How to grow Goji Berries

I have a pack of Goji Berry seed's I bought last year but not sure how to plant them.It say's I need water retaining crystals and Cheshunt Compound.When I looked up Cheshunt Compound on Google you could no longer get it for safety reasons.Can anyone tell me the best way to plant the seeds and then I presume plant them on and when is the best time to plant the seeds as there is no information on the pack.

 

I found this on Google and no mention of either water retaining crystals or cheshunt compound
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=581

 

Goji berry isn't picky with soil as long as it's not soggy. And it is drought-tolerant once established. Get a full sun spot and enrich the soil a little bit if too poor. It should do well. Water retaining crystals or chestnut compound is unnecessary.

 

Is it possible to grow them in containers ie a large pot

 

Yes Paul. You will get a smaller plant thought.

 

We have had our Goji Berry 2 years, but still no sign of any berries :(

We have ours in a large pot weaved through trellis.

 

I have just noticed the date on the seed packet is 2008 so maybe need to get a new packet

 

I put in a small plant - about 1 foot tall - last year. In the ground, not a pot. It's now about 4ft tall, has lots of branches & leaves but no berries.

 

I found this info on the Goji Berry:

Seed or Bare-Root
Bare-root plants in containers produce the first, full harvest the second year, but there will be some fruits the first year. It will take longer before you can harvest goji berries grown from seeds. If grown from seeds, the plants require at least three years of growing before producing fruit in their fourth year in a container.

Container-Grown
Planting bare-root goji berries in containers is the fastest way to get berries. You can see a fully harvest the second year after you plant the berries in a container. To maintain the plant in the container, you will need to regularly prune it in the winter, dormant season to control its shape. Pruning your container-grown goji berries will enhance your harvest because the berries only appear on new growth. If your container-grown goji berry stops growing, despite pruning, replant it into a larger container because the top of the plant will cease to grown once the roots run out of room to grow.

Grown In the Ground
Growing a goji berry plant in the ground ensures that you have enough space for the roots, but you need to plant it in an area where the plant can grow 13 feet or taller and 4 feet wide. Ensure that plants have at least 2 feet between each other if you have more than one in your garden. When planted in the ground, it can take three years before your first harvest.

 

I have these in my garden. Speaking from my own experiences, I've found this.

There is quite a lot of online information about them, but unfortunately, from my own experiences, quite a lot is incorrect.

Soil type does not seem to matter much. Neither does position. One of mine is in a quite shady position, surrounded on three sides, and only receiving light from the east. Its still rampant! It grows a metre or more even in the short seasons here. So, give them plenty space! I would say a minimum of 2 metres.

To give a crop, the roots need plenty space! I do know people that grow them in pots, but they never seem to do as well as those in the ground. The time for them to produce fruit also seems to vary. Of the 5 I originally planted - all of the same variety - 4 have never given fruit, and the fifth took two years. Pruning without question also reduces the amount of fruit.

Normally, the only thing that I do with the fruit is dry them, and eat them sparingly that way.

 

Bare in mind also that gojis are quite late flowering. In most cases they will only just have begun flowering now.

 

That seems late, mine have already finished...climate perhaps?

 

Funny plant. Bought mine from Aldi,flowered first year on sunny windowsill,no fruit. Planted 2 years ago in free draining soil with partial shade no flowers. rampant growth,have to keep pruning as its trying to strangle a gooseberry bush. 1m growth in a couple of months.
Fruit next year then?