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Post by oldfatguy on Apr 11, 2009 18:37:55 GMT -5
Hey folks, Anybody have any experiance growing Wolf/Goji Berries? I aquired some seed and now have 18 out of 30 planted. They truely are cute little buggers. I was wonering if any one had any tips on growing them. They say they are a power blast of vitamins and nutrients. I also noticed that they are really catching on and someone is looking for growers: wolfberryagrodevco.org/They grow in northwestern China and are extremly cold hardy. |
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marina
gopher
kitchen gardener, experimenting with permaculture
Posts: 7 
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Post by marina on Apr 11, 2009 19:22:57 GMT -5
I was just looking into these. I read something about them, and got really curious about growing them. Where did you get your seed?
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Post by pugs on Apr 11, 2009 20:05:16 GMT -5
I got my seed from lisp. It looks like it is getting time to prick them out into their own pots.
Pugs
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Post by oldfatguy on Apr 11, 2009 20:18:41 GMT -5
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Post by plantsnobin on Apr 13, 2009 8:33:14 GMT -5
There is an old thread here somewhere about growing these, probably buried pretty far back. Anyway, I have had these for I think going on three years. They get about 3-3 1/2 feet tall with arching stems. They had mild thorns and bloom very late in the year, like mine will still be blooming in Nov. Mine have set fruit, but I didn't get to taste them because the chickens noticed they were red first. They do send out suckers, so I wouldn't put them where that will be a problem. I think they would make a good perimeter for chickens. I bought my plant from maybe Burnt Ridge? And I sowed seeds this spring for exertum from JLHudson and they are germinating nicely. I think it is one of those plants that are more hype than reality. The berries are tiny, and with the very late bloom I don't think people in a climates colder than zone 5 or 6 will ever see a ripe one.
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Post by extremegardener on Apr 13, 2009 8:43:48 GMT -5
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Post by mnjrutherford on Apr 13, 2009 13:49:01 GMT -5
I'm a zone 8, do you think they would set fruit here in coastal North Carolina?
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Post by plantsnobin on Apr 13, 2009 15:47:43 GMT -5
I think they would, as I did have fruit, just that the chickens got to them first. They leaf out here at the same time as most everything else, they just don't start blooming until up in the summer.
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Post by oldfatguy on Apr 13, 2009 21:07:16 GMT -5
There are two species to be had in the U.S. L. chinense is grown in the south of China and tends to be somewhat shorter, while L. barbarum is grown in the north, primarily in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and tends to be somewhat taller. Up to 8 feet tall. I think that if you are in colder climates, you want to make sure you have L. barbarum.
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Post by mnjrutherford on Apr 16, 2009 20:06:04 GMT -5
I'll have to keep that in mind for the future. Don't suppose you have any plant photos or know what ph they like?
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Post by plantsnobin on Apr 17, 2009 6:48:42 GMT -5
Well, I looked back and couldn't find any, but I know I have taken several pics. Don't know where they disappeared to. I have plenty of my Aronia and Serviceberries. Anyway, once they start blooming I will take more. The bloom is just a tiny little thing, not really showy. I don't know the ph of my soil either, sorry.
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Post by mnjrutherford on Apr 17, 2009 8:11:35 GMT -5
Thanks! Serviceberries huh? We have 2 of those. One is doing really well, the other really suffered in our recent drought. The "main" branch has died but there is a nice sucker coming up. We planned on letting it come up then cut off the main branch next year. What do you think?
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Post by plantsnobin on Apr 17, 2009 20:13:42 GMT -5
That sounds like a good plan. What kind of serviceberry do you have? I have the running, a tree of 'Brilliance', and another one that the label has faded and I don't remember.
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Post by mnjrutherford on Apr 18, 2009 7:20:04 GMT -5
It's whatever you get from the Arbor Foundation. Downy Serviceberry, Amelanchier arborea. It's on our driveway border near a pin oak. Or at least I think it's a pin oak.
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Post by extremegardener on Apr 18, 2009 8:57:53 GMT -5
oldfatguy - thanks for the info on the barbarum vs chinense - I must check my records to see which I have.
mnjrutherford - they do not seem to be to fussy about soil - mine are very happy in a slightly moist clay loam - average garden soil.
The tender tips of the plant are also edible as greens (supposedly stir-fried in China), but I'm not very fond of the flavor...
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