When Do Goji Berries Ripen? A Detailed Guide to Ripening Times and Harvesting Periods
Spring goji berries ripen from June to July, summer goji berries ripen from early July to August, and autumn goji berries ripen from September to October. Generally, goji berries are picked once every 9 days in the early harvesting stage, once every 5-6 days during the peak fruiting period, and once every 8-10 days at the end of the season.
How to identify high-quality goji berries:
1. Identifying by color
Fresh goji berries vary in color depending on their place of origin, but the color is very soft, lustrous, and the flesh is plump; dyed goji berries are mostly old stock from previous years, and visually the flesh is poor and lusterless, yet the exterior is deceptively bright and appealing.
2. Identifying by shape
Since ancient times, Ningxia goji berries have been regarded as the local medicinal herb with the highest medicinal value. Most Ningxia goji berries have a small white dot at the tip, which goji berries from other regions do not have; the proportion of Ningxia goji berries with a white dot at the tip can reach 85%. When placed in water, 90% of Ningxia goji berries do not sink, and whether used for brewing tea or making soup, they float on the surface of the water.
3. Identifying by smell
For goji berries that have been fumigated with sulfur, simply grab a handful, cup them in both hands for a while, then hold them under your nose and smell; if you can detect a pungent, irritating odor, then you can be certain they have been fumigated with sulfur.
4. Identifying by taste
Ningxia goji berries are sweet, tasting especially sweet, but after eating them there is a slight bitterness in the throat; goji berries from Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and other places are so sweet they taste a bit cloying; goji berries soaked in alum will have the bitter taste of alum when chewed; and as for goji berries treated with sulfur, the taste is sour, astringent, and bitter.
Goji berries are a food that can be used both as medicine and as food; whether eaten directly or used in soups or congee, they are perfectly fine.