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Detailed Explanation of Key Points of Goji Berry Training and Pruning Techniques

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For goji berries to be highly productive, a good tree shape must first be developed. Goji berries have strong branching ability and vigorous growth, and have the characteristic of flowering and fruiting twice each year. If management is poor and training and pruning are improper, not only will the yield of the current year be affected, but the tree vigor will also age prematurely. Therefore, reasonable training and pruning are an important measure for high and stable yields of goji berries. 1. Training The goji berry tree shape should be pruned and retained into an umbrella-shaped round form that is large at the top and small at the bottom, with 3 layers of fruiting branch groups. In the first year after planting and survival, the goji berry is headed back in early spring at about 60cm above the ground to determine the trunk, and within 10-20cm below the cut, select 3-5 evenly distributed new lateral branches as the main branches of the fifth layer of the canopy.

For goji berries to be highly productive, a good tree shape must first be developed. Goji berries have strong branching ability and vigorous growth, and have the characteristic of flowering and fruiting twice each year. If management is poor and training and pruning are improper, not only will the yield of the current year be affected, but the tree vigor will also age prematurely. Therefore, reasonable training and pruning are an important measure for high and stable yields of goji berries.

1. Training

The goji berry tree shape should be pruned and retained into an umbrella-shaped round form that is large at the top and small at the bottom, with 3 layers of fruiting branch groups. In the first year after planting and survival, the goji berry is headed back in early spring at about 60cm above the ground to determine the trunk, and among the new lateral branches produced within 10-20cm below the cut, select 3-5 evenly distributed branches as the main branches of the fifth layer of the canopy.

In the second year after planting, select and retain one upright branch growing from the upper part of the main trunk as the extending trunk, head it back at 120cm above the ground, and among the lateral branches produced at the top, select and retain 3-5 as the second layer of the branch canopy.

In the third year after planting, from the upright water sprouts produced at the top center of the second layer of the canopy, select and retain 1 as the main trunk, head it back at 160cm above the ground, and among the parent lateral branches produced at the top, select and retain 4-5 as the main branches of the third layer of the canopy.

2. Pruning

Goji berries are generally pruned 2 times. Spring pruning is carried out before bud break. First remove the tiller branches sprouting from the base of the main branches, then cut off the dead branches, crossing branches, water sprouts, old and weak branches, horizontal branches, diseased and pest-damaged branches, and thorny branches of the branch groups, then select and retain healthy fruiting branch groups and cut them back. Summer pruning in central Hebei is generally in mid-to-late July, cutting away the overly dense branches, slender weak branches, and water sprouts on the main trunk or main lateral branches, and gradually renewing the fruiting branch groups. Especially in vacant or bare areas within the canopy, water sprouts should be cut back to cultivate new fruiting branch groups.

Goji berries generally enter the full fruiting period in 3-5a, and after 30a the tree vigor gradually weakens. After 40-50a the tree vigor ages. With improper training and pruning, aging begins at around 20a. Therefore, reasonable training and pruning are an important measure for stable and high yields of goji berries year after year.

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