In this FAQ section I have posted questions from e-mails I have recieved along with their responses, which contain a great deal of useful information. I have grouped it into two sections: one about growing goji berries (you can find more detailed information about growing goji berries here) and one about buying the juice and berries (if you are looking to buy goji juice check this page out for some product comparisons).

Growing Goji Berries

Q: I heard about goji berries recently and being somewhat of a gardener, was interested in finding what the feasibility of growing goji plants would be.

I live in Grayling Michigan and fortunately it seems like it might be a good spot to grow goji’s (comparatively) to the goji’s that come from the Himalayans… …Can you offer some direction as to where would be a good location to get authentic berries?

I’ve done searches on the internet but many places are into just promoting their berries among all others as ‘the best’ or ‘only authentic’.

Could you help an aspiring health brother out?

A:

I’m not sure there is such a thing as unauthentic goji berries, just a bunch of companies trying to stand out and pretend they are special so that you will buy their berries. I personally wouldn’t buy from a company who claims they have something special unless they can prove it, and it doesn’t seem to me that any of them can. As for companies claiming that their berries are the only berries from Tibet, etc., I really don’t think it matters, and I think it depends on how rich the soil is which definitely doesn’t depend on the specific country or area they are grown, but on soil maintenance practices of the grower. Organic is better.

Additionally, there are companies who claim they are the only supplier of berries from Tibet, and other companies who claim they also get their berries from there, so who do you believe? In terms of getting seeds, however, it doesn’t matter so much, except that organic is always better. They sell seeds various places but you can always just buy shade dried berries (or perhaps even sun dried) and pick the seeds out. The plants are hardy to zone 5, maybe even 4 (I’ve been growing them in zone 5 for three years now). Hope this helps!

Q: Hi, thanks for the seeds. Unfortunately they didn’t grow?

A: You haven’t waited long enough yet, be patient. It could take weeks, and I only just sent them a little over a week ago. You just have to keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy, and don’t disturb the soil (use a spray bottle set to mist). It is also best to use a light-weight soil mix, preferably even one specifically for seeding.

Q: I live in FL and want to grow my own berries. Are the seeds in the dried berries good to plant? How do I make sure I always have the proper amount of nutrients in the soil?

A: There are maybe 20 or 30 seeds in every berry, and out of the seeds I’ve planted, about 75% of them have germinated. If you make sure to add organic matter to the soil (perhaps taking a little soil off the top and replacing) once or twice a year, your berries should be good. They don’t need any chemical fertilizer. Vermiculite, rotted manuar, and compost are best, but the plants do best in “moderately fertile soil”.

Buying Goji Juice / Berries

Q: … I’ve done searches on the internet but many places are into just promoting their berries among all others as ‘the best’ or ‘only authentic’.
A: See the first question in the Growing Goji Berries area above, as part of this question applied to both areas.