There are few people who have never heard of goji berries. Over the past few years, websites on the Internet have been filled with attractive ads for this “miracle from the East”. Goji is often offered as a “magic” natural remedy for weight loss, but it is also known that this plant contains many invaluable trace elements useful to the human body.
But is it really necessary to consume goji berries, to constantly buy them for decent money? After all, the conditions for growing this miracle plant can be created in Russia. Anyone who wants to try goji as a means of losing weight, is looking for a source of trace elements and vitamins, or just wants to diversify a summer cottage with some unusual plant, it will certainly be interesting to know what goji berry is, planting, growing and caring for which are quite possible and on Russian soil.
Eastern miracle
Tibet is considered to be the birthplace of miracle berries and the area where they first learned about its usefulness. In China, the history of goji is tens of thousands of years old. Since the last century, goji have gained incredible popularity in many countries of the world. Goji berry is rightfully recognized as one of the most useful natural herbal remedies for its healing properties. A shrub with oblong bright red fruits has many names: ordinary dereza, Tibetan (or Chinese) barberry, wolfberry, wolfberry, Chinese dereza ...
Dereza belongs to the nightshade family. Of the more than 40 species of plants bearing the scientific name "Dereza", as a rule, ordinary Dereza is grown outside the borders of China. Due to its unpretentiousness and relative ease of care, this plant is very popular and is well cultivated in the countries of Asia, Africa, the Caucasus, Ukraine, Primorye, as well as in central Russia.
The benefits of goji berries for humans
Goji berry, the planting and care of which in the Chinese provinces has already gained industrial proportions, is incredibly appreciated in the traditional medicine of China and Tibet.
The properties of these “magic” berries are difficult to overestimate. Goji is an invaluable source of more than twenty minerals, a set of natural vegetable fats and carbohydrates, 18 rare amino acids, linoleic acid, proteins, fatty acids, fiber, essential vitamins C, E and group B.
Of course, the goji berry, planting and care of which is carried out on the territory of Russia, is noticeably inferior in terms of the amount of minerals and vitamins to similar fruits grown in the mountains of Tibet or in China. But even “goji from the summer house” can provide the human body with the daily norm of all of the above substances.
In addition to using these berries for the most publicized goal - weight loss, the use of goji solves many medical and physiological problems: improve metabolism and skin condition, lower blood sugar, regulate melatonin, help against depression and sleep disorders, improve immunity and promote rejuvenation organism. It is believed that the use of goji is the secret to the success of athletes from the Middle Kingdom, the reason for their incredible endurance.
Climatic conditions and soil for growing goji
Outwardly, ordinary dereza is a tall shrub with small leaves and thin flexible, rather prickly branches. The flowering bush is covered with delicate lilac flowers, and the dereza fruits, known as goji berries, are oblong, medium-sized, bright red. The ability of a tree to grow and bear fruit in the harsh mountain climate of the Himalayas suggests that the plant is highly resilient and is able to withstand frosts down to –15 degrees.
“Berry of happiness and longevity” feels great in a temperate Russian climate, in a place where there is a lot of sunlight and average humidity. The soil on which the dereza is grown can be any, so this plant is very unpretentious. Goji berry, the planting and care of which is considered in the article, can be successfully grown in the suburbs in the suburban area.
Goji seedlings from cuttings
How to grow goji berries in the area of ​​your own summer house? You can grow a dereza seedling from seeds or from a stalk.
Cuttings can be obtained using layering. To do this, in the middle of summer, on an existing bush no younger than three years old, they bend to the ground and dig in strong branches. Before the first frost, the branch is cut and planted.
Cuttings can be cut separately. Cuttings about 10 cm long are carefully cut from the mother’s bush, and be sure to cut so that at least 1 cm makes up the “old” wood. The edge is treated with root, and the cuttings are planted in the greenhouse. In winter, a warmed balcony is also suitable for this.
How to grow seedlings from seeds
If it is not possible to obtain cuttings, then you can grow a dereza seedling from seeds extracted from ripe goji berries. Planting and care of seeds is somewhat different from the "cuttings".
Seeds are extracted from fully ripened goji berries. They do not need to be germinated before planting, it is recommended that you just soak them for a couple of hours in a stimulator of the immune system - zircon or epine. Seeds are placed in a medium-soft, drained neutral soil mixture containing compost and sand. Seeds are planted close to each other in a greenhouse or other fairly bright place with a stable warm temperature and covered with a film. Watering is carried out using a spray gun.
After the appearance of two leaves on the bush, the plants are seated in deep containers, and the tops are pinched. In greenhouse conditions, dereza is maintained for at least a year, after which it is planted in the ground.
Outdoor landing
The next important step in growing goji is planting and caring for seedlings. It is best to plant dereza in the ground in spring. Since this is a cross-pollination plant, it is necessary to plant at least two shrubs nearby.
Dereza seedlings are planted in a hole about 40 cm deep and about 50 cm wide. The distance between each bush of goji berries should be at least 1.5 meters. Land intended for backfilling of the plant is mixed with a large amount of compost, approximately 8-10 kg (peat or humus is suitable) with the addition of 200 g of superphosphate and 40 grams of wood ash or potassium sulfate. The seedling should be deepened a little, sprinkled tightly with prepared soil, well watered. Cover the surface of the earth around the seedling with a protective film or straw.
And valuable information for those who do not have a summer residence, but want their own goji berry. Planting and care of this plant is possible in the home. To grow healthy berries at home, you need a bulky pot so that the powerful goji roots can grow freely. To create favorable conditions, it will be necessary to provide a bush of goji berries with plenty of light. The place where goji berry will grow, the planting and care of which is planned at home, should be where the plant will not be exposed to cold running air from windows or doors and to excessively high temperatures, for example, from a heating radiator or stove. The rules for regular care of such an indoor bush are simple: do not add mineral fertilizers simultaneously with organic top dressing, provide constant, but not too strong, watering. A "winter" bush goji berries will be comfortable at a cool temperature. Of the minuses of the "home" goji - useful substances they will contain a minimum, much less than in the "summer" instance.
Shrub care
The main plus that goji berry has is that the planting and care of this plant is quite simple. Care for the dereza shrub after planting is as follows:
- Watering, if necessary, in a dry time twice a week.
- You can feed the plant, but only during the growing season.
- Optionally, to give an aesthetic appearance, you can cut the plant and cut the branches.
- For the winter, goji is either thoroughly covered with branches or transplanted into a deep container and sent to “winter” in the basement.
As you can see, just grow goji. Berry, planting and care in the suburbs for which are described in the article, is becoming more popular among gardeners.
Harvesting: features
No less important information than growing goji berries, planting, care - how to collect ripened bright berries correctly. There is a feature here. Shrub grown from seeds gives a goji berry crop only in the third, or even the fourth year after planting.
It is only necessary to collect the ripened berry when it has acquired the laid bright red hue! Berries that are not ripened on a branch should never be eaten, as they can cause poisoning.
In addition, the contact of fresh goji with open skin should be avoided. If you pick berries with your bare hands, juice falling on your skin can cause irritation and stain your hands dark when oxidized. The most traditional way to harvest is to shake the berries from the branches onto a spread fabric. If further processing of fresh berries is necessary, hands should be protected with gloves.
How to store and eat ripe berries
How can you save the goji berry harvest taken from the bush. The most common way to consume goji berries is in dried form, which is how they are sold by most sellers in our country.
To preserve useful elements in a ripe berry, drying should be done only naturally, without separating the stem, spreading the berries in the shade. The use of preservatives and the effect of oven drying or direct sunlight will adversely affect the quality of dried fruits.
A sign that the berry is dried to the desired state is exfoliation of the skin. After this, goji must be separated from the stem and placed in storage containers, and then kept in a dark, dry place.
It is important to remember that it is not safe to consume a large number of goji berries right away - the body must still get used to them. An “overdose” can result in dehydration and kidney problems. The safe daily dose of this herbal remedy is one tablespoon for an adult.
Goji berries can be consumed in any form. The easiest way is to brew berries in a proportion of 1 tablespoon per 150 ml of boiling water. After 30 minutes, the drink is ready to drink, you need to take it along with the brewed berries.
Goji will also be a great addition to any dish: soups, desserts, cereals, salads, sauces ... In addition to berries, for the healing and tonic tinctures and tea, dried bark of the ordinary dereza root and dried leaves of this shrub are used. Despite the miraculous properties of goji, you should remember about precautions, and before you start using the berries of this plant, consult a doctor and familiarize yourself with the existing contraindications.