Protecting Goji Berry Plants from Critters

Goji Berry Plants

This is my first year growing Goji Berries.  These berry bushes are supposed to provide a high berry yield but I will have be be patient because it will take 2 or 3 years before I will even see my first berry (provided the animals don't eat them first).  About 2 weeks after I planted the Goji Berry bushes I noticed that they almost disappeared - all that remained was a little twig.  I'm not sure which critter enjoys Goji's but they had eaten all the leaves off the stem and they had eaten the plant down to a stick.  I reordered and replanted and now have these tender garden jems protected.

Cut 4 or 5 feet (depending on the size of your berry plant) of chicken wire/fencing and form it into a circle (see picture above).  (I used the tall fencing and then cut it in half - you can buy the short fence which is the perfect size for a "yearling" Goji berry plant).  Fasten the circle together with garden twine or bend a piece of the fence back a little.  Then place over the Goji plant and fasten the protective fence to a garden stake.  I'm hoping this will be tall enough to protect the Goji plant into the second year - I will let you know next year if it does the trick.