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| Gojiberry trees in Kashmir |
How To Propagate
Your Own Gojiberry plants from Cutting/seed!
In this guide I'm going to share with you a system to cheaply and effectively produce as many Goji plants as you want and how to grow them out. With some patience and skill you'll have more goji berries than you will be able to pick! I'm learning a little each year and attempting to pass the information down to you. For those who have ordered cuttings (whether rooted or un-rooted): if you lose a lot of cuttings contact me and I promise we will work something out that is fair.
If you have any questions you can email me at jkmpic@gmail.com . This manual is free to distribute.
Quick Start Guide
Assuming you got the cuttings from me let’s get down to how we can successfully propagate goji’s. I have reduced this process to an artform and RARELY lose a cutting when I do it as I’m about to show you. What you’re going to find is that some of the more desirable varieties like Phoenix Tears are tougher than others like Big Lifeberry and NQ1. The trick is keeping them in high humidity with adequate light and not blistering heat. This guide is kind of funny because you can see all my futile attempts. From bags, to sandflats and so on. I settled on are clear plastic bins with a clear lid. It works almost perfectly once you get the hang of it. A good one will run you about Rs. 700 but you can use these to do anything. For goji’s soil is not a real big deal – just get you a bag of sterile potting soil. I like to use clear solo cups with drainage holes to observe root development. Put your soil in those cups and wet it down real good. Take a pencil and make you a hole in the soil for the cutting as deep as you can go. Rooting hormone is optional but never hurts. Put your cuttings in the holes and tamp the soil down around it real good – maybe wet it down some more, let it drain and place the cups in the bin with the lid. If you got some runts double them up. Many times the thinner longer cuttings will outperform the larger ones because of the sheer number of nodes that are located above and below the soil. So double the smaller cuttings up with the thicker ones to assure the success of any one planter. Place the lid on the bin and put in a nice place where some light enters the bin at various times – it won’t take but a few hours a day. Don’t overheat the bin. You will begin to at first notice as the leaf nodes begin to swell and then they will shoot out growth. Depending on whether your cuttings arrived with leaves or not they will proceed differently. Many times the cutting will burst forth a lot of growth then stall as the roots develop… just be patient as nature works it’s course.
The next step in the process is to watch for root development. Let your bins air out from time to time. Observe to see if the plants get wilty over time. You want to experiment with leaving the lid off for varying degrees of time. Experiment also with leaving the lid cracked some to modulate humidity. You are basically hardening the plant off by degree. Once you get the feel of it you will know what to expect. The plants root development must support transpiration (the rate at which moisture is lost). If the plant is losing more water than it can take up via roots then you will have wilt. Sometimes the wilt will be rapid and dramatic, other times slow and gradual. In time as roots develop you can leave the top off and let the soil dry out more and more. Eventually you can take the plant completely out and put in a shady spot. At this time I like to put some fertilizer sticks or time release fertilizer in the solo cup. Let the plant absorb some of that and harden off a little more and then it’s time to transplant to a 3 liter container. When you transplant to one gallon try not to disturb the root mass. If you do and the plant begins to become wilty again put it back in the bin until it gets its feet again. Now you’re on you way to an awesome plant. Let it grow in that for a while and pot up even further if you want to see more growth – the more soil space they have the better they will do. Wait until the beginning of Fall before you start transplanting you new plants into the ground.
This year I've been experimenting with using more fertilizer on my plants. I'm using a good amount of 8-8-8 to go with everything else. I try to do most stuff organically but when it comes to the goji I want to see what works best. I was told up front that I shouldn't use nitrogen fertilizers but this is hogwash. Do you want your plants to grow? Fertilize them if you have mature established plants. If you are working with cuttings and something that doesn't have a developed root system use a good time release fertilizer, fish emulsion, kelp, worm tea or something along these lines. I can tell you after two years of testing with ample amounts of nitrogen the results are really good, the plants are very green and vigorous. I will try to post some good updates soon demonstrating that you can use fertilizer. The point is as with all plants don't burn them. One of my buyers to my initial dismay used triple 13 and his plants took off. Just be careful and test to see what works best for your situation but throw away the no fertilizer approach that you read of online, it's stupid. Last year during the dry periods of summer I lost alot of my starts so this year I'm working on putting down some drip lines in between rows. The middle part in between rows is where I put down my rough compost so this should get interesting... from June to August the hillside is blasted with heat and having these lines in place will do wonders. It is true, the goji is drought tolerant but THEY LOVE A MOIST SOIL like any other plant. If you don't water them adequately they won't send up quality runners and the fruit will taste like something worse than hideous.
Also, in the past we talked about using the freezer bags and the clear totes as humidity bins. This year I've had tremendous results using the small miniature greenhouses. Just don't put them in direct sun. Unfortunately, they do tend to heat up significantly as the temps and sunlight increase so I don't know how much time I have to use these for propagation outside. I can see how these will really help in the early and late part of the year. I have one in the house near a window and this one will be worth it's weight in gold. I imagine when it get's really warm outside they can only be positioned where you get a little morning sun and shade the rest of the day but we shall see. As of today the temps have began to climb into the mid 80's and I notice some of the things in the greenhouse are really starting to struggle. The black goji expiriment is coming along well. The first seedling has taken off – it is a lanky little thing with leaves all over it. It's funny how we cherish little things like this but I look at it with awe everyday, I can't wait until it gets older. This plant is incredibly difficult to grow from seed. They are really suspect to damping off. Worm castings or vermicompost mixed with sterile potting mixture seem to be the key. Don't keep the soil damp when it only has two leaves. If you can make it to the second set of leaves then you are home free. As of today I picked my first few semi-ripe berries from the orchard so the frequency should begin to pick of rapidly from here on out. Also today I began noticing the first flea beetles... that means my nematode experiment wasn't wholly effective but hopefully they won't be as bad. Remember to keep plants up of the ground the best you can to reduce flea beetle damage. It is true that most of your fruit comes from new growth but your first harvest of fruit will come mid to late April from flowers that show on old wood... We will also look at how things look at the end of April and talk about propagating from softwood and building the soil around the plants...
It is so important to get your plants up off the ground, even in containers. Goji's are climbers given the opportunity. Giving them support does several things...
1.) It gets more light to the plant (more growth, more fruit)
2.) Air circulation – this helps with issues like blight
3.) Makes finding plant growth tips impossible for flea beetles This year I'm using tomato cages and bamboo sticks. Some of the cages we made, some are the teepee cages you find at the stores. I found a good deal for Rs 100 per cage.
Bamboo is obviously cheaper and it gets the job done. With the bamboo sticks you can train your main vine(s) to grow upward and thicken into a trunk with side branches. This will provide tons of fruit. When you let the plant run on the ground all kinds of nasty things happen to the vines and growth tips. Needless to say, many of my plants have no support and I will spend the remainder of this year training them into a better plant for picking fruit.
I have to admit, I made a couple of mistakes last year. In my zeal to establish my goji orchard and to get plants into the ground I placed the mother plants too close together. The plants broke dormancy around mid February with a vengeance. Before long I had an un managable mess of vines. It was chaos. So first lesson, leave space between plants to work (weeding, mulching, pruning, etc.) Another phenomena that is ravaging my orchard right now is early blight. This is a fungal disease that commonly affects nightshades, particularly tomatoes. It turns pretty green goji leaves into crispy critters. Vines that a few weeks ago were lush with vegetation now look bleak, exhausted and defoliated. Thankfully, all the vines are green and they will bud out again in short order. Tomorrow I am going to the store for some spray that treats this. Last year I was under the impression that flea beetle damage caused this phenomena of leaf drop from early. It does not. Typically what spreads the disease are damp conditions and not enough space between plants. Flea beetle are still quit troublesome – especially the damage they do to new growth tips and the foilage on newly emerging starts (which is where they really hurt). I'm not certain how to combat this yet.
When you're using humidity bags there are several things that can go wrong... from aphids, to leaves rotting up against the side of the bag. I started 10 dormant goji cuttings started in late December and early January. The first one did so well that I gave it to friend. Six are A1 with some sporadic aphid problems and three are out of their bags and struggling. I believe they will be fine... they have roots.
I can't stress how much clear cups will help – being able to see root development without disturbing the roots is crucial. This is main reason I don't use the sandflat method any more for Goji's. Their roots simply don't like to be disturbed after they have been in high humidity. Notice the condensation in the bag... this is what you want to see. Use a pencil or some other peice of material to help prop up the bag. This will help prevent the leaves from rotting as they grow up against the side. In the video section below you will get to see a worst case scenario of this.
New Simple Technique to Get Cuttings Going
I have a few things to share in this update. I like to root fig cuttings. One of my techniques for figs I have began to use for goji root cuttings – you can also use them for unrooted cuttings.
It is real good for causing the plant to break dormancy and to find out what plant material that is most viable. It also gives you some time to prepare for your new plants.
This is a breakdown of this simple technique...
1. Get a simple clear plastic container from the store or around the house.
2. Wet some napkins or a rag and cover the bottom of container. Pour out any extra standing water – you want damp and not soggy.
3. Lay your cuttings out at room temperature to cause them to break dormancy and bud out quickly – they will even grow roots like this especially if you wrap the cutting in damp tissue paper. Make sure to put lid on it.
4. Once your cuttings begin to bud out and/or form root hairs you can then place them in the humidity bags (see the rest of the manual). Alternatively, to slow the propagation process down, store them in the container at about 40-45 degrees farenheit. Some cuttings for various reasons have much more vigor than others. This technique will allow you to select the ones you want to work with first while you leave the other some more time to get going. It works like magic! Moldy tips Also, another issue that has come up. Some times cutting become necrotic, meaning part or all of them become dead. If you notice mold forming on the tip you can trim it off. If you see a lot of mold forming on the cutting and its nodes chances are it's dead. Remove it. You can check to see if it rotting by cutting the tip. If it is a nice green color it is still good. If it looks hollowed out or discolored then is rotting. Hold a funeral service for it and then flush it down the commode. Another thing you can do is seal the tip with wax to prevent the tip from getting diseased and moldy.
Note: Most cuttings are fine but sometimes they go bad especially if a cutting dries out parts. Hard prolonged freezes during shipping movement could cause some problems as well.
Rooted Cuttings
My supply of unrooted cuttings will be coming to an end here pretty soon once I have pruned all the plants. If you want faster growing root cuttings make sure to let me know. I am offering these now. When it comes to propagating Goji's, rooted canes (rootstock) are the way to go. They are vigorous and become established in no time at all and produce fruit the first year.
Important Things to Remember
The thicker and longer the cutting the better. When I send cuttings you will get a wide range and it is completely random. Maybe double up some of your thicker cuttings with some that are more scant. Just remember to be patient in winter. If your cuttings are dormant temperatures indoors is going to affect speed of propagation. As mentioned before, watch dilegently for mold formation whether you chose to do your cuttings in the clear plastic bins or the one gallon bags. You can get some antifungal solution and mix it with water in a spray bottle and keep it near.
What Can You Expect?
Developing established plant from stem cuttings takes some patience. It is MUCH faster than seeds but MUCH slower than mature root cuttings (which I will explain later).
If you start early in the year you might see a plant with some fruit the first year but don't expect a lot. By the second year you will see a lot of growth and a moderate amount of fruit if all goes well.
It's all about getting a mature root system built up...
Every plant is different so don't get discouraged – some plants straggle along before they get established. On the other hand some cuttings especially the thicker ones can really take under the right conditions. Once you get your plant established you will have an health producing engine.
As for the cuttings I send you. They aren't as big and thick as you might expect but they are ALIVE and ready to root. I try to send a good mixture of thicker ones which do really well. I don't count the more scant cuttings but don't be fooled – they will become plants too.
Obviously the thicker cuttings are in less abundance so I try to distribute them out the best I can.
Wintertime Propagation Tips
Goji's are deciduous meaning they shed their leaves and go dormant at the end of the year when freezing temps arive. They will continue to flower until about October and set fruit until the first frost. After that the berries that are on the vine will continue to mature and ripen.
They are quite cold hardy and as I write this it is the the end of December and there are still leaves and a few berries on the vines even though temps have been low.
This is variable each year though – depending on how much cold and rain you get near the end of the season.
Some plants for whatever reason will shed their leaves and go dormant before others. Some varieties are VERY cold hardy and will keep their leaves far into winter. So if you're like me, you want to know if you can propagate during the winter time? The answer is yes.
All you need is a partially sunny window. Or a place that receives a good deal of indirect sunlight. Also, a warm room that doesn't get incredibly cold for a long period of time. Assuming you have purchased the cuttings during the colder parts of the year say from the first frost until the last one, roughly October to March depending on where you live your dormant cuttings will do just fine in a cup of water on a window seal until you get your materials ready. If it gets cold in your house it will greatly slow propagation but it won't harm anything. The cuttings will merely remain in hibernation mode. One thing Goji cuttings do before they set roots is form these little green leaf buds from their nodes. If you leave them in water they will do this. They will also do this if you just go ahead and put them in the mini greenhouse. Once the average temperature has been in the acceptable range for a sufficient period of time the cutting will begin to bud and set root. You can help this along by keeping the cuttings in a warm spot or by using heating pads. The earlier you start the process the longer your plant can take advantage of the growing season. These small plants can be planted at the beginning of the year before it gets hot in a large container.
These plants that are started in winter and planted early in the growing season do super well.
So yes, the process can be started indoors. Had I understood this the firist year I would have done alot better. The more established the plant is the better it does during the hotter parts of the year. The main thing is keeping the humidity around the cuttings very high.
You want a healthy, robust root system started before the heat gets going for best results. If you have access to grow lights, heating pads and any other horticultural accessories then great, use them. If not you will still do well following the simple steps outlined. Just remember not to panic if things aren't going as fast as you like. As the average temperature and light levels around the plant pick up so will the propagation process.
MOLD, Root Rot, Stem Rot, et al.
Please make sure you read this. The number one thing that will get your cuttings are issues relating mold and soil borne pathogens. Unfortunately ideal conditions for plant propagation are also ideal for propagation of nasty spores, viruses and bacteria.
The main thing is sterility of the growing medium but you still need to keep a close eye on your cuttings.
Let's discuss some of the things your can do to eliminate loss of cuttings through mold so that you're propagating beautiful plants and not compost! Fortunately all of these solutions are cheap.
You want to make certain your rooting medium is sterile as possible and drains well. Because of our race against time with these factors we want to introduce the cuttings to normal humdity as soon as possible. Once we can take them out of the bag without them dying we want to do that.
You don't have to do all of these – they are good suggestions on how to suppress molds and other nasties. In nature plants live with all this stuff so don't sweat it too much. I did my propagations last year without any respect to mold. I lost a lot of cuttings to disease and so forth but I had plenty of successes. The main thing is to efficiently produce the plant from cuttings as you can. Get this issue under control to minimize loss and maximize your success.
* Microwave or cook the rooting media to sterilize it. Put a large covered container of your mix in the microwave for about 10 minutes. The idea is to get the temperature up to about 190 degrees. This will kill molds and pathogens in the soil. You could bake the soil if you want. It's good with barbecue sauce. *
Baking Soda.
Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 450 ml of water. Use this to wet your media and/or mist your cuttings with.
* Hydrogen Peroxide.
If you see mold forming on the cutting or at the base of the cutting get a Q-tip and dip it in peroxide. Wet the moldy areas away. You can also put it in a sprayer to apply to cuttings. It is antifungal and release oxygen into the soil as well. You can mix with water to wet your rooting media. Do not use concetrated Hydrogen Peroxide, 10% will kill plants undiluted. 3-5% is good.
* Antibacterial soap.
With antibacterial soap simply use a Q-tip and dab the affected areas.
* Bleach.
A 10% solution of bleach to water can be used as dip for cuttings to kill any existing fungus on cuttings. The cuttings need to then be rinsed in water before putting them in soil. Don't use it to sterilize the soil. During the warmer times of the year cuttings usually develop fast enough that mold doesn't become a problem, I only have trouble during the colder parts of the year when propagation slower.
During the warmer times of the year cuttings usually develop fast enough that mold doesn't become a problem, I only have trouble during the colder parts of the year when propagation slower.
What Rooting Media Should You Use to Start?
Well, I can get lazy sometimes when it comes to this. Alot of times I just use what I have
on hand. You'd be amazed at what some plants will root in. It's sleeting outside so I just
grab some soil from a container inside. Not ideal but you get the picture.
Goji's are not super particular they will readily root in most anything if the humidity and
temperature is high enough.
They say don't use peat with Goji's because it's acidic but for this year I have a large
container with a sand and peat mixture. When the roots get going in the solo cup I
might sprinkle some potash or lime in there for pH. They have done well in this.
But don't overthink it – try different medium, have fun, experiment. These days when I do
an unrooted cutting I go for the highest quality soil I can use.
Main thing is that the rooting media needs to drain well. It is also important that it be something you can leave the cuttings without disturbing the roots until you are ready to put it in a large container. At that point you want to consider a more alkaline soil but experience is showing me that they will do fine in just about any soil. Some people use straight sand or perlite and yes they will root in this. The sandflats work like crazy but the casualty rate is high due to transplant shock. You can't leave them in there too long and if you move them too early they swoon on you. Goji's will even root in water but don't do that because the roots won't be strong enough. Once again when you transplant it the plant most likely go into shock and die.
Importance of Ground Cover Once you plant these in the ground the main thing is eliminate surrounding competition from weeds. We are told that Goji's don't like an acidic soil. So it would seem like using compost material around the plant would be a no-no. I have found the opposite to be true. I use organic material around the plants to kill weeds and help keep to the ground moist. The main thing that kills Goji's are the weeds so when you put them in the ground it's very beneficial to surround them with organic material (chopped leaves, grass clippings, pine or willow leaves.
Conversely... once the plant becomes established it will beging to send up side shoots that you can make rooted cuttings from. As this become the case you want to begin to move the compost back away from the plant so these new cans can come through.
Clonex Rooting Gel available at Amazon India. The goji cutting will root of their own volition but you can help the process along with rooting hormone. One product that I've started using is called Clonex. It is much better than conventional rooting powder.
Buy here.
Seaweed Extract
Goji's are receptive to organic liquid fertilizer and lots of water. A big secret for growing the goji is seaweed extract. For the first year, water them often with seaweed extract, this will help them build strong healthy roots and assist them to become established and drought tolerant. Undecomposed Sea Weed available at Dal Lake Srinagar.
Seaweed extract is a rich source of minerals which will provide the Goji with all the minerals it seeks out in the soil, which end up in the berries, which give them their wonderful health-giving qualities.
Magnesium
Goji's like magnesium. There is a type of lime that you can buy called dolomitic lime which is high in magnesium.
Heavy Rain Pulverizes Cuttings
The main thing that killed the majority of my young plants was heavy rain. The young foilage just cannot endure it. So until your plant become established beware of leaving it in a place where it can be pounded by heavy rain.
Hot Sun Will Toast the Cuttings
I got started late last year with my plant cuttings for the goji. Just in time for the hot summer around late May. Don't put cutting out in full sun and heat. I recommend setting up some type of shade cloth structure for them. This will help with the heavy rains as well.
GOJI PESTS!
Nature abhors a vaccum... and a young unestablished goji berry plant. To my surpise gardening turns out to be something akin to modern warfare. Here is a rundown of what assaulted my plants this previous year and what I will have to be ready for this year.
I'm not going lie, pests and varmints will harass your
efforts with this plant. Not to mention weeds.
1.) Weeds. As mentioned this will be your number one concern once putting them in the ground. Use organic material to smother weeds and get an action hoe. Reduce root competion with the goji. It will take some effort up front but will get easier in time as you compost layer gets deeper. Smother the weeds.
2.) Flea beatles.
This is the number one pest to deal with. They love nightshades and particularly this plant when they are small and struggling to get established. Use 7 dust. Keep an eye on the plants for what is getting it.
3.) Tomato hornworms.
This huge caterpillar comes along late in the summer... they are hard to spot and good grief they will eat the whole plant. There are fewer of these but they do the most damage by far so keep an eye out.
4.) Grasshoppers. Use 7 dust, keep the weeds down. Main thing is to not give them any cover.
5.) Cutworms. They can hurt you. Watch for them, use 7 dust.
6.) CHICKENS! I don't have them but the neighbor likes to let theirs roam. They will destroy your garden like they did mine uprooting your plants and dreams. They respond well to dogs and 22's.
7.) Armidillos. Very destructive - they dig in the compost garden. There are scented traps you can buy that catch them easily - they came along late in the year. They hurt me the worst. They will turn your compost garden into a warzone.
8.) Voles. Are like moles but eat all manner of vegetation. Some of my plants have been Does that mean you will be harassed like me? No. Just keep an eye out. I assumed that these plants would be left in peace. That cost me. Don assured me that the plants are pretty much pest free. THIS IS NOT TRUE. Be prepared, things will mess with your goji's be prepared to defend against this. They say nature abhors a vaccuum. They really meant nature abhors a nice looking goji plant that's trying to get established...
Special note – the first year was a nightmare because of the sections of slope covered with bermuda grass in the middle of the garden. Once I knocked that out with the action hoe and covered it things began to get easier. Don't give up, there is a solution for every problem!
On the bright side, relatively speaking they aren't bothered like other things in the garden and tend to be pretty resilient but you must you still must be on the lookout.
Even if you plan on keeping your Goji's in a large
container near your house you need to check daily for pests like flea beatles
and cut worms – they will mysteriously find your unestablished plant and kill
them.
Compost Gardening This year we had massive drought where I live. To combat this problem and the weeds I began to pile compost around the area where the plants were. This worked well with keeping the weeds down and the soil moisture up. The plants loved it. Unfortunately the chickens and armidillos did as well.
It requires a lot of work up front but it really begins to pay off as time goes by. Just keep adding organic material as you weed.
The next picture is a good way to get these cuttings
going...
This is how I root multiple cuttings at once. At the end of the document I provided instructions for the mini-greenhouse method which you will need to use.
As you can see, many of these cuttings are budding out with green growth and have roots on them. Even the ones without leaves have swelling leaf nodes that indicate it is about to leaf out.
For multiple cuttings get a cheap rectangular sterilite container. I recommend one with some good depth so you can fill it real good with sand.
Put you four drainage holes in the corners of your container. I use a hot knife and a candle to melt the holes.
Fill your container with coarse river sand - play sand is fine as well. The coarser the better. Use sand, it drains quick and the goji's can be removed with their roots easily. It discourages mold as well. They seem to really like sand. I strongly advise against anything else. Sand forces the cuttings to develop roots as their is no nutrition in the soil.
Also, make sure to put plent of sand in the flat as the extra sand will cover more nodes allowing for more root formation. Wet the sand down good and let it drain. Poke hole in the medium with a stick and pluck your cutting down into the sand past a few nodes at least. Push the sand around the stem. You can use a rooting hormone if you like, it won't hurt. I rarely use it but it will only increase you chances of success.
You can also scarify the stem with a sharp edge which will signal the plant to root but once again it will work without it.
I'm just giving you some tips on increasing your hit ratio. The truth is, some cuttings for whatever reason won't make it but if we follow some simple rules we will get a high percentage.
Once you have the cuttings in the flat mist the sand and cuttings real good one last time with a sprayer. Place the flat in a white plastic bag and close it the edge under the container. Try to keep the bag up off the cuttings to prevent mold. Put in a warm place in the shade outside. Not in a dark place but where indirect light can reach it.
If a little bit of direct sunlight hits the bag each day it should be alright but keep a close eye on it. It's real easy to get too much light on the bag but I've noticed a little does hurt them.
Be wary of leaving the bag where heavy rain can pummel it. If it happens make sure to get the water up off the bag as it encourages the leaves to rot.
Check the cuttings about once a week to see how they are doing. Watch for mold. Usually the molded cuttings are dead pull them out if they appear so and don't have any sign of growth.
Goji cuttings sometime drop leaves but don't worry they
will usually bud back out.
Let it sit out in the open air in the cool of the evening for a few hours if you like as cuttings need oxygen too. Make sure the sand is still moist – mist everything really good again and place back in the bag.
Eventually the barren cutting will begin to bud out with leaf growth. This is a good sign that roots are beginning to develop. Don't disturb them yet. You can begin to check for roots. When you tug gently at the cutting you will feel some resistance.
IMPORTANT RULE: Make sure there is plenty of root formation. I noticed that a lot of my plants that died because I didn't allow adequate root formation. Once I put them in the open air the wilted away because they were unable to uptake enough moisture. Leave them in the flat and/or humidity bag long enough to get sufficient root establishment to survive in the open air.
When ready, gently remove cutting from sand so as to not break the roots.
Instruction for Greenhouse Here's how to build your own greenhouse to grow your Goji's out. The main thing with these is patience! It will work almost 95% of the time if you go by the directions.
The greenhouse will keep the relative humidity at 100% which and keep the cutting from drying out while it's roots are setting.
About the only thing that will cause it to fail is mold and letting it bake in the sunshine. It has a very high rate of success if you do it right and it seems to work with about every type of plant cutting I've tried given enough time.
1.) Get yourself a small container or some other cup... we will let the plant root in this and grow until we can see its roots fill the cup. You can also use Solo cups whether they be clear or opaque is up to you. You can really use anything you want as long as it holds soil and fits in a gallon bag. I like something clear but it really is immaterial.
2.) Get a small knife, a candle and a pair of scissors. Heat the end of the small knife and poke three or more small drainage holes in the bottom of your bottle/cup. If you use a coke bottle heat your knife tip and melt a horizontal opening above midway on the bottle. Take your scissors and cut the top off.
3.) Fill your bottle with a soil medium - after these steps I've given some instructions for considering a good soil medium. At this point we no longer want to use sand but something closer to what the plant will be growing in.
4.) Saturate the medium with water and let it drain.
5.) Get your cutting. Poke a hole in your soil with a pencil and stick the cutting in there as deep as you can without touching the bottom. Gently place the cutting into the soil without breaking the roots. Tamp the soil down around the stem softly. You can also experiment with putting two cuttings in one container.
6.) With a water bottle mist your cuttings and the soil real good.
7.) Get a freezer bag and put the bottle inside leaving some air before you seal the bag. You can use a bread bag with a tie, or even a simple plastic bag just make sure to tie it shut to create the greenhouse effect. It is best to put TWO bottles in each bag as this will save money and help the bag stand upright. Try not to let the plant touch the bag as it will cause mold growth.
8.) Put the cutting in a warm location in indirect sunlight - don't leave it in direct sunlight or the heat will cook it. I sit mine on the side of the house that get's very little direct sunlight. It can tolerate a little bit of direct sun on a windowsill but be real careful - the cutting can easily bake in the bag in direct sunlight.
9.) Plants need oxygen so from time to time open the bag for several hours - check the moisture levels at this time; see how the foliage is doing - see if there is any new growth. Sometimes the initial leaves will fall off but don't give up if they do - typically the nodes will bud back out. With your sprayer give the plant and the soil a good misting and seal the bag.
10.) Eventually if everything goes as planned you will have yourself a nice new plant with some good roots - you can take it out of the bag a GRADUALLY get it accustomed direct sunlight. Leave it in the bottle until it's root system get established... then transplant. If the leaves seem to be doing okay then everything is still good just be patient.
The big mistake made here is to they think the plant has sufficiently rooted and is ready for some full blown sunshine. Be real careful here. Go easy at first until the roots really get established.
11.) NEVER leave plants in these containers outside during the winter - one solid freeze and all your hard work will be wiped out. Bring them in, put them in a greenhouse or transplant them into the ground. I typically transplant it into the ground as soon as I can and surround it with a good layer of mulch and compost.
Just remember when you transition out of sand make the
rooted cutting a soil medium that will be similar to what you will be planting
it in. You want this medium to be towards the alkaline side - add lime to your
mix. Don't use nitrogen fertilizers or anything that will make the soil acid.
Goji's like magnesium so get some dolomitic lime if you can find it use some of it in your potting mixture. Though it makes the soil acidic, they like sulphur too.
Clay from your garden broken up really well and mixed with finer silt is good - add sand into the mix to help drainage. This is the hardest thing with the plant, getting the soil right. They need a soil pH of 6.8 to set fruit. Too much acidity will kill them.
In the next part of this document I will share some general care information and some ideas on how to create the perfect soil mix for your plant please make sure you read this part as it has important information about the plant and soil for them.
General Care Instructions for Goji Berry
This particular variety of Goji is called, “Aziz “in Pakistan and “Wuzej berry” in Kashmir Himalaya region”. I encourage you to study up on the plant and take a genuine interest in it – this will aid you in the learning process and help you to succeed with the plant.
This variety is pest resistant and tolerates heat and drought very well.
Your plant comes from 1-2 year root cuttings of a mature Goji. This is the preferred method of Goji propagation as it creates a fast growing vining shrub that produces fruit much faster than plants from seed. When the plant goes dormant a cut is made deep down in the soil from the main root of the mother plant. These cuttings are full of carbohydrate and power the plant's growth as it comes out of dormancy.
Among being prolific bearers of fruit from late spring until frost Goji berries are known for being some of the most nutritious fruits known to man.
That's the main reason I took interest in them. I won't get into all the detail but suffice it to say, they are very good for you. There are two sections to this guide. The first part is for people who ordered online mainly eBay. The other is how to take care of the plant once it is potted up or planted in the ground.
For Buyers Your plant will be shipped to you in the quickest most economical way possible so you can get a good price and so I can make it worthwhile.
My main goal is that the plant makes it to you alive and ready to grow. During the summer months it is particularly challenging. Once it cools off it's not that hard – when the plant goes dormant that's even better.
These plants have already been growing and I've taken them out of their soil. This will be stressful for them but hopefully it won't bother them too much.
#1. Get the plant out of it's box as quickly as you can get it. Live plants are very perishable and a nice bake in the Summer heat might be it's demise. Be really careful with it once you take the plants out. They are very young and have tender parts on their roots and foliage that can break easily. Cut the rubber bands and gently remove the damp media surrounding the main root.
#2. Get the root into a glass of cool water to sit in while you are preparing the potting medium or ground. Maybe even sit it somewhere it can get some light. Fill the glass up to the crown of the plant – don't submerge and foliage that may be on the plant.
#3. Try to get the plant into a container and into some warm sunlight as soon as you can. These little plants have been already growing and they need to get this stressful transition behind them.
You may notice some wilting of the foliage due to its
time in the mail. Give it a chance and it should perk back up – even if the
foliage falls off it should bud back out if the potting media is kept moist.
In fact, let me know the condition of the plant once it arrives and that will help me out a whole lot. This is really a test to see if I can ship these plants in this fashion. If I have too many casualties I might have to discontinue until it gets cooler.
Preparing Your Potting Soil
If you are an online buyer I REALLY want you to consider putting this in a container until it establishes a good root system. I planted some dormant cuttings directly into the ground or greenhouse and though they are growing it requires diligent care to see that they make it in the hot weather.
I'd like you to keep it in a container this first year and at the beginning of next year when the plant comes out of dormancy consider potting up or plant them in the ground. The best results come from planting in the ground but you have more control over what is going on in a container.
You will get berries sooner if you put them in containers but you will see more fruit if you put it in the ground.
At the end of the year BRING THE CONTAINER INSIDE! Sit it in the garage or some place where the soil won't get frozen solid. That would kill the plant. I can't tell you the grief it caused me to learn that painful lesson. When I first got into gardening I purchased a bunch of beautiful blueberry plants in containers. They were my pride and joy – old man winter came along and taught me not to do it. They ALL DIED.
So without further ado, here are some basic rules for ensuring your plant lives and continues to thrive into maturity. Once established Goji's need little care. Getting the plant established is easier said than done but it can be done if you know a few simple things.
Goji's are alkaline soil loving plants. They particularly like magnesium. Dolomite lime is good if you can get it but regular garden lime is good too.
But don't go adding too many soil amendments just yet...
When I talk to people who have had experience with the plant they typically tell me the same thing. The end result is the plant died. Typically it is due some lack of instruction. They almost always make a soil for the plant that is too rich.
There's always a reason things go wrong. Plants don't magically die. We want to do the things that make Goji thrive and avoid the things that will kill it.
Goji doesn't particularly like a rich soil and is known
to grow in very poor soil. I can attest to that – some of the plants I have
doing quite well are growing in dirt that nothing would grow in last year.
Here's kind of what my formula looks like. If I were mixing it up in a large wheelbarrow I would have and these are rough figures:
* coarse river sand -5% – 10%
* garden soil which is a mix of clay, silt and loam – 75%
* some wood ash if you have it handy – 5%
You will also want the soil to have a little organic material in it. This will keep the soil from turning into a concrete block and keep the medium high in oxygen which is so important.
I would then work it into a consistent mix with a hoe and use this as a potting media.
If planting in the ground, clay and sandy soil is good as long at is fine and broke up good. Add in some lime as well. Dig a good size hole. You can add some good garden soil into your hole just mix it together real good.
Here's some main rules
#1: Goji's are alkaline soil loving plants. They would die in a medium like peat moss as their roots would not be able to uptake nutrients. To set fruit Goji's like a pH of 6.8 or higher. They can tolerate some soil acidity but don't make it a habit or you'll just get a bunch of leaves or worse yet a dead plant.
#2: Don't overfertilizer. Once the plant is well established you could use some time released fertilizer but nothing too strong. Over fertilization makes the soil acidic and kills a lot of these plants. I use a thin layer of grass clippings around the plant and this seems work wonders.
#3: Don't disturb the plant. Leave it in it's container or ground as it is forming roots, once it has outgrown it's pot then transplant.
#4: Keep the soil moist until the plant gets going good. Water it daily until it gets good and established. Tap water is alright.
#5: Give it a good bit of sun but keep and eye on it. These plants will sometimes get wilty in intense sun and heat until their roots get established. If it begins to get wilty sit it in the shade. Typically in the evening the leaves will perk back up. They will pass through this stage once their roots get going.
So what makes the soil acidic? Things like peat moss. Compost material, manure, pine needles, nitrogen fertilizers, grass clippings... Miracle Grow dirt.
Note: it is okay to use compost material on top of the soil around the plant to keep moisture up and weeds down. Organic material doesn't raise soil acidity until it is mixed into the soil.
What are some things that will tilt the scale back in the other direction? Woodash, lime, dolomite lime, clay soils. Watering the soil with tap water pull back toward alkaline since tap water is hard water.
Younger Goji's will benefit from having a loose, slightly
acidic soil with organic matter but remember – the more acidic the less fruit
you will get. Peat moss will essentially kill the plant, I have witnessed this.
I went to go check up on a plant I gave to a friend and it was dead due to soil acidity. The soil was the nicest look stuff you can imagine, unfortunately goji's don't like soils that we would think they would. My best plant are growing on a hillside with little to no topsoil in sandy clay that gets very dry in the summer. Goji's are very weedy in a sense, they can grow in some pretty desolate conditions.
Stay away from fertilizer it will kill the plant. You could conceivably use some fertilizer at the beginning of the year once the plant becomes established but be very careful.
Using a simple native soil with some lime mixed in will
normally do the trick.
Who we
The Jammu and
Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre-JKMPIC,
is a pioneer institution to start cultivation of important indigenous medicinal
plants and introduce many from other parts of the world. A preliminary study on
cultivation of medicinal plants in Jammu and Kashmir was from this institution.
The medicinal plant garden created, grown and nurtured by JKMPIC around
its unit complex contains Kashmir’s largest privately owned collection of
medicinal plants, spanning over 200 varieties, including rare and endemic
medicinal plants.
The
garden is a treasure teove of herbal remedies that have been used for thousands
of years by our ancestors for healing, health and beauty. All plants in the
garden are carefully conserved for future generations further, a tissue culture
lab. Established within the medicinal plant garden propagates and distributes
rare medicinal plants as a further conservation effort. The plant introduction
centre also nestled within the garden carries out advanced plant study into the medicinal plants in the garden,
researching and validating their traditional uses.
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& climbers, medicinal herbs, herbal roots, crude drugs, bulbs,
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