Goji berries: planting and care, cultivation, useful properties and features

There are few people who have never heard of goji berries. The last few years, an attractive advertisement of this "miracle from the East" overflowed sites on the Internet. Goji is often offered as a "magic" natural remedy for weight loss, but it is also known about the content in this plant of many priceless micronutrients useful to the human body.

But is it really necessary in order to consume goji berries, constantly buy them for decent money? After all, conditions for growing this miracle plant can be created in Russia. To all who dream of trying goji as a means of losing weight, looking for a source of trace elements and vitamins, or simply wanting to diversify the dacha area with some unusual plant, it will certainly be interesting to find out what the goji berries are, planting, growing and caring which are quite possible and On Russian soil.

Eastern miracle

The native land of miracle-berries and the place where they first learned about its usefulness is considered Tibet. In China, the history of eating goji in food is estimated at tens of thousands of years. Since the last century, goji have gained incredible popularity in many countries of the world. For medicinal properties, goji berries are rightly recognized as one of the most useful natural herbal remedies. The bush with oblong bright red fruits has many names: daisy, Tibetan (or Chinese) barberry, wolfberry, wolfberry, Chinese deregus ...

Dereza belongs to the Solanaceae family. Of the more than 40 species of plants that bear the scientific name of "derevo", usually outside the borders of China is dereza ordinary. Due to its unpretentiousness and relative simplicity of care, this plant is very popular and well cultivated in the countries of Asia, Africa, the Caucasus, Ukraine, Primorye, as well as in the central part of Russia.

Benefits of goji berries for humans

The goji berries, planted and taken care of in China's provinces, have already reached an industrial scale, are incredibly valued in traditional medicine in China and Tibet.

The properties of these "magic" berries can not be overestimated. Goji - 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 berries, planted and caring for which are produced in Russia, are much 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 dacha" can provide the human body with the daily norm of all the above substances.

In addition to using these berries for the most advertised goal - weight loss, goji intake solves many medical and physiological problems: improve metabolism and skin condition, reduce blood sugar levels, regulate melatonin level, help against depression and sleep disorders, improve immunity and promote rejuvenation Organism. There is an opinion that the use of goji is the secret of the success of athletes from the Middle Kingdom, the reason for their incredible endurance.

Climatic conditions and soil for growing goji

Externally, the common tree is a tall shrub with small leaves and thin flexible, rather spiny branches. The flowering bush is covered with delicate purple flowers, and the fruits of the tree, known as goji berries, oblong, small, bright red. The ability of the derevy to grow and bear fruit in the harsh mountain climate of the Himalayas suggests that the plant is highly resistant and able to withstand freezing to -15 degrees.

"Berry of happiness and longevity" perfectly feels in the Russian temperate climate, in a place where there is a lot of sunlight and average humidity. The soil on which dereosa is grown can be any, so the plant is very unpretentious. The goji berries, planting and care for which are considered in the article, can be successfully grown in the suburbs in the suburban area.

Saplings of goji from cuttings

How to grow goji berries on the site of your own summer residence? You can grow a seedling of a tree from seed or from a handle.

Cuttings can be obtained with the help of a layer. To do this, in the middle of summer, on an already existing bush, at least three years of age, they bend to the ground and dig in strong branches. Before the first freezing, the branch is cut and seated.

Cuttings can be cut separately. From the mother's bush with caution cuttings cut about 10 cm long, while always cut so that at least 1 cm was "old" wood. Edge is processed by corn root, and cuttings are planted in a greenhouse. In winter, a warmed balcony is also suitable for this.

How to grow seedlings from seeds

If you can not get the cuttings, then you can grow a seedling of a tree from the seeds extracted from the ripe goji berries. Planting and leaving the seeds is somewhat different from the "cuttings".

Seeds are extracted from the fully ripened goji berries. They do not need to germinate before planting, it is recommended to simply soak them for a couple of hours in a stimulant of the immune system - zircon or epine. The seeds are placed in a mildly drained neutral soil mixture with compost and sand. The seeds are planted close to each other in a greenhouse or other fairly bright place with a stably warm temperature and covered with a film. Watering is carried out with the help of a spray.

After the appearance of two leaves on the bush, the plants are seated in deep containers, and the tops are plucked. In greenhouse conditions, the tree is aged for at least a year, after which it is planted in the soil.

Landing in open ground

The next important step in growing goji is planting and caring for the seedlings. Planting dereza in the soil is best in the spring. Since this is a cross-pollination plant, it is necessary to plant at least two shrubs nearby.

The seedling of the tree is planted in a hole about 40 cm deep and about 50 cm wide. The distance between each bush of goji berries should not be less than 1.5 meters. The land intended for filling the plant is mixed with a large amount of compost, about 8-10 kg (peat or humus will be suitable) with the addition of 200 g superphosphate and 40 grams of wood ash or potassium sulfate. The sapling should be slightly closed, sprinkled with prepared soil, well watered. Cover the surface of the ground around the seedlings with a protective film or straw.

And valuable information for those who do not have a summer cottage, but want to have their own goji berry. Planting and caring for this plant are possible and in a home environment. To grow useful berries at home requires a three-dimensional pot, so that the powerful roots of goji 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 the goji berries will grow, the planting and care of which is planned at home, should be where the plant does not undergo cold flowing air from a window or doors and excessively high temperatures, for example, from a radiator or stove. The rules of regular care for such a room bush are simple: do not apply mineral fertilizing at the same time with organic top dressing, ensure constant, but not too strong, watering. And "wintering" the bush of goji berries will be comfortable at a cool temperature. From the minuses of "home" goju - useful substances in them will contain a minimum, much less than in the "summer" copy.

Care of the bush

The main plus, which has goji berries - planting and caring for this plant is quite simple. Caring for the bush of a tree after planting is as follows:

• Watering as necessary, in dry times, twice a week.
• You can fertilize the plant, but only during the growing season.
• If desired, to give an aesthetic appearance, you can cut the plant and trim the branches.
• For the winter goji either carefully 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 the cultivation of goji berries, planting, care - how to harvest the ripe bright berries correctly. There is a special feature here. A shrub grown from seeds yields a yield of goji berries only for a third, and even for the fourth, year after the landing.

Collect only the ripe berry when it has acquired a bright red color! Berries that are not ripe on a branch, can not be eaten categorically, since they can cause poisoning.

In addition, avoid contact of fresh goji with open skin. If you collect berries with your bare hands, juice, getting on the skin can cause irritation and stain when oxidizing your hands in a dark color. The most traditional way to harvest - to brush berries from branches on the spread fabric. If you need further processing of fresh berries, protect your hands better with gloves.

How to store and consume ripe berries

What ways can you save the harvest of goji berries removed from the bush? The most frequent way of using goji berries is in dried form, that's how most sellers in our country sell them.

To preserve useful elements in a ripe berry, drying should be done only in a natural way, without separating the stem, spreading the berries in the shade. Negative impact on the quality of dried fruits as the use of preservatives, and the effect of oven drying or direct sunlight.

A sign that the berry is dried to the desired state is exfoliation of the skin. After this goji must be separated from the stalk and placed in a storage container, after which it should be kept in a dark, dry place.

It is important to remember that once you consume a large number of goji berries is not safe - the body must still get used to them. "Overdose" can result in dehydration and kidney problems. A safe daily dose of this herbal remedy is one tablespoon for an adult.

You can eat goji berries in any form. The easiest way is to brew berries in the proportion of 1 tablespoon per 150 ml of boiling water. After 30 minutes the drink is ready for use, it should be taken with the brewed berries.

Also goji will be an excellent addition to any dishes: soups, desserts, porridges, salads, sauces ... In addition to berries, for dried and medicinal tinctures and teas are applied the dried bark of the common root and dried leaves of this shrub. Despite the miraculous properties of goji, one should remember the precautionary measures, and before you start eating the berries of this plant, get advice from a doctor and become familiar with the existing contraindications.