Soak the Goji seeds in water for 2 days. Dry the seeds off in a paper towel. Plant the seeds in 1/4-1/2 inch holes in seeding containers. Make sure the potting mix is sterile and moist enough before planting the seeds. The seeds will germinate in one or two weeks. If you want to grow from cuttings, take cuttings in spring/summer. Plant them in an equal mixture of peat moss and Perlite.
Goji berries are grown for their fruits. Goji berries are quite nutritious and can be used to make a variety of recipes.
Goji berries can be grown at home despite the common misconception. One can even grow the plant from seeds/dried fruits.
Goji berry plant also grows from cuttings of the plant. Growing the plant from cuttings is easier than growing it from seeds.
In this article, we shall discuss the ways of Goji berry plant propagation.
How to grow Goji Berries from seed?
Goji berries can be grown from seeds of the fruits that you’ve eaten. It is a great way to grow a wonderful tree.
It is easier to grow Goji from cuttings than from seed. Follow the below instructions to grow Goji plants from seeds.
Pick good Goji seeds
Picking viable Goji seeds is crucial. Take all the Goji seeds you have and clean them well, i.e., remove any fruit pulp that’s on the seeds.
Add seeds to a bowl of water. You’ll see some seeds float while the others go to the bottom of the bowl. The good seeds go to the bottom of the bowl.
The ones that float are good for nothing. Empty the bowl and take the seeds that are at the bottom. Dry them off.
Preparing the seeds
Soak the seeds in water(70-80F) for one/two days. This step helps increase the rate of germination.
If the seeds are somewhat moist, dry them on a paper towel for a while. Move them to a disposable plate and let them dry.
Preparing the potting mix
Combine some sand with commercial potting mix/garden soil until the mixture is quite fine. The ideal pH is 7-8, check with a pH meter.
Whatever the ingredients the potting mix has, make sure it is sterile. You can often find this information on the label.
You can sterilize the potting mix yourself if the potting mix bag isn’t labeled. This is especially important if you plan to use compost.
Plant the seeds
Make holes that are 1/4th to 1/2nd of an inch. Plant the Goji seeds in these pits and gently close them off using potting mix.
Make sure the potting mix/soil is just moist before planting the seeds. Plant up to three seeds in a seed starting pot for the best results.
After planting the seeds
Once you plant the seeds, mist the surface of the soil. Make sure the containers get bright, indirect sunlight. Place the pots in a warm place.
Make sure to use water whose temperature is 64-68F. Spray the seedlings with a mist sprayer until you see two leaves. Don’t make the soil soggy.
Goji berry seed germination time
Goji berry seed germination takes 10-14 days if you follow all the guidelines well.
Snip off the main stem above the third leaf. This helps the plant grow laterally like a bush, otherwise, it grows like a tree(vertically).
Transfer the seedlings in the container to a pot. Wait for 2 months before you transplant it to a pot. Use a pot with a 5-gallon capacity and move the plant to direct sunlight.
Keep the plant indoors for the first year, you may place it in direct sunlight. You can move the plant outside in the second year.
Here’s an article on what to do if your Goji berry plant is dying.
How to grow Goji berries from cuttings?
Goji berries can be grown from cuttings in late spring/summer. It is the easiest way to propagate the Goji berry plant.
Follow the below instructions to grow Goji berries from cuttings.
- Mix equal parts of peat moss and sterile Perlite in a bowl. Add some water to this mixture to moisten it a bit.
- By using this mixture, you can ensure that the seedlings receive adequate water while preventing a fungal root disease.
- Transfer this mixture into 4-inch plastic or clay rooting pots. You can plant up to 2 cuttings in a pot.
- Take cuttings from the parent Goji plant on a spring/summer morning. Harvest cuttings that are 4-6 inches long.
- Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cuttings.
- Make cuts just above the nodes using a sharp, sterile knife. Wrap the cuttings in a moist paper towel to prevent dehydration.
- Dip the wounded ends of the cuttings in 0.1% IBA(Indole Butyric Acid). Dust off the excess rooting powder from the cuttings.
- Make holes in the ground using a pencil. Make sure the holes are at least 3-inches apart. Plant the cuttings in the holes. Tamp the ground around the cuttings gently.
- Take some clear polythene bags and slide these rooting pots gently into those bags. Tie the bag tightly. This helps create suitable conditions around the cuttings.
- Untie the bags every other day and clean off the water droplets. The cuttings root quickly if the temperature is 65F-75F.
Are Goji berries easy to grow?
Yes, growing Goji berry plants is easy if you follow the proper guidelines. Growing Goji berry plant from cuttings is easier than growing it from seeds.
You need to follow all the guidelines listed above if you want to grow Goji plants successfully. Maintain the proper humidity.
Take the cuttings at the right time of the year i.e., spring/summer. Cut them in the morning to preserve moisture in them.
Choose the right seeds after sorting them out through a bowl of water. This helps increase the rate of germination.
How long do Goji seeds take to germinate?
Goji berry seeds take 10-14 days to germinate. The seeds only germinate when the pH is between 7-8 and they are given an adequate amount of water.
Soak the seeds in water for one/two days prior to planting them. This helps them to germinate faster. Dry the seeds off well before planting.
Use a potting mix that is sterile and free from any type of infestations. By doing this, you can ensure healthy germination.
How fast do Goji berry bushes grow?
Goji plants come to fruition in 2 years if the plant is grown from seeds. If the one-year-old transplant is used, the plant comes to fruition in a year.
During the initial years, fewer fruits are seen. The plant reaches its full potential after 4 to 5 years of germination.
Bare root plants that you can acquire from the local nurseries come to fruition in the second year.
Goji berry bushes grow a proper root system within 2 months of germination. One can shift them to larger pots after 2 months.
You can make your Goji plant bushier by pruning off the top growth. This encourages lateral growth of the branches.
Grow the Goji plant indoors for a year. You can move the plant outdoors in the second year.
Happy Growing 🙂