The goji berry is actually a fairly undemanding shrub and tends to grow uncontrollably, especially in the wild forms of the common buckthorn. With regular care, fans of so-called “superfoods” can definitely enjoy this late summer berry source in the garden.
How do I properly care for a goji berry?
The care of goji berries includes proper watering without waterlogging, repotting or transplanting in spring or autumn, pruning in autumn, pest control for gall mite infestations, mildew prevention through regular cutting, economical fertilization and winter frost protection for potted plants Young plants.
How should you water goji berries correctly?
Goji berries do not like waterlogging in the root area, so the plants in the outdoor bed should actually only be watered when it is persistently dry. Shrubs cultivated in pots should be watered more regularly. However, these should only be watered every few days and no trivet should be used.
What should you consider when repotting or transplanting the goji berry?
Goji berries do not require handling with kid gloves when repotting or transplanting, as they are in no way sensitive to this. However, the time should not necessarily be chosen during the flowering period or shortly before harvest. In spring and autumn, however, transplanting is well tolerated. If possible, young plants should be planted in the outdoor bed in spring if they are to overwinter outdoors without any problems.
When and how should you cut goji berries?
Goji berries should preferably be cut in autumn. In order to create a compact shrub shape, young plants should be cut back slightly from the first year onwards.
Is the goji berry susceptible to pest infestation?
Basically, the goji berry is not often overrun by pests. However, an infestation with the introduced Asian gall mite can occasionally occur. In such a case, a sulfur treatment (€39.00 on Amazon) should be carried out under expert guidance before budding in the spring.
What diseases can affect the goji berry?
The Goji berry is an extremely robust shrub that recovers quickly even after cutting errors and can cope even in barren locations. However, it can happen that powdery mildew spreads to the leaves after harvest. Such an infestation should be cut out as early as possible. As a preventive measure, regular trimming helps to ensure good ventilation of the leaves.
What should you pay attention to when fertilizing goji berries?
The goji berry grows into a flowering shrub within about three years, even in barren locations and without any fertilization. Nitrogen-containing fertilizers should be avoided in any case, as these lead to excessive mass growth of the bushes. Rather, it is sufficient to spread some compost around the base of the plant in spring.
Do goji berries need to be protected from frosty temperatures in winter?
Goji berries, as a mature bush in the open field, can also tolerate severe winter frosts down to well below -20 degrees Celsius without any major problems. Goji berries in pots and young plants, however, should be protected against the winter cold with the following remedies:
- Bubble wrap wrapped around the pot
- Styrofoam as a spacer between the terrace floor and the plant pot
- Mulch as ground cover around the base of the plant
- Conifer twigs as a cover for the leafless branches of the goji berry in winter
Tip
You can use the cutting material that is produced when pruning a goji berry to grow young plants using cuttings.