Goji berries, native to China, are a booming food fad that can benefit homesteaders looking for an easy-to-grow berry that packs a huge health punch.

Growing goji berries is fairly simple. You will need to purchase a bare root plant or seeds from sources like online nurseries. To speed up your harvest, get a bare root goji beery plant so that you can get its fruits sooner rather than later. Use a mix of soil with a tinge of sand. Choose a pot that will fit your plant; the crown of the plant should be just at the top of the hole when placed in soil. Pat down the soil around the plant, and then water. Apply some mulch around the plant to keep in the moisture. To care for the plant, simply keep it moist by watering and applying more soil, as needed.

Not only are goji berries a simple plant to care for, but they also spread like weeds, once established.

From one plant you can expect a return of many other plants. This will allow you to have more plants to sell, transplant or keep for extra goji berries.

Pruning is essential after the plant is one-year-old. Trim off all of the lower branches, up to 15 inches from the soil. Also, fertilizer is not needed because the nitrogen will kill the goji berry plant.

Health Benefits of Goji Berries
Goji berries have been used in China for centuries for energy and long life. China, in fact, produces most of the world’s commercially sold goji berries. Other health benefits include:

• Fighting cancer — They have huge levels of carotenoids, which battle cancer.
• Eye care – Goji berries can help stop macular degeneration thanks to high levels of antioxidants.
• Healthy skin – The beta-carotene in the berries boosts skin health.
• Regulating blood sugar. These berries can control the amount of sugar released into the blood, making them very beneficial for persons with diabetes.

Written for Off the Grid News.

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