How to Grow Goji Berry
Goji Berry At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Berry
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -23°C
Plant Family
Solanaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
A young potted plant is the quickest route to berries, and one plant fruits on its own. Plant it in spring, 120 cm from its neighbours, next to a fence or trellis you can tie the long arching stems to.
Goji is a tough, cold-hardy shrub that gives a first small crop in its second year and gets going properly by year 3 or 4. It sends up new shoots from the roots, so give it a spot where it can spread a little or grow it in a big pot.
When To Start
Goji Berry needs warmth. Wait until your last frost has passed and the soil has warmed before sowing.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Goji Berry?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Goji Berry Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Goji Berry Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Plant your goji next to a fence or trellis
2 weeks before your last frost
Prune goji hard in late winter to keep it tidy
45 days before your last frost· every year
Look for ripe goji berries, bright orange-red and soft
120 days after your last frost· every year
Water your new goji berry plants well while they settle in. Deep and slow is best.
About 1 days after you plant it
Hi there! Water your goji deeply once a week while its roots settle in.
About 30 days after you plant it
Nice progress! Tie the longest new shoots loosely to the support as they grow.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Goji Berry's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
120 cm
Plant Spacing
180 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
Yes: Trellis.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Plant goji in full sun for the most berries, though it copes with some shade.
- 2It grows in ordinary, even poor soil as long as it drains well, so a little compost at planting is plenty.
- 3Water young plants weekly in their first summer, then only in long dry spells.
- 4Too much feeding gives leaves instead of fruit, so a yearly layer of compost is all it needs.
- 5Prune hard in late winter, shortening the long stems and removing weak ones, and pull up shoots that come up where you do not want them.
- 6Spray aphids off the tips with water, and space plants so air flows, which keeps powdery mildew (a white dust on the leaves) down.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
250 cm
Mature Height
180 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
60 days
When to Pick
Pick when berries are deep orange-red and soft, late summer to autumn
How to Harvest
- 1Goji berries are ripe when they are bright orange-red, shiny and slightly soft, from late summer into fall.
- 2Pick them gently by hand or pull off the stem with them, since they bruise easily.
- 3Or lay a sheet under the bush and shake the branches so the ripe ones fall.
- 4Pick every few days, because the berries ripen a few at a time over weeks.
- 5Eat them fresh within a few days, freeze them, or dry them on a tray in a warm, airy spot until leathery.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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