When I first heard about growing goji berries, I thought it was one of those internet fads. You know superfood this, miracle berry that. My wife saw them in some health store, a tiny bag for like $12, and she gave me the look. “Can you grow these?” she asked. And me, being the guy who thinks he can grow anything with a bit of dirt and water, I said, “Heck yeah, how hard could it be?”
Oh boy. If you’ve ever tried growing goji berries, you know it ain’t as simple as sticking a tomato seed in the ground. Over the years I’ve had bushes that thrived, some that dried up, and one that got completely eaten by my neighbor’s goat (I’ll tell you that story in a bit). But I’ll say this once you figure them out, gojis are one of the most rewarding berry plants to have on your homestead.
Let me walk you through my journey with these little red power packed berries. I’ll share what worked for me, what flopped, and where you might save yourself some back pain and frustration.
Why I Even Wanted to Grow Goji Berries
Truth is, I’m not a “health nut” kind of guy. I like my bacon, my biscuits, and my black coffee. But I also like growing food that feels a little special. Goji berries fit right into that. They’re loaded with vitamins, they store well when dried, and they make a killer tea when you toss a handful in hot water.
Plus, there’s just something cool about having a berry bush that most people only see in bags at fancy stores. When friends visit and I hand them a handful of fresh gojis, they look at me like I’m a wizard. That never gets old.
My First Goji Disaster
Alright, story time. When I first planted goji seeds, I treated them like regular berries. I tossed them in some backyard soil, gave ‘em water every now and then, and figured nature would do the rest. A month later, nothing. Not even a sprout.
Turns out, goji berries don’t like soggy soil, and they definitely don’t like being ignored. They like it lean, sandy, and kinda rough. They come from tough climates in Asia, so they don’t need pampering, but they do need the right start.
The second time around, I bought a couple of young plants online. Big mistake. The seller shipped them in the middle of July, and by the time they hit my mailbox, those poor plants looked like beef jerky. I planted them anyway (because I’m stubborn), but they never came back. That was $40 down the drain.
Lesson learned: if you’re gonna buy goji plants, get them in spring or early fall. And if you’re starting from seed, treat them like picky little toddlers lots of patience, light soil, and just enough water.
The Year I Finally Got It Right
After those failures, I almost gave up. But something in me (and my wife still asking about “her goji berries”) pushed me to try again. This time, I went all in.
Here’s what I did differently:
- Raised Bed with Sandy Soil I mixed regular garden dirt with sand and compost. Gojis hate clay soil, and my backyard is loaded with it. So I gave them what they wanted drainage.
- Full Sun Spot These plants love sun. I put them in the brightest corner of my garden where nothing else seemed to grow.
- Soaked the Seeds First I learned soaking goji seeds overnight helps them sprout quicker. It worked. Within a few weeks, I saw tiny green shoots.
- Neglect (but the right kind) Here’s the funny part. Once the plants got established, the less I babied them, the better they grew. Too much water? They sulk. Just a little care and lots of sunshine? They thrive.
That year, I finally got my first handful of berries. Small, wrinkly, bright red jewels. And lemme tell you, I was proud like a dad watching his kid score a touchdown.
The Goat Incident
Okay, I promised this story. My neighbor’s goat, Bessie, has a taste for everything green. One summer afternoon, she broke through the fence and made a beeline for my garden. Guess what she went straight for? My goji bushes. Out of all the corn, beans, and tomatoes, she munched every leaf off those poor plants.
The good news? Goji plants are tough. They looked dead for weeks, but by late summer they sprouted back. I wouldn’t recommend goat-pruning, though.
How I Grow Goji Berries Now (My Routine)
These days, I’ve got a system that works for me. It ain’t fancy, but it keeps the plants happy:
- Soil: Sandy, well draining, with just a bit of compost.
- Watering: Once or twice a week in summer. I let the soil dry out between.
- Pruning: Every spring I cut back about a third of the branches. Keeps ‘em from looking like wild tangles.
- Support: I stake the bigger plants. They grow tall and floppy if you don’t.
- Harvesting: Pick berries when they’re fully bright red and a little soft. If you pick too early, they’re bitter.
The Good and the Bad of Growing Goji Berries
The Good:
- They’re perennial you plant once and they keep coming back.
- Drought tolerant once established.
- Berries are super healthy and store great when dried.
- Fun conversation starter when folks visit.
The Bad:
- Seeds can be slow to sprout.
- They don’t like wet feet (overwater = death).
- Birds love them, so I had to throw some netting over mine.
- First few harvests are small takes patience.
My Top Mistakes (So You Don’t Repeat Them)
- Planting in clay soil. They hate it.
- Overwatering young plants. Root rot city.
- Not pruning. I let one bush go wild and it turned into a tangled mess with barely any berries.
- Planting too close together. They need breathing room at least 4 feet apart.
Real Questions Folks Ask Me
Q: Can I grow goji berries in pots?
A: Yep. I’ve got one in a 15-gallon container on my porch. Just make sure it drains well and gets full sun.
Q: How long until they make berries?
A: From seed, maybe 2–3 years. From young plants, usually by the second summer.
Q: Do they taste good fresh?
A: Honestly? They’re an acquired taste. Kinda sweet-tart, but not like a blueberry. I prefer them dried or tossed in smoothies.
Why I Still Grow Goji Berries
Even after all the headaches, I still grow goji berries. Why? Because they’re different. They remind me that homesteading ain’t just about easy crops like tomatoes and cucumbers. It’s about experimenting, learning, sometimes failing, and then trying again.
Plus, nothing beats seeing my wife brew a cup of homemade goji tea with berries we grew ourselves. Makes all the goat battles, dead plants, and failed seeds worth it.
So if you’re thinking about growing goji berries, go for it. Just know it might not be smooth sailing at first. But once you figure them out, they’ll reward you year after year.
And hey if you mess up, don’t feel bad. I’ve killed more goji plants than I care to admit, but I’m still at it. That’s just the homesteading life.
Got a weird question about growing gojis? Drop it in the comments I actually answer.