Cultivation Methods and Key Growing Techniques for Goji Berry

Goji berry is a deciduous small shrub in the Solanaceae family, also known as goji fruit, gou naizi root, and other names, and is a well-known ornamental fruit plant. Its flowering period is from June to September, and the fruiting period is from September to October. Its leaves, roots, and fruits can all be used as medicine, and when grown as a potted plant, the old roots can also be made into an exposed-root bonsai. Goji berry has a wide range of adaptability and is not strict about soil requirements. It tolerates drought, poor soil, salinity and alkalinity, and sandy wasteland, and grows best in well-ventilated sandy loam. The key points of its cultivation techniques are: propagation is often done by cuttings, and the specific method is: 1. Prepare the seedling bed. After deep plowing the seedling bed, apply 1500 to 2000 kg of base fertilizer per mu or 100 kg of chemical fertilizer, then level it and make beds. 2. Collect cuttings. Before the goji berry branches sprout in spring, while pruning the large goji berry seedlings, collect cuttings and cut them into 10 to 15 cm long cuttings. 3. Cutting. Soak the cuttings in a rooting powder solution for 24 hours. Open furrows in the seedbed at a row spacing of 30 cm, insert the cuttings at a plant spacing of 5 cm, with the cuttings inserted 5 to 10 cm deep into the soil. For orchard establishment, before transplanting large seedlings, open furrows in the field at a row spacing of 1 m and a plant spacing of 33 cm, with planting furrows 30 to 40 cm deep. Apply 2000 kg of base fertilizer per mu, and 2000 seedlings can be planted per mu.

Field management 1. Carry out intertillage and weeding in a timely manner to prevent weeds from growing densely, competing with the plants for nutrients, and spreading pests and diseases. 2. Topdressing. Goji berry likes fertilizer and has a relatively long flowering and fruiting period, so attention should be paid to fertilization during the bud break, flowering, and fruiting stages. During the growing period, fertilize 2 to 3 times in general to promote seedlings, strengthen stems, and increase fruit set. 3. Pruning and branch training. Goji berry has strong branching ability and vigorous new branch growth. Every year before sprouting in early spring, cut off old branches; in summer, cut off excessive vegetative branches; in autumn, cut off old branches and diseased and pest-infested branches. Branch training can reduce pests and diseases, enhance ventilation and light penetration, and reduce nutrient consumption. For newly planted goji berry seedlings, remove the growing tip when the main trunk is 60 cm high, and retain 3 to 5 side branches. In the second year, cut back the retained 3 to 5 side branches to 30 cm to form the first layer of the canopy. In subsequent years, continue training them to form a three-layer "floor-upon-floor" canopy, increasing the fruit load. If making a bonsai, before sprouting in the second spring, cut off thick goji berry branches for cuttings, and they can bloom and bear fruit the following year. 4. Water management. Goji berry dislikes excessive moisture and poor drainage, but excessive drought also affects its growth and development, so irrigation and drainage should be carried out promptly according to local conditions. 5. Disease control. The main diseases of goji berry are black fruit disease and root rot, which mostly occur in the rainy season. When black fruit disease occurs, flower buds, flowers, and fruits turn black, and under humid conditions the diseased parts have red sticky fluid. At the early stage of the disease, spray Bordeaux mixture (1:1:200) or 50% carbendazim 1000-fold solution for control. When root rot occurs, the stem base of the diseased plant turns black and rots, the aboveground branches and leaves turn yellow, and finally the whole plant dies. Diseased plants should be pulled out immediately, and lime or 70% quintozene should be used to disinfect the soil around the diseased plants. At the early stage of the disease, 50% carbendazim 1000- to 1500-fold solution can be used as a root drench for control.