more profusely.

Preparing goji for winter

In areas south of Voronezh, goji plants do not require any shelter for the winter.

In other regions, it is necessary to proceed from the frost resistance of a particular variety and choose one or another type of shelter for the winter. The easiest way is to simply mulch the root zone with a thick layer of organic matter.

In particularly frosty regions, branches are additionally covered with spruce branches or non-woven material.

Features of growing goji in different regions

You can grow goji berries in your dacha in almost any region of Russia. The ability of goji to grow and thrive in different conditions is determined not so much by low temperatures in winter, but by soil and air moisture.Because plants are more sensitive to waterlogging than to severe frosts.

In outskirts of Moscow

As a rule, in the conditions of the Moscow region, planting and caring for goji berry bushes does not require any special difficulties. There is no need to specially prepare the plants for the winter period. It is only advisable to cover the plants with the maximum amount of snow. You can additionally cover only young, newly planted sprouts grown from seeds. You can use any organic mulch or peat for this.

In Siberia

Frosts in this region can be very severe. Therefore, in Siberia it is necessary to thoroughly protect goji berry bushes from winter frosts, using any covering materials.

In particularly humid places, it is still recommended to move goji plants into containers and leave them for the winter in the basement or on the veranda. The main thing is that they have enough light in winter.

In the Urals

In the Urals, frosts can also be very severe, but there is always quite a lot of snow. Therefore, if you cover the young seedlings with spruce branches and throw a lot of snow on top, then they can easily survive the winter with dignity. The main thing is to ensure that during the period of mass snowmelt the gojis do not become flooded.

In the Leningrad region

The Leningrad region is known not so much for its cold winters as for its high humidity and abundance of marshy soils. Therefore, when growing goji berries, it is necessary to take care of a decent layer of drainage during planting, then caring for the plant will not cause any special problems. It is advisable to plant plants only at higher elevations. With standard shelter for the winter, usually properly planted goji bushes survive even harsh winters well.

Is it possible to grow goji berries from seeds?

Goji berries can be easily grown by sowing seeds extracted from fresh or even dried berries. It is only important that the berries are dried at a temperature that is not too high, no higher than + 50 °C. Otherwise, you won’t be able to wait for the shoots to emerge.

Under natural conditions, wolfberry can easily reproduce by self-sowing.

How to grow goji berries at home

Each berry usually contains from 8 to 15 seeds. Even if half of them sprout, this is more than enough to get the required number of plants for your site.

When to plant goji seeds

The best time to plant goji berry seeds at home is February or March. By summer, the plants will already have time to get stronger, and they can even be planted in open ground.

The seeds do not need stratification and if you have a special desire, you can sow them almost all year round. For example, in late autumn, after the berries ripen. Only in this case is it necessary to provide additional artificial lighting for the seedlings.

Preparing containers and soil

Goji seeds are usually planted in boxes of suitable size, depending on their quantity. If adult wolfberry plants are unpretentious in relation to the soil, then seedlings in the first phase of their growth are very tender. For better germination, it is advisable for them to choose loose, but at the same time moisture-intensive soil. A mixture of 1 part garden soil and two parts peat is quite suitable. For ease, if desired, you can add a little sand to the earthen mixture.

How to plant goji seeds

Before sowing, it is advisable to soak the seeds in a solution of growth stimulants. Although freshly harvested seeds already have a fairly high germination rate, up to 90%.

• After soaking, they are slightly dried and placed on the surface of a prepared slightly moist soil substrate.
• The seeds are sprinkled on top with a small layer of earth, no more than a few mm thick.
• The surface of the substrate is sprayed again to create the necessary humidity.
• The box or container with the seeds is then covered with plastic wrap to maintain the greenhouse atmosphere.
• Future goji plants do not need light before germination, but they do need heat.

Germination can take from 2 to 4 weeks. The sprouts appear very thin and tender. They immediately need good lighting, but for now they should be protected from direct sunlight.

In the period before several true leaves open, the main thing is to ensure that the soil in the box is constantly slightly moist. It cannot dry out, but excessive moisture will be unpleasant for young shoots.

How to grow goji at home

When young gojis have 3-4 new leaves, the plants should be planted in separate pots.

Young goji do not need any feeding in the first year. The main thing is to provide them with sufficient light, moderate temperature and humidity. After the first transplant, when the plants have recovered from stress, you can pinch off the top of the shoot. You can grow goji at home. The plant will not require any special care. Only in winter is it better to determine the coldest place in the house. But to bear fruit, it needs to find the sunniest place.

Transplanting shrubs into open ground

Usually, strong young goji are planted in a permanent place in open ground at the end of spring or early summer, when the danger of a return to sub-zero temperatures has passed. They operate according to the technology described above.

Diseases and pests

Since plants began to be grown relatively recently in the middle zone, pests have not yet had time to taste it. Being a member of the nightshade family, it is sometimes attacked by the Colorado potato beetle. Young leaves, of course, are loved by aphids or some caterpillars. Insect control means are standard - spray the plant with one of the insecticides according to the attached instructions.

Of the diseases, only powdery mildew was noticed in especially rainy years, but it cannot cause severe harm to plants.

Collection and storage of goji berries

Despite the thorns, goji berries are very easy to pick. It is enough just to spread any material or film under the bush and shake it by the branches. Ripe berries fall down and are easy to pick. After picking, it is best to let the berries dry in a warm place, with minimal light, but at a temperature not exceeding + 50 ° C. Then store in glass jars or cardboard boxes. Goji berries should be stored in a cool and dry place.

Conclusion

Planting and caring for goji berries in open ground should not cause difficulties even for novice gardeners. Meanwhile, this plant is capable of both decorating the area and helping to stock up on tasty and healthy berries for the winter.

Recommended Posts

Raspberry variety Blestyashchaya: photo and description of the variety

How to plant raspberries correctly

How to feed remontant raspberries

How to plant currant seedlings in autumn

Fertilizing currants in autumn

Remontant raspberry Firebird

Remontant raspberry Caramel

Raspberry Patricia: planting and care

Yellow raspberry Runaway