Goji berries are nutritious superfood berries that are easy to add to your garden. While many people buy young goji berry plants to get started you can also grow these antioxidant-rich berries from seeds. Growing goji berries from seed takes patience but is a rewarding way to add new plants to your yard or garden.
Obtaining Goji Berry Seeds
You can find goji berry seeds available for purchase from reputable online sellers. Make sure to buy fresh seeds packaged for the current growing season. You can also try harvesting seeds from dried goji berries, but germination rates may be lower.
When collecting your own seeds, look for plump, fully formed seeds. Avoid any that are shriveled or discolored. Extract seeds from the berries carefully to avoid damaging them.
Planting Goji Berry Seeds
Goji berry seeds have a hard outer shell, so they do not require any pre-treatment before planting. Follow these steps for planting goji berry seeds:
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Fill starter pots or trays with a sterile, light seed starting mix. Moisten the mix before planting.
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Sow 2-3 seeds per pot, 1/4 inch deep. Goji seeds are tiny so don’t bury too deep.
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Keep the seed starting mix consistently moist but not soggy.
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Maintain a temperature of 70-80°F for best germination.
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Place in a bright, warm spot out of direct sun Grow lights also work well
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Full germination takes 1-2 months. Be patient as seeds are slow starters.
Transplanting Goji Berry Seedlings
Once seedlings have developed 2-3 true leaves, prepare to transplant them into individual pots. Use a fast-draining potting mix made for berries. Water gently when transplanting to avoid damaging small root systems.
Place transplants in full sun. Grow lights can be used to extend daylight hours. Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertilizer once established.
Growing On and Planting Out
Let young goji berry plants grow on in pots for their first year. This helps them build strong roots before going in the ground. In late spring of year two, plant goji berries outdoors in a sunny, protected spot. Space plants 4-6 feet apart.
It takes about 3 years from seed planting for goji berry plants to reach maturity and bear full crops of fruit. Proper care like occasional pruning, watering during droughts, and protecting from pests is needed. But with time and patience, homegrown goji berries from seed will reward you with abundant, nutritious berries.
Tips for Growing Goji Berries from Seeds
Follow these tips to increase your success with starting goji berries from seeds:
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Purchase fresh, high quality seeds from a reputable source.
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Use sterile seed starting mix and clean pots/trays to prevent disease.
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Maintain consistent moisture and temperatures around 70°F for best germination.
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Allow 1-2 months for full germination as goji seeds are slow to sprout.
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Transplant seedlings when they reach 2-3 true leaves to avoid overcrowding.
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Grow in full sun once seedlings are established.
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Water 1 inch per week for the first year until plants are established.
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Feed with a balanced organic fertilizer monthly after transplanting.
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Protect young plants from slugs, snails, deer and other pests.
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Be patient – fruits may not appear until the 3rd year after planting seeds.
Growing goji berries from the seed up takes time and care, but the reward of homegrown superfood berries is well worth it. Follow these tips for success with goji seeds in your garden.
Things to consider when planting a goji plant
Following are some things you should think about once you have your goji plant: where is the best spot to plant it, how do you plant it, and how should you take care of it? Let’s jump in.
Goji’s like to grow in full sun and like well-draining soil, but mine is happy in heavy clay. Even though they can handle drought, they love getting regular water and some garden compost every once in a while. If I could do it over, I would have put my goji plant right outside the chicken coop. My girls love to play under it.
It is very easy to plant a goji plant. Just follow these steps, and you will be off to a great start.
- Just make a hole that is twice as wide and twice as deep as the pot your goji is in now.
- You should save the soil you took away and mix it with Promix HP or another high-porosity planting soil.
- Fill in the hole a little more.
- Take your goji plant out of its pot and gently pull on the roots to loosen them up a bit.
- Put your goji plant in the hole you made and fill it back up with your mixed soil.
- Tamp the plant into place and water it in generously.
- Top with 3 inches of organic mulch.
This is the stuff I use all the time, at home and on the job site:
If you want to grow goji plants, you should know that they need to be pruned! The branches can grow tall and then curve back down to the ground, which can make the plants big and unruly very quickly. Some people say that their goji plants sucker, but mine haven’t done that yet. This makes me wonder if theirs are self-seeding or tip rooting instead of suckering. Some growers also say that goji plants should be cut down to the ground to keep them under control. However, this can stress the plant and cause root suckers to grow. My solution is to prune our goji into a goji berry tree.
I use my Felcos for this job, get yours here:
More about goji berry plants
While you can grow goji berry plants from seed, they can take up to 4 years to produce, which is why I prefer to just buy the plants from my local nursery. They are often sold in 1-2 gallon pots and are relatively inexpensive. I’d expect to pay $12-$20 for a 1gal pot, the cost is easily offset within the plant’s second year of berry production.
If you’re in the states you can even buy goji berry plants on Amazon!
Unlike many other berry bushes, goji berry plants are self-fertile and Do Not require additional plants for pollination. So, for a family of 4, I’d say 1-2 goji berry plants is all you will need.
If you like a neater edible landscape like I do, you can use your goji berry plant as either a background plant or a feature plant. Give it 4-6ft of room to fill and make sure it’s in full sun. The foliage is slightly silver-green and the quaint little flowers are a soft purple colour. I think it would look nice paired with lavender and salvia. Mine is next to my peony bed. I love how the deep green and silver green leaves look against each other. More on berry gardens here.
Grow Super Nutritious Goji Berries At Home
FAQ
Are goji berries hard to grow?
Do goji berry plants need a trellis?
Do goji seeds need cold stratification?
Do goji berries like sun or shade?