Goji berry question

[artichoke]

I have two large bushes nearly three years old that have not produced any berries yet, though they flowered a little last year. They have been flowering most of this September. The flowers are setting - when I pull the faded corolla off, a tiny green ovary can be seen - but surely they are running out of time to produce the fat red berries of the advertisements?

I have pruned them several times because they grow so fast, but I don't think that has anything to do with their late flowering because there are flowers on old shoots that I haven't touched, and on new shoots that sprang up after pruning.

Has anyone here grown the berries successfully, and do they really mature in October?

[artichoke]

[goodlife]

Yes..I'm looking with interest on this one..
Maybe they will be mature October..next year.. ::)
Plants themself are definately hardy enough..

[Digeroo]

I have several plants I grew from seed last year and so far have managed two small red berries, one the birds had and I eat the other.  One plant has been flowering very sporadically all summer but very little sign of berries.  Like yours they now have a few more flowers.  I had been hoping for more action next year since they are now only 18 months from seed.  

It sounds from what you are saying I am going to be disappointed next year.  I had been rather looking forward to curving arches full of red berries.

They are also called the Duke of Argylls Tea Tree so if all else fails can make some kind of herb tea. Though trials so far are not very appetising.  

I also have one I bought from Lidl and the leaves are totally different though the flowers are similar.  I think one is Lycium Barbarum and the latter may be Lycium Chinensis.

So I am also interested in any answers about Goji.

[artichoke]

Yes, they are very hardy and tough. I put in a row of gooseberry, blackcurrant and goji cuttings a few months ago, and the drought killed off everything except a couple of gojis which rooted and leafed up with surprising speed. Not sure what to do with them as I don't want them, and I can't give them to anyone until their parents have proved themselves with nice fat berries.

[becky0129]

mine started to flower about eight weeks ago and now have loads of red berries last year only got a few so think they take a couple of years to mature do not think they are ready yet because when ready you shake the branches and they fall off

Becky

[Digeroo]

Thanks for the post Becky sounds a bit more promising.  Did you do anything special to feed them or mulch?

[becky0129]

just let them do there own thing this year have grown so much will have to cut them back a bit taste bitter at them moment so hope they improve taste did add some horse manue last year

Becky

[artichoke]

I asked a professional grower, and this is what he wrote back yesterday, in case it is useful to anyone else:

"The Goji berry is a little new to me too but from my experience of growing the fruits (3 years now) they flower here in Hampshire late Aug-early September. The image shown on the website and email was taken on Monday this week so from the early flowers they take around 6 weeks to form and ripen. As you say they are rather vigorous and I have several systems for growing them and the best seems to grow them upright with support and keep any side growth trimmed several times during the growing year."

The image was of branches dripping with large glowing pointed red berries, completely unlike mine which only have fresh and fading flowers.

[Denzle]

To fertilize or not to fertilize, that is your answer.

I sound a bit like shakespear with that saying.  ;D

Fertilizing your goji plant is not straight forward as you might think.   If you fertilize in the spring with a high nitrogen fertilizer, your Goji plant will grow very quick but probably wont have any flowers or berries come autumn.  :-\

On the other hand, If you don't fertilize with Nitrogen, your plant will not grow nearly as fast, but will produce some flowers and berries.  ???

So, The trick is to use a fast acting nitrogen fertilizer early in the spring so that you get good growth, but have very little nitrogen left in the soil during the summer months.    :)
In mid summer your plant will benefit from using a fertilizer containing no Nitrogen, but one that does contain a good source of Phosphorus.

This will promote buds, flowers and berries.  Nitrogen prevents this.  :o

You can continue using this fertilizer right on through the fruiting season well into the autumn.  :)

Goji berries are not produced all at once, but over an extended period of time, usually August through till November or till a hard frost causes them to go dormant.

I hope this helps,     Denzle.  ;)

(NOTES)    Full Sun.   P.H. 7.0 is best.  No wet or soggy ground, you will lose them if it is.  Bush or tree.  Bush. 8`tall   6`wide if left unpruned.  Tree. cut back to a single stem and remove all lower growth.  Leave the branches to hang.
Do not touch the green berries with your hands or they will oxidize and turn black.
Protect from wasps, they love Goji Berries and suck them dry.
Polinate by breaking off a branch with flowers and brush the other flowers.
Use surgical gloves to pick your berries.  :-*

[Froglegs]

After 3 years have only had the 1 berry off me plants if no better next year out they will go, life's to short. there are plenty other berry's i could be growing

[artichoke]

I bet it is not easy to get rid of them.....mine are very robust and I am sure they have deep roots. If they do not perform next year I will cut them back severely to get them out of the way and just leave the stumps there as a low hedge, as I have enough space.

Thanks for the fertilising advice - I haven't fertilised them at all so far because they grow incredibly rapidly as it is, but I will try watering them with some tomorite now to see if that encourages the berries. There is no lack of flowers, and they are being pollinated (if I pull off a fading flower a small green ovary is left behind), just not developing into berries as quickly as I hoped.

I agree there are other berries to be found, but I do have these two bushes and expected better from them. Also my Chinese daughter-in-law's mother swears by her daily dose of goji berries, and is slim and healthy in her middle 70s, and all her friends take them for granted as healthy food. And I like this story about the American railroad in Utah:

http://www.forgojiberries.com/HowToGrowGojiBerries.php3

[Digeroo]

Many thanks to everyone who has posted info about Goji berrries.  We are now at last getting some information.  I have started at least two previous threads about them and got very little info.

There are places where they are supposed to grow wild particularly suffolk has anyone seen any?

[Denzle]

I bet it is not easy to get rid of them.....mine are very robust and I am sure they have deep roots. If they do not perform next year I will cut them back severely to get them out of the way and just leave the stumps there as a low hedge, as I have enough space.

Thanks for the fertilising advice - I haven't fertilised them at all so far because they grow incredibly rapidly as it is, but I will try watering them with some tomorite now to see if that encourages the berries. There is no lack of flowers, and they are being pollinated (if I pull off a fading flower a small green ovary is left behind), just not developing into berries as quickly as I hoped.

I agree there are other berries to be found, but I do have these two bushes and expected better from them. Also my Chinese daughter-in-law's mother swears by her daily dose of goji berries, and is slim and healthy in her middle 70s, and all her friends take them for granted as healthy food. And I like this story about the American railroad in Utah:

http://www.forgojiberries.com/HowToGrowGojiBerries.php3

As your plants are well established, I think a good feeding of Phosphorus should bring them on.

Please let me know how you get on with them for future reference. I can then make a note in my book.
                                                       Thanks, Denzle