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Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Goji Berries
Goji berries are all the rage, and for good reason. These sweet and tasty red berries are superfruits, which are packed with nutrients and health benefits! Learn how to plant, grow, and care for goji berries.
About Goji Berries
Although they sound exotic and are often found in health food stores, goji berries (Lycium barbarum L.) are hardy in Zones 3 to 9, depending on the cultivar.
They can be eaten fresh, juiced, or dried. Considered a “superfruit,” the berries are high in protein and antioxidants, including carotene and vitamins A and C.
The goji berry plants most grown for fruit are Lycium barbarum. The berries grow on long vines that can be staked or pruned into sprawling shrubs about 4 to 6 feet tall. They also grow well in pots up to 18+ inches in diameter.
In late spring, brilliant royal purple blossoms form along the long, flexible canes, followed by small orange to red ½ to 1-inch-long fruit about 4 to 6 weeks later.
Goji berries are expensive to buy, so growing your own is a great option if you enjoy these tasty superfruits. They are self-fertile, meaning that you’ll get fruit with only one plant. However, the harvest will be heavier, with two varieties acting as pollinator buddies.
Planting
Plant in neutral to slightly alkaline soil in a sunny spot. These fruiting shrubs need at least partial sun but will do better with 6 to 8 hours per day of bright sunshine. Choose a site with good drainage. While goji berries will tolerate many soil types, they won’t do well in wet clay soils.
Some varieties are more upright, and others sprawling, but they can be staked or trellised to keep them neat and tidy.
When To Plant Goji Berries
Like many perennial shrubs, goji berries can be planted in spring or fall. Containerized stock can be planted anytime after your last frost, up to about six weeks before your ground freezes.
Bare root stock is planted in spring before the plants break dormancy; the plants are typically only available from vendors for spring shipping and can be planted as soon as possible after receiving them. .
If your site isn’t ready for planting, store the plants in a cool, dark location and check the roots. Keep them moist but not soaking wet.
How To Plant Goji Berries
Goji berries are available as containerized stock or bare root. Planting methods are similar. For bare root plants, soak the roots in a bucket of water for 12 hours before planting to ensure they are hydrated.
For potted nursery stock, water thoroughly an hour beforehand. The plants will release from their pots more easily, and it minimizes transplant shock.
- Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and the same depth. The hole should look like a shallow bowl with sloping sides.
- Use your shovel or a garden fork to break up the soil at the edge and bottom of the hole. Compact soil can act like an impermeable wall, preventing root growth and holding excess water.
- Cut any circling or girdling roots. Use a trowel or soil knife to loosen up rootbound plants by scoring the edges of the rootball.
- Test fit the shrub in the hole and adjust the depth as necessary. If planting bare root shrubs, you’ll likely be able to see the old soil line on the trunk.
- For bare root plants, spread the roots out and prevent them from circling around the base of the hole. Don’t leave them clumped.
- Backfill the hole with the soil you removed. Water when the hole is half-filled, then continue adding soil. Lightly firm the soil around the roots as you go to avoid air pockets.
- Make a raised ridge around the plant to keep water from running away when you irrigate. Water the plant in well once finished.
- Apply a thick layer of mulch to keep the soil moist. Don’t allow the mulch to contact the trunk(s). Keep it an inch away.
Types
- ‘Sweet Lifeberry’ is a large variety, reaching 10 to 12 feet high if not pruned. Delightful sweet flavor when dried.
- ‘Crimson Star’ bears 1 to 2 years after planting on medium-sized 6-8 foot tall plants. Large, bright red berries.
- ‘Phoenix Tears’ yields deep-orange fruits on compact stems that train well to trellises. Very cold hardy.
Harvesting
- Goji berries are indeterminate, meaning they will ripen at varying times, not all at once.
- Hand-pick goji berries when fully orange-red, about a month after blooming. Pull to the side instead of straight away to help them disconnect from the stems. You may have to tug.
- Berries can be eaten dried (most common), fresh, or frozen for preservation.
Breakfast berry smoothie bowl topped with goji berries. Credit: K. Svetlana
Andy Wilcox
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I've grown goji berries for years now. They took over a whole garden. The first 2 years they were bitter. After 3 years they produced sweet wonderful berries. I leave mine until after the first frost in the fall. That seems to produce the sweetest berries. I pick the ones that are the darkest red. It's a race to pick before the birds get them. If you're just considering these, they are thorny. Big thorns. Makes them a challenge to pick and prune the branches.
My gogi berries have produced abundantly the last two years,, However they are not sweet. Actually, they are very bitter. Is there a reason for this or a way to correct it?
Mine are bitter also. Not sure what kind they are. Thought it was just me. I don’t eat them. Good to know others have the same issue.
Hi Sharon,
Some goji berry varieties are sweeter than others, but it really comes down to harvesting at the correct time. While goji berries turn red very quickly, they will continue to have a bitter taste until fully ripe. In general, goji berries should be left to ripen for several weeks before harvesting to attain that slightly sweeter flavor. Once they turn red, taste one every so often to see how the flavor is changing as they ripen on the plant.
I've had the same experience with my gogi berries. Not sweet and have a bitter twang. I seldom even eat them. Had the bush for maybe 7 or 8 years.
