Goji Berry

[Hinksy]

So far have managed to collect about 20 different fruit bushes/Trees for my garden and my latest addition was a Goji, I searched everywhere for one and ended up finding it on a camping trip the weekend down in the New Forest. Dont seem to be able to find a great amount of info on them.

Does anyone else have one? and have any useful bits of info? in 2minds at the moment to either plant it in my fruit bed or to plant it in it's own purpose built container/planter. I have been told they grow like grapevines so was thinking if that is the case would it be possible to grow it in a large pot and up a trellis???

I suppose I should have looked into it before buying but I did'nt expect to see one for sale whilst away for the weekend and could'nt resist a bargain.

[JimmerG]

Hinksy,

As far as I know they don't tend to climb, they should be self supporting bushes/shrubby sort of things. I've got mine in pots, but they haven't really got going.

To get the best out of them they really need to be in the ground - but do bear in mind they HATE having their feet in water logged soil... it must be a free draining as possible.

Apart from that - they are apparently very easy to grow!

J

[Hinksy]

Thanks, will put it straight in to the fruit area then and will put in lots of compo as the soil is very heavy clay there, how old are the ones you have? I have mine in a 2L pot and is about a foot or so tall.

[Sonata]

I have three..and they're currently in pots, but I plan to grow them along the fence with the blackberries..I believe they can be trained?

They can, apparently withstand periods of dryness, but it's wet they don't like. They'll grow really big and can be kept in pots. Er..they like sun. They're supposed to be well suited to our climate..allegedly. We'll see.

[Hinksy]

I was told on another msg board they could be trained kind of like a Grapevine, thus the idea of a large planter with a trellis like attachment, thought I would be able to grow it in a planter and train it to climb along the fence or up the fence anyway. If that can not be dont though then straight to ground with the other fruits.

[Sonata]

That's what I've heard too, Hinksy, and what I have planned for two of mine.

[BFG]

Mine are a couple of years old and definitely act like weak vines. They spread right out and refuse to grow up. I'm been meaning to give them some support for ages...

[starloc]

Ive just planted some seeds this moring after soaking overnight in GA3 , im waiting for a plant to come from ebay as well as that should fruit quicker

Ive never tried them, what do they taste like? , are they as bad as some people say?

[BFG]

I've only had them dried from tesco and they're quite nice. So if they do taste bad fresh, you could always dry them.

[Gardenwitch]

I heard they take a few years (2-3) before they even start to produce any fruit though; is this true? I know they are great to have in the winter larder along with dried rosehips and can be added chopped up to broth or chicken soups as a great winter cold preventative.

[WrexTheDragon]

Ive just planted some seeds this moring after soaking overnight in GA3 , im waiting for a plant to come from ebay as well as that should fruit quicker

Ive never tried them, what do they taste like? , are they as bad as some people say?

I like the taste of mine, reminds me of prune/fig.

I understand that some growers supply wolfberry, but these have a slight bitter taste.

The birds love to pick mine, so they have to be covered.

[quark1]

I started some from 'dried fruit' (for eating) seed last year and this has been documented on another thread.

The update is that the plants are now 2-3 feet high and have struck out some very robust looking new growth this year - even a few suckers! Most unlikely that I'll get any fruit this year - but hopefully the plants will be strong enough next!

They're being grown in flower buckets at present and I'll decide in the next 12 months whether I wish to establish a hedge of them or confine them to retard/restrict spread.

Amazing what can come of such a tiny seed in 18 months - nature is brill!

[louisesgarden]

I got mine from GYO magazine a few months ago it was one of them reader offers, on the card bit you get with the magazine, its still a baby at the moment, about a foot high, but seems to be doing well, had the dried version from tesco and they taste not very nice, but suppose to be a super fruit ! and good for the liver !! the instructions i got with it said they are drought tolerant ( with our weather i dont think so ! ) and they like a poor soil.

[weezer]

goji crazy

i got one from the GYO offer as well and its over 5 foot high with a spread of 3 foot! and its still growing can't seem to make it do anything ie training it as as soon as i tie it in the branches have grown another foot by the time i get back to it! i'm hoping i'll get some fruit on it next year but other than that i don't have much of a clue either. but whatever is in my plot it seems to love it!
happy gojing!

[Hinksy]

Think I will keep mine at the moment in a large planter and try to train it to grow up or along a trellis, Will it need a deep planter though or a wide one? Wilkos are doing Tall planters for £3-£5