Goji berries are not doing well

[DDJ]

My Goji berry plants, 2 of them, are not growing and almost dead.  I am looking for guidance as to what to do to perk them up.

I have 2 Giji berry plants that I purchased form Tractor Supply last year.  They were 1 and 2 stocks in the carton 12 to 18 inch's high with nice looking leaves.  We planted them on the edge of a slight drop off at the edge my Zone 1 intending them to be part of a plant based wind break.  They get full sun we water regularly.  We have added mounds of compost to the down hill of them to stop the water run off so it can soak in to them. We loosened the heave clay soil around them.  Going into winter we thought they were dead then in late April noticed a new shoot from each 2 leaves very small.  Now they are slight larger but only 6 inches high.  We have re-loosened the spoil and added more compost but they are still week and even a little yellow.  Black Berries, planted at the same time, on the same edge but 6 feet further on are doing ok we are seeing new shoots and their color is good. Blue berries 6 feet closer to the house are doing alright but I think they are not getting all they want. 

I did not mention I am in N.E. Ohio the plants are on the south edge of the property.  The drop off is from the edge of the flat of the back yard but it only drops 2 feet, if that, over 8 but they are on the edge of the steepest drop likely foot in 2.5 feet.  The grass that they are planted in is full of Clover and other "weeds" and there is no problem with keeping grass.  At the point below them that the ground levels off we have put in a raised bed for Strawberries and they are doing good this year directly downslope form the Gojis.  If it makes any difference about 12 feet from them into the back yard is the, brand new in 2016 septic system.  With the septic install still settling I am not 100% sure that the water run off is flowing across them but the blueberries would be more affected by that I think.

I do not think that they are getting browsed by Deer or rabbits.  We put them in Tomato cages so that we would not run over all the plants with the lawn mower.

I am sure I missed some details and will try to get some pictures linked if that would be any help.

Any suggestions as to what they may not like or specific amendments I could give them would be helpful.

[bigbear]

Too much or too little water can cause yellow leaves.  Too much sun can cause yellow leaves.  Nutrient imbalances can cause yellow leaves.  Pests can cause yellow leaves.  Spray some neem oil.  Add some shade and change watering habits (I'd probably start with a little less watering - counter to every caregiving urge you may have for the plants).  Or I could be completely wrong and you'll be buying a couple of new Goji berry plants...

[surfivor]

I have given up on goji this year. I have no problem getting them to sprout from goji berries And have learned that you cannot transplant them until they are fairly good size. The problem is once i transplant them into the ground they never seem to take off or grow much. Usually they die, what else to try ? What is the secret? I have no idea

[Carl]

  Soil PH is important to many berries .Have you checked you soil to make sure it is in a range for your plants? Most prefer a PH of 6.5 to 7.

[surfivor]

  Soil PH is important to many berries .Have you checked you soil to make sure it is in a range for your plants? Most prefer a PH of 6.5 to 7.

 I haven't gotten into soil PH. I was told asparagus won't grow without certain soil PH and if you buy asparagus roots from stores they never sprout. It turned out those roots were dead, you can buy live roots in Maine and plant them and they do fine.

[Carl]

I haven't gotten into soil PH. I was told asparagus won't grow without certain soil PH and if you buy asparagus roots from stores they never sprout. It turned out those roots were dead, you can buy live roots in Maine and plant them and they do fine.

A $10 device can give you many answers...

https://www.amazon.com/Gardening-Acidity-Moisture-Office-Indoor-Outdoor/dp/B07C287DBH/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1529101928&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=soil+ph+test+kits+gardening&psc=1

[David in MN]

I have given up on goji this year. I have no problem getting them to sprout from goji berries And have learned that you cannot transplant them until they are fairly good size. The problem is once i transplant them into the ground they never seem to take off or grow much. Usually they die, what else to try ? What is the secret? I have no idea

I hate to admit it but I am in the same boat. They do well for 2-3 years and we love the fruit but then they just seem to wither. My soil pH is in the acceptable range so I have no ever loving idea what I'm doing wrong. But on a plot od land that yearly gives me bountiful raspberries, serviceberries, grapes, currants, strawberries, and now blackberries I just gave up on goji. I'm sticking to the easy stuff.

[Carl]

  Is it root rot or something eating them from below? I have not seen this with the few plants that grow wild in my 'garden' area.

[David in MN]

  Is it root rot or something eating them from below? I have not seen this with the few plants that grow wild in my 'garden' area.

I don't think so. For me they just don't seem to recover well from winter. In all honesty, I don't know but I'm not expending any more brain power to it. I have serviceberries doing just fine where the goji died.

[DDJ]

We loosened the soil underneath and 1 ahs perked up some the other is showing some new leaves. but nothing like the aggressive plant I understand Goji to be. We added some peat to the top and then dressed the ENTIRE area with a layer of wood chips.  By small I think the larger of the 2 is now 3 shoots coming from the ground and ZI would suspect that it is not 8 inches high.  The other has one shoot with less than 20 leaves.

[DDJ]

Here are the pictures I promised.  The wood chips are new as of this weekend, and the one plant is responding well the other as I sad not so much. 

The not so much plant.  Remember this is its second year.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimisod/42235654644/

The Better plant also second year from the same source at the same time.  The lighter green (weeds ARGGG).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimisod/42954537671/in/photostream/

Here is an overview of the berry Patch.  Far end 3 black berries, the 2 Gojis then 2 Blueberries (different verities).  These are all in Tomato cages for stability. then in the bump to the left (Southish) is strawberries and they are taking off the addition of the wood chips is to their liking or is it just the weather we are having these last few days.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimisod/29081762518/in/photostream/

[surfivor]

 I do have one goji plant that is still alive, it is growing kind of slow and is in an area with a good amount of partial shade. It's been there probably 3 or 4 years. I have not paid attention much to it. I just cleared out some overgrowth and weeds to see if it is still there. It is a plant I ordered from a nursery. The ones I started from seed I have not had luck with. If I was to do it again from seeds, I think I would leave them in pots for two or 3 years and move the pots indoors in the winter.