Has anyone successfully grown goji berries?
I bought some plants by mail order (T&M) last year. They survived the
winter and looked quite healthy early on, but now are losing their
leaves and looking sad. They have NOT dried out,and are in a sunny
position.
Do they need less water, or shade?
Any experiences or comments please?

Pam in Bristol

On 9 July, 17:06, Pam Moore wrote:
Has anyone successfully grown goji berries?
I bought some plants by mail order (T&M) last year. *They survived the
winter and looked quite healthy early on, but now are losing their
leaves and looking sad. *They have NOT dried out,and *are in a sunny
position.
Do they need less water, or shade?
Any experiences or comments please?

Pam in Bristol

I first came accross Goji berries in the mid 90's, it was growing in a
derilict garden behind a shop in Barry Dock (near Cardiff) it was
growing in rubble and was shaded from the sun by the buildings to the
South of it, the garden was on a slope so well drained.
It was thriving on neglect.
It was a good 6ft accross and around 4ft tall, loads of small flowers,
and I found it was called The Duke Of Argyll’s Tea Tree.
I dont know how it got there and if it had been used for anything, I
had a couple of cuttings which I kept for 2 or 3 years but didn't
bother as it wasn't a very interesting plant, and I'm not in the
habbit of sticking strange berries into my mouth to see if they are
edible
I stil have to plant my Goji plants out, they have been in pots now
for almost 2 years, and are not happy.
It was only when I saw them in growth that I realised what I had had a
few years ago
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries

In message
,
Dave Hill writes
I'm not in the habbit of sticking strange berries

especially strange solanaceous berries.

into my mouth to see if they are edible

It's not as if it's a plant where you would immediately suspect the
berries of being edible.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

Many moons ago, I used to sell Lycium barbarum as informal hedging and
in those days we called it 'Duke of Argyll's Tea Tree' or more simply
'Wolf berry'. It's a very easy shrub to grow and is very tolerant of
exposure, making it excellent for windy situations especially near the
sea. Very occasionally you see it growing wild and left to its own
devices, Lycium makes a medium to large, somewhat untidy mound of
long, flexuous stems. In full flower it is modestly attractive and
for a short time before the birds dive in, the berries make a
reasonable show.

It seems to thrive best on well-drained soils and all naturalised
plants that I've seen have been growing on sandy soils, which may
indicate its preferences. That said, I planted a short run of it in
the Kuyper marl (a very heavy, sticky clay that bakes absolutely solid
in summer) at my nursery and it did very well. The plants came
through the severe freezing conditions of the 1981/2 winter with temps
down to -20C without damage, so hardiness isn't an issue.

An infusion of the young shoots steeped in hot water for a few minutes
was supposed to have "restorative properties". I tried it once and
discovered it was very definitely and rather immediately purgative! So
where senna pods fail, this may the next thing to try.
Understandably, I've never been tempted by the berries.

"DaveP" wrote in message
...
Many moons ago, I used to sell Lycium barbarum as informal hedging and
in those days we called it 'Duke of Argyll's Tea Tree' or more simply
'Wolf berry'. It's a very easy shrub to grow and is very tolerant of
exposure, making it excellent for windy situations especially near the
sea. Very occasionally you see it growing wild and left to its own
devices, Lycium makes a medium to large, somewhat untidy mound of
long, flexuous stems. In full flower it is modestly attractive and
for a short time before the birds dive in, the berries make a
reasonable show.

It seems to thrive best on well-drained soils and all naturalised
plants that I've seen have been growing on sandy soils, which may
indicate its preferences. That said, I planted a short run of it in
the Kuyper marl (a very heavy, sticky clay that bakes absolutely solid
in summer) at my nursery and it did very well. The plants came
through the severe freezing conditions of the 1981/2 winter with temps
down to -20C without damage, so hardiness isn't an issue.

An infusion of the young shoots steeped in hot water for a few minutes
was supposed to have "restorative properties". I tried it once and
discovered it was very definitely and rather immediately purgative! So
where senna pods fail, this may the next thing to try.
Understandably, I've never been tempted by the berries.

Very interesting, thank you, Dave

The whole goji berry business is bedevilled by two different plants both having a common name of "wolfberry": Lycium barbarum and L. chinense. It is a solanaceae.

We grew barbarum for 25 years and never once saw a berry on it. Maybe birds got there first, but I think it may just have been a bit too wet and cold for success.

There is a pretty comprehensive account of wolfberry in Wikipedia.

On Thu, 9 Jul 2009 12:56:37 -0700 (PDT), Dave Hill
wrote:

On 9 July, 17:06, Pam Moore wrote:
Has anyone successfully grown goji berries?
I bought some plants by mail order (T&M) last year. *They survived the
winter and looked quite healthy early on, but now are losing their
leaves and looking sad. *They have NOT dried out,and *are in a sunny
position.
Do they need less water, or shade?
Any experiences or comments please?

Pam in Bristol

I first came accross Goji berries in the mid 90's, it was growing in a
derilict garden behind a shop in Barry Dock (near Cardiff) it was
growing in rubble and was shaded from the sun by the buildings to the
South of it, the garden was on a slope so well drained.
It was thriving on neglect.
It was a good 6ft accross and around 4ft tall, loads of small flowers,
and I found it was called The Duke Of Argyll’s Tea Tree.
I dont know how it got there and if it had been used for anything, I
had a couple of cuttings which I kept for 2 or 3 years but didn't
bother as it wasn't a very interesting plant, and I'm not in the
habbit of sticking strange berries into my mouth to see if they are
edible
I stil have to plant my Goji plants out, they have been in pots now
for almost 2 years, and are not happy.
It was only when I saw them in growth that I realised what I had had a
few years ago
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries

Thanks David, and Dave P and Stewart R H .
I omitted to say that mine are in a big pot. Maybe they would prefer
open ground which would be on my allotment. Maybe I've watered too
much.
I've only eaten the dried berries before, and they are pretty
tasteless. I was curious to try the fresh ones which are said to be
highly nutritious.
All advice appreciated.

Pam in Bristol

See also http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lycium+barbarum

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

On Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:34 +0100 (BST), (Steve
Harris) wrote:

See also http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Lycium+barbarum

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

Thanks for that, Steve


Pam in Bristol