Frequently Asked Questions
1. Will Wolfberries grow in my area?
Maybe. Cold is not a problem. Our plants have been untouched by minus twenty
seven degree weather and frost in May that killed blackberries, left the Wolfberries
untouched. They like hot dry summers. Our plants that have been grown in warm winter
areas produce heavily the first few years and then seem to decline.
2. Do you need a lot of garden area for Wolfberries?
No, you can grow Wolfberries in a tub on the patio, as shrubbery around the house, in
a small garden, or by the acre in fields. If trained on a trellis, vines will grow to
over ten feet in length. Plants can be trimmed as a bush, with adult plants requiring
as little as four square feet of space. Wolfberry pruning is simple and easy to do.
3. When should I plant my wolfberry plants?
Wolfberry plants grow in zones 3-10. In the north, plant just after the average last hard frost date. They can be planted up to about one month prior to the first hard frost date in the fall.
4. How many plants should I plant?
A 30 foot row with 15 plants has the potential to produce up to 100 pounds of berries per year, which would supply about 80% of a person’s annual nutrient needs. Three ounces of dried berries have approximately 80% of a person’s daily nutrient requirements (not calories).
5. How many berries will I get off each plant?
If there is at least a 3 month growing season, you might get a few berries off regular bare root starts in year 1. Select and Deluxe plants will produce fruit the first year. There should be a full crop on the second year. The plants should keep producing fruit indefinitely, but need to be pruned to maximize first year growth. The fruit is primarily on the first year growth. There is very little fruit on second year growth.
6. When will the plants get thorny? How can I avoid the thorns?
Thorns come after the second year. You can minimize the amount of thorns by proper pruning.
7. When should I remove the leaves from the plants? (Before or after picking the berries?)
Leaves can be harvested all year long. If growing plants mainly for fruit, you shouldn’t remove the leaves until late fall, before the first frost.
8. How many berries will I get per plant?
This is variable. I’ve been able to get approximately 6 pounds of fruit off a mature plant.
9. What is the difference in Regular, Select or Deluxe plants?
Regular bare root starts are 1 year old roots.
Select bare root starts are 2 year old roots.
Deluxe bare root starts are 3 or more year old roots.
Super Deluxe bare root starts are more than 3 years old, could be 5 years old, and have a more developed root.
10. How many berries and leaves will I get year 1, year 2, and year 3?
See above. There is no data for the leaves.
11. What is the minimum number of plants I should plant?
One plant is ok. They are self pollinating.
12. What is the best soil for these plants?
The only factor that seems to make any different in the growth of the plant is the soil ph. Can be slightly acidic; the plants prefer an alkaline soil with a ph higher than 7.0.
13. How often should I water my plants?
With bare root starts: keep them moist until there is 6-8 inches of new growth. Then watering can be cut back. Mature plants in sandy soil should be watered more often than with heavy soil. Watering on the foliage may harm the fruit blossoms. It is better to water just the roots. Depending on the climate, if there is not regular rainfall, mature plants may need to be watered once every two weeks with an inch or more of water. Once these plants are established, they are very drought tolerant.
14. How do I increase the ph value of my soil? What is the appropriate ph?
Calcium supplements raise ph value. 6.8 - 8.1 is the appropriate soil ph.
15. How far should my plants be spaced in the ground?
Two feet apart in the row, 6 feet between rows.
16. Is there a fertilizer that would be good for these plants? Miracle Grow?
Don’t use Miracle Grow. No fertilizer needed.
17. Can I use peat moss?
NO, peat moss will lower the ph value of the soil.
18. Can you ship the plants in a container, already potted?
We can’t ship plants, with soil, outside the State of Utah.
19. Can I plant wolfberries in containers, so I can move them around?
If using containers, a 5 gallon container should be the minimum size for producing decent sized plants.
20. How do I prune my plants? When should I prune them?
See the website for a pruning guide.
21. What do I do with my plants in the fall?
Harvest the leaves. No winter protection is needed.
22. Do I need to protect my plants from the sun, shade or snow?
The plants prefer full sun. They will grow in partial shade, but will not produce as much fruit. Again, no winter protection is needed.
23. Do these plants grow better in the greenhouse?
No. The problem with a greenhouse is that the plants normally develop a tap root that goes way down. In the greenhouse they don’t have a normal habitat in which to grow. The only reason to have them in a greenhouse would be to harvest fresh leaves all year long.
24. Do these plants spread out? Send runners?
After the third year, they start to send out lateral shoots. If not removed, they can become invasive.
25. How can I help increase my crop?
Plant more plants. The key to cropping is pruning of plants. It is important to plant a variety of wolfberry plant with known fruit production. English Teaberry plants tend to produce limited fruit, mostly leaves.
26. Do deer like these plants? Birds?
Insects and pests do not seem to be a problem, however fruit eating birds love the berries. You may need to cover the plants with netting. Deer and rabbits do not seem to like the plants.
27. How should I store the berries? Dehydrate? Freezer? Fridge?
Best flavor from dried berries. Pick, wash, remove the stems (if any), put into bags to freeze OR put in dehydrator for 3 days or more (sticky).
28. How do you use your wolfberries? How do you use the leaves?
We snack on wolfberries. We make a drink from the leaves which we have daily. We add berries and leaves to our food. See our cookbook for recipes.
29. What are some of the major differences in wolfberry varieties?
The size of the fruit and quantity vary with the variety of plant. Some are only hardy in zones 5-9, others are hardy in zones 3-10. Some varieties are raised primarily for leaves, rather than the fruit. Chinense is a thornier plant. The thorniness of the plant varies with the variety.
We grow and sell Lycium barbarum, variety Phoenix Tears, which are hardy in zones 3-10, less thorny, with both our leaves and fruit being nutrient loaded, as verified by the nutrient testing we have had done over the past several years.
If you have a question that you do not see here, please feel free to contact us! We would be happy to answer your questions!
Maybe. Cold is not a problem. Our plants have been untouched by minus twenty
seven degree weather and frost in May that killed blackberries, left the Wolfberries
untouched. They like hot dry summers. Our plants that have been grown in warm winter
areas produce heavily the first few years and then seem to decline.
2. Do you need a lot of garden area for Wolfberries?
No, you can grow Wolfberries in a tub on the patio, as shrubbery around the house, in
a small garden, or by the acre in fields. If trained on a trellis, vines will grow to
over ten feet in length. Plants can be trimmed as a bush, with adult plants requiring
as little as four square feet of space. Wolfberry pruning is simple and easy to do.
3. When should I plant my wolfberry plants?
Wolfberry plants grow in zones 3-10. In the north, plant just after the average last hard frost date. They can be planted up to about one month prior to the first hard frost date in the fall.
4. How many plants should I plant?
A 30 foot row with 15 plants has the potential to produce up to 100 pounds of berries per year, which would supply about 80% of a person’s annual nutrient needs. Three ounces of dried berries have approximately 80% of a person’s daily nutrient requirements (not calories).
5. How many berries will I get off each plant?
If there is at least a 3 month growing season, you might get a few berries off regular bare root starts in year 1. Select and Deluxe plants will produce fruit the first year. There should be a full crop on the second year. The plants should keep producing fruit indefinitely, but need to be pruned to maximize first year growth. The fruit is primarily on the first year growth. There is very little fruit on second year growth.
6. When will the plants get thorny? How can I avoid the thorns?
Thorns come after the second year. You can minimize the amount of thorns by proper pruning.
7. When should I remove the leaves from the plants? (Before or after picking the berries?)
Leaves can be harvested all year long. If growing plants mainly for fruit, you shouldn’t remove the leaves until late fall, before the first frost.
8. How many berries will I get per plant?
This is variable. I’ve been able to get approximately 6 pounds of fruit off a mature plant.
9. What is the difference in Regular, Select or Deluxe plants?
Regular bare root starts are 1 year old roots.
Select bare root starts are 2 year old roots.
Deluxe bare root starts are 3 or more year old roots.
Super Deluxe bare root starts are more than 3 years old, could be 5 years old, and have a more developed root.
10. How many berries and leaves will I get year 1, year 2, and year 3?
See above. There is no data for the leaves.
11. What is the minimum number of plants I should plant?
One plant is ok. They are self pollinating.
12. What is the best soil for these plants?
The only factor that seems to make any different in the growth of the plant is the soil ph. Can be slightly acidic; the plants prefer an alkaline soil with a ph higher than 7.0.
13. How often should I water my plants?
With bare root starts: keep them moist until there is 6-8 inches of new growth. Then watering can be cut back. Mature plants in sandy soil should be watered more often than with heavy soil. Watering on the foliage may harm the fruit blossoms. It is better to water just the roots. Depending on the climate, if there is not regular rainfall, mature plants may need to be watered once every two weeks with an inch or more of water. Once these plants are established, they are very drought tolerant.
14. How do I increase the ph value of my soil? What is the appropriate ph?
Calcium supplements raise ph value. 6.8 - 8.1 is the appropriate soil ph.
15. How far should my plants be spaced in the ground?
Two feet apart in the row, 6 feet between rows.
16. Is there a fertilizer that would be good for these plants? Miracle Grow?
Don’t use Miracle Grow. No fertilizer needed.
17. Can I use peat moss?
NO, peat moss will lower the ph value of the soil.
18. Can you ship the plants in a container, already potted?
We can’t ship plants, with soil, outside the State of Utah.
19. Can I plant wolfberries in containers, so I can move them around?
If using containers, a 5 gallon container should be the minimum size for producing decent sized plants.
20. How do I prune my plants? When should I prune them?
See the website for a pruning guide.
21. What do I do with my plants in the fall?
Harvest the leaves. No winter protection is needed.
22. Do I need to protect my plants from the sun, shade or snow?
The plants prefer full sun. They will grow in partial shade, but will not produce as much fruit. Again, no winter protection is needed.
23. Do these plants grow better in the greenhouse?
No. The problem with a greenhouse is that the plants normally develop a tap root that goes way down. In the greenhouse they don’t have a normal habitat in which to grow. The only reason to have them in a greenhouse would be to harvest fresh leaves all year long.
24. Do these plants spread out? Send runners?
After the third year, they start to send out lateral shoots. If not removed, they can become invasive.
25. How can I help increase my crop?
Plant more plants. The key to cropping is pruning of plants. It is important to plant a variety of wolfberry plant with known fruit production. English Teaberry plants tend to produce limited fruit, mostly leaves.
26. Do deer like these plants? Birds?
Insects and pests do not seem to be a problem, however fruit eating birds love the berries. You may need to cover the plants with netting. Deer and rabbits do not seem to like the plants.
27. How should I store the berries? Dehydrate? Freezer? Fridge?
Best flavor from dried berries. Pick, wash, remove the stems (if any), put into bags to freeze OR put in dehydrator for 3 days or more (sticky).
28. How do you use your wolfberries? How do you use the leaves?
We snack on wolfberries. We make a drink from the leaves which we have daily. We add berries and leaves to our food. See our cookbook for recipes.
29. What are some of the major differences in wolfberry varieties?
The size of the fruit and quantity vary with the variety of plant. Some are only hardy in zones 5-9, others are hardy in zones 3-10. Some varieties are raised primarily for leaves, rather than the fruit. Chinense is a thornier plant. The thorniness of the plant varies with the variety.
We grow and sell Lycium barbarum, variety Phoenix Tears, which are hardy in zones 3-10, less thorny, with both our leaves and fruit being nutrient loaded, as verified by the nutrient testing we have had done over the past several years.
If you have a question that you do not see here, please feel free to contact us! We would be happy to answer your questions!
