Goji berries are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial plant compounds. But to get the most out of your goji harvest, timing is everything. Picking the berries at just the right stage of ripeness ensures peak sweetness and nutrition. Follow this guide to identify when your goji berries are ready for harvesting.
Overview of Goji Berry Growth Stages
Goji shrubs produce delicate purple flowers in late spring which develop into small green fruits over the next 4-6 weeks, It takes about 35 days from first bloom until the berries begin ripening They change from green to orange and finally bright red when mature
The fruits do not all ripen simultaneously. Goji plants continuously produce new blossoms during the growing season, resulting in staggered ripening. This long ripening window extends the harvest, but it also makes determining the perfect picking time a bit tricky.
Signs Your Goji Berries Are Ready to Harvest
With goji fruits ripening over an extended period you’ll need to closely monitor for the following signs of maturity
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Full red color – Berries turn from orange to an intense, fire engine red when ripe Avoid picking partially orange fruits
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Plump, firm texture – Ripe goji berries feel softly plump. Shriveled or mushy fruits are overripe.
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Easily removed – Mature fruits detach easily from stems with a gentle sideways tug.
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Sweet fruity aroma – Give them a sniff. Ripe goji berries smell pleasantly sweet.
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2-3 years growth – Expect very little harvest the first year. Full production hits at 3-5 years old.
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Sample taste testing – The best indicator is to try a few. Ripe fruits burst with sweetness.
Once most berries on a cluster turn dark red and pass the taste test, it’s go time!
When to Begin Harvesting Goji Berries
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Summer – Begin checking for ripe goji berries in mid to late summer. Time varies based on your climate and variety.
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After 1st year – You may get a handful of fruits the first year. Marginal harvest in year two.
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Peak production – Years 3-5 is when robust harvests occur. Pick daily once ripening starts.
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Through fall – Harvesting continues until stopped by hard frosts. Expect 2-4 weeks of picker per season.
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10+ year shrubs – Well cared for plants can produce for a decade or longer. Extend the season with protective covers.
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Indicator varieties – Early ripeners like Phoenix Tears indicate when to start sampling other goji varieties.
Once the initial wave of ripe berries appears, inspect your plants daily and collect fruits at their peak. The harvest window is limited.
What Happens if You Harvest Too Early or Too Late?
Picking goji berries at the right moment is important for flavor and quality:
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Underripe – Greenish, orange, or partially reddened fruits will be bitter, tart, and lacking sweetness if picked too soon. Hold off until fully red.
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Overripe – Letting berries get too soft or mushy results in off-flavors and spoilage. Check plants frequently once ripening starts.
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Nutrition loss – Maximize antioxidant levels by harvesting fully ripe, firm fruits. Overripe berries deteriorate quickly.
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Berry drop – Leave fruits on the bush too long and they’ll start falling to the ground, reducing usable yield.
Time it right and you’ll be rewarded with a bounty of healthful, sweet and vibrant goji berries straight from your backyard.
Best Time of Day to Pick Goji Berries
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Morning – Pick in the early morning while temperatures are cool to avoid spoilage. The berries’ moisture content is also higher.
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Avoid afternoons – Don’t harvest in the heat of midday or afternoon when berries are vulnerable to mold and rotting.
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Evenings – Late afternoon or early evening harvesting lets you beat the next day’s heat.
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Dry weather – Pick right after a rain shower to allow the plants and berries to dry out first. Wet fruits don’t store well.
Harvesting in the cool of the morning prevents berries from deteriorating quickly after picking. Always use clean, dry containers to hold the picked fruits.
Storing and Preserving Your Goji Berry Harvest
Enjoy your goji berries right away, or extend their shelf life using these preservation methods:
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Refrigerate – Freshly picked goji berries last 2-3 weeks stored in the fridge. Sort out any damaged fruits first.
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Freeze – Spread berries in a single layer on a tray and freeze, then transfer to bags. Frozen gojis are good for smoothies.
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Dehydrate – Low temperature dehydration (105°F) maintains nutrients. Dried gojis keep for months.
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Juice – Steam juice berries gently to extract maximum liquid. Freeze goji juice in ice cube trays.
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Pickle – Soak fresh gojis in vinegar brine for a tangy, probiotic-rich treat. Refrigerate pickled berries.
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Canning – Goji jam is delicious. Follow proper canning methods to avoid spoilage.
With multiple preservation options, you can continue enjoying your antioxidant-rich goji harvest all year long. Just be sure to enjoy some berries fresh-picked at their peak!
Goji Berry Plant Productivity
Goji plants will begin producing fruit when plants are 2 years old. Maximum production will not be reached until 3 to 5 years after planting. Depending on variety, expect to harvest 2 to 6 pounds per plant. Goji berries are sought after for their health benefits. They can be dried, juiced, frozen or eaten fresh. Goji berries are often eaten as a dried fruit that looks like a raisin. They can be eaten by themselves or added to baked goods. Putting the fruit on drying trays and leaving them out in the sun or in a food dehydrator set to 105 °F for three days will dry them. You can steam juice, or you can soak dried berries in water overnight and then strain out the berries to get the juice that is full of nutrients. Berries can be frozen and thaw well, maintaining their color and flavor. You can eat the berries fresh, but many people don’t like the way they feel and would rather eat them after they’ve been processed. Once harvested, the fruit will store for approximately 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Recommended Goji Berry Cultivars
Plants can be easily grown from seeds, but planting a named cultivar will make sure you get a good plant that will produce well. In China, where goji is most widely produced, Lycium barbarum L. var. barbarum is commonly planted. Goji is a new crop in American markets, so cultivar selection is still limited. Crimson Star (also known as Ningxia #1) and Phoenix Tears, are available. Both start to bear fruit one to two years after planting, but it will take three to five years for them to reach full production. ‘Wolfberry Agrodevco’ is another cultivar, but it has limited availability. Many nurseries do not list specific cultivars of goji, but rather list them simply as Lycium barbarum.
Harvesting Goji Berries (Best Tips)
FAQ
How do you know when to harvest goji berries?
What do ripe goji berries look like?
Are goji berries better fresh or dried?
Do goji berries come back every year?
How to harvest goji berries?
Timing is not the only consideration when it comes to harvesting goji berries. The way you pick the berries is also important to ensure that you don’t damage the plants or reduce the yield for future harvests. It is recommended to use clean, sharp scissors or shears to cut the berries from the plant.
What can you eat with dried goji berries?
Goji berries (top left) are a popular topping for smoothie bowls, along with hemp seeds and chia seeds. Photo: Instagram/@leefromamerica You can cook with dried goji berries in both sweet and savory recipes. The easiest way to get started is to use dried goji berries the way you would use raisins.
How do you rehydrate dried goji berries?
Dried goji berries are delicious as they come and the best thing to do is to rehydrate them with a little water. After just two hours of soaking in water, your goji berries will start to plump back up, giving them a softer and juicier texture once more. When you drain your soaked berries, don’t throw the liquid away!