Australia grows such a huge variety of fruits and vegetables that it’s become a reliable supplier for countries everywhere in the world. Hundreds of tones of fresh produce are transported fresh every year to more than 60 countries worldwide including the Middle East and Europe.
In Australia, the agricultural industry produces a lot of potatoes, beans, onions but also different types of citrus fruits, avocados, mangoes, apples, cherries and more recently goji berries.
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In China, where they originate, goji berries have been cultivated for a very long time and used in traditional medicine for at least 2,000 years. Everywhere else in the world, however, farmers began cultivating the fruit in more recent times.
In America, commercial cultivation began in the early 1800s and in Australia, no sooner than 2012 or thereabouts, but the main idea is that goji berries are now available to grow here too.
Goji berries can be grown in your own garden
Many Australians are growing their own fruit and vegetables for different reasons: some people to save money, others to support a more sustainable living. And there are people who’ve been growing goji berry plants for a couple of years now, which is good news if you are interested in growing them in your own garden.
The fact that berries have grown successfully in Australia means you have every chance to succeed too, not to mention growing your own saves you money in the long run since the fruits are quite expensive to purchase.
Where you can buy goji berry plants
Those currently cultivating berries may or may not be open to the public and the majority may just be growing for personal use. However, while they don’t sell the berries, they could still be selling plants, either online or during special market events and garden shows.
A great place to inquire is a farmers’ market. Growers who sell goji berries at farmers’ markets may be able to provide you with information on where to purchase plants, or they may be selling themselves. It’s always worth to ask.
Another place to find goji plants is, of course, a garden center. Most of the nurseries in Australia deliver plants to garden centers throughout the country, and since goji have a lot of commercial potential here, there is every chance you’ll find them selling at one near you.
Good to know about growing goji berries
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Goji berries are a long term investment because the plant is long living and there is so much demand nowadays that there’s no better time than this to specialize in growing them. Some things are worth knowing beforehand, and this includes:
- The plant bears fruit from as early as the first year, but it will reach full potential by the fifth, producing more berries every passing year.
- It produces fruit summer throughout autumn.
- It can grow as tall as 3 meters high but can be pruned for small gardens.
- It can tolerate temperatures from as low as minus 15 degrees Celsius to as high as 40 degrees.
- It tolerates draught and diverse climates.