Rarely does a fruit conquer the European market as quickly as goji and rarely do so many people get so enthusiastic about a fruit. Targeted information efforts certainly played a role. A well-planned marketing move that succeeded in popularizing and subsequently gaining fans of this fruit could have been successful. Or was it just a coincidence?

Basic information about goji

Goji (Lycium barbarum) is a shrub, frost-resistant to about -30°C and thrives mainly in sunny locations. The plants bloom from June to August. The inflorescence contains one or more five numerous bisexual flowers, each of which sits on a 1 to 2 cm long stalk. The calyx is 4-5 mm in diameter, bell-shaped. The corolla is purple in color and funnel-shaped, with 5-6 mm long petals. The calyx is 8-10 mm long, the stamens and pistil protrude slightly. The flowers are pollinated by various insects (bees, bumblebees), or are self-pollinating. The fruits are bright red or orange-yellow, oblong to ovoid, up to 2 mm wide and up to 20 mm long. They ripen from July to November.

Recommendations for goji plantations

Goji plantations can be established on almost any area, but the advantage is a clean environment without industrial or intensive agricultural production. We expect a quantity of 6000 to 6500 plants per hectare, with a row distance of about 100 - 150 cm. This dense planting has the advantage that the plants will soon form a hedge and support each other. The distance between the rows is determined according to the way the harvest will be carried out. When harvesting by hand, a distance between rows of 200 cm is sufficient. If the plantation should ever be harvested by machine in the future, there are two options. There are machines that go above the rows and machines that go next to the rows. We recommend machines that harvest above the rows, in which case a maximum distance between rows of 250 cm is sufficient.

Goji in the home garden

In addition to plantations, Goji plants are also suitable for growing in private gardens. You can grow a single plant, because it does not need a pollinator for pollination, but the more plants you grow, the higher the yield from one plant. The plants can also be grown in containers and they will not freeze. We recommend that gardeners grow the same varieties that are grown on plantations.

A good harvest starts with choosing the right variety

The top varieties of Goji are the varieties "SWEET LIFEBERRY", "BIG LIFEBERRY" and "No.1 LIFEBERRY". These varieties are grown all over the world on production plantations and are bred varieties from the original Lycium barbarum. They are designed to achieve high yields and produce large, tasty fruits. They partially bear fruit in the first year of cultivation and will bring a full harvest in the second year after planting.

LYCIUM barbarum Big Lifeberry

It has strong growth, larger leaves and fruits. The plant height is 180-200 cm. It is a medium-early variety, it begins to bloom in mid-July and the fruits ripen en masse at the turn of August and September. With this variety, expect a rich harvest and very large fruits, especially suitable for drying. It is a selection from Chinese varieties and is also suitable for commercial cultivation of goji berries.

LYCIUM barbarum No.1 Lifeberry

A high-yielding variety suitable for commercial cultivation. Selected for taste, content of active substances and fertility from Chinese production plantations, mainly from the ´Ningxia´ region.

LYCIUM barbarum Sweet Lifeberry

This variety has a compact growth, fine shoots and smaller leaves. It bears abundantly and has sweet fruits. It will bring the first harvest in the first year after planting. It is the earliest variety, it starts to bloom in June, with small purple flowers. The fruits ripen in August and taste equally good fresh as dried. The plant height at maturity is 150-180 cm. This variety was created by selection from Chinese varieties and is also suitable for commercial cultivation of goji berries.

Planting

Professional goji varieties originating from the breeding of original Asian plants enter fruiting early, are extremely hardy and easy to grow. Plant either in early spring or fall. Both are equally good. Add high-quality gardening substrate to a dug hole slightly larger than the root ball and mix it with the surrounding soil. Add organic fertilizer only after planting to the surface around the planted plant. Water the plant well after planting. The shrub grows very quickly, it can grow up to 150 cm in height within one year. During extreme drought at the height of summer, the shrub needs to be watered thoroughly once a week.

Goji has strong roots that can spread aggressively

Goji naturally spreads by root suckers, which can spread into neighboring beds with other plant species without regulation. This feature indicates the unusual vitality of this species. Without controlling the growth of root suckers, goji could become an unwanted weed. Some gardeners recommend planting a goji bush in a large pot and then burying it in the ground. This will prevent the roots from dragging around the garden.

Basic and maintenance pruning is essential

Let the plant grow without pruning for the first three months. Tie the young top shoots regularly to a stake. When the side young shoots grow to a length of 60 cm, cut their tops to encourage the plant to grow. This will also encourage the growth of terminal shoots. In the second year after planting, leave the 6 strongest terminal shoots, which you tie to a stake. This completes the basic pruning and shaping. In the fall, all dead shoots should be removed.

Maintenance pruning consists of regularly shortening the side and terminal shoots in early spring before the plants sprout and then continuing throughout the growing season. The plant should achieve a compact shape that will allow the formed fruits to ripen in direct sunlight. The fruits should not be covered with excess leaves.

Goji management methods

Goji on a trunk

In Asian plantations, plants are often seen that consist of a main trunk from which two shoots hang downwards. Either a wooden stake or a metal rod serves as a support. In older plants, the trunk diameter can reach 15 cm.

Goji on wire

The wire is stretched in rows on wooden or metal poles. Goji shoots are regularly tied to the wire during the growing season.

Goji on trellis

Goji shoots are raised on a wooden trellis, which can be attached to a wall or can stand alone. As the shoots grow, they are gradually woven into the wooden structure of the trellis, which will overgrow over the course of two growing seasons. This method is very expensive and is recommended only for gardeners.

Harvesting goji berries

Harvest time

The harvest time depends on the microclimatic conditions of the growing region. A very important factor that affects the taste and size of the fruit is the occurrence of stable warm weather in the period from late summer to early autumn. The longer the fruit ripens, the sweeter it is. The earliest time to start harvesting goji berries should be mid-August, or preferably a little later. Goji berries are harvested for about 6 weeks. In addition, the rule is that the more water the plant receives, the larger and better quality the fruit.

Harvesting method

On small areas, harvesting is done manually, on large areas, you should switch to mechanized harvesting to increase competitiveness. The harvesting method should be taken into account when establishing and planning a plantation. In Asia, all goji plantations are harvested by hand, no machines are used. If you decide mechanized harvesting, there are manufacturers in Eastern Europe who will make harvesting machines according to specific requirements. A currant harvester can be used in a slightly modified form to harvest goji berries.