A Detailed Guide to Goji Berry Cultivation Techniques and Application Value
In mid-to-late August 2002, in the goji berry production area on the border between Julu and Longyao, a major outbreak of goji berry gall mite disease occurred, causing great losses to the many goji berry growers. Damage symptoms: most obvious on the leaves, with dense yellowish-green nearly circular raised dots on the affected parts, twisted leaves resembling a viral disease, severely stunted plant growth, and leaves...
Goji berry is well known as a famous tonic, strengthening and anti-aging medicine. Goji berry not only has high medicinal value, but also edible and ornamental value.1. High medicinal and edible value. The berries of goji berry are used as medicine, containing carotene, vitamins (A, B1, B2, C), betaine, amino acids, fats, proteins and sugars, etc.
Pharmacological tests have proven that it can enhance human immunity, inhibit the growth of cancer cells and increase blood production. The root bark of goji berry (digupi) is used as medicine and can cool the blood, clear the lungs and reduce internal heat.
The seedlings (tianjing) or tender stems of goji berry are a wild vegetable in early spring; they can be stir-fried or blanched and served cold, fragrant and slightly bitter yet tasty, and also have the effects of relieving restlessness, benefiting the mind, strengthening the heart and promoting qi flow, and clearing heat and detoxifying. Dried goji berry leaves can be used as a tea substitute, clearing heat, promoting urination and strengthening the stomach. There is a folk dietary remedy for eye diseases: 150 grams of fresh goji berry leaves and 150 grams of glutinous rice, cooked into porridge.
2. A good tree species for courtyard beautification. Goji berry has entered the ranks of ornamental plants as a fruit-viewing flower, with a fruiting period lasting 6-11 months, and after flowering the branches are full of bright red translucent fruits. If grown in a pot, its fruits remain bright red as ever even into winter. Goji berry can also be grown into a tree: first set up a support, keep one thick stem, prune away the rest, prune regularly to encourage upward growth, and after several years it can become a courtyard tree over 2 meters tall; it can also be planted on rockeries, letting it grow winding through the stones and holes.
3. Wide adaptability and easy to plant. Goji berry has strong sprouting ability; each year from April to August, while many new branches emerge, suckers also grow from the roots. It is highly cold-resistant, light-loving and salt-alkali tolerant. Its propagation is divided into two types: sexual propagation and asexual propagation. For sexual propagation, soak the fruits in water for 1-2 days, and after they soften wash out the seeds and dry them in the sun. Sow in late March, cover with 1 cm of soil, and spray water immediately after treading down. Seedlings emerge 7 days after sowing; thin the seedlings after emergence and transplant in the spring of the second year. For asexual propagation, both cuttings and division are possible; propagation is fast and fruiting is early, with cutting propagation being more common. Collect from superior mother trees annual branches that have lignified and reached a thickness of more than 0.3 cm, cut them into 18-20 cm long cuttings, insert them obliquely into the seedbed, and keep them moist; the survival rate is high, and they can bloom in the second year. Transplanting is carried out in April and they survive very easily. They are suitable for planting in well-drained calcareous loam and should avoid clay. During the growth period, give them plenty of sunlight and control watering; if it is too shady and damp, growth will be poor. During the flowering and fruiting period, ensure sufficient water, and irrigate once each time a batch of fruits is picked. In summer, goji berry is prone to rust disease, so Bordeaux mixture should be sprayed once every 10 days in spring for prevention and control. The fruits mature successively from June to November and should be harvested promptly and dried in the sun or by heat for later use.