Cutting kiwi - types of cut and date
Kiwis thrive as left-winding creepers with an annual increase of up to 100 centimeters. A strategic one Education on the trellis is just as essential for a rich harvest as a twice a year. Kiwi plants bloom and bear fruit on long, this year's shoots. Fruitful long shoots sprout from the previous year's short shoots, which in turn are supported by a permanent framework. With which Types of cuts To properly care for a kiwi, the following table summarizes:
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| Cut type | Goal / occasion | best date |
|---|---|---|
| Upbringing | optimal construction on the trellis | 1. and 2. Year in spring and summer |
| Summer cut | Improve crop yield, Fruitwood support financially | from 3. Year in summer |
| Spring cut | Thinning out old fruit wood, regulating growth | from 4. Year in spring |
Raising kiwi fruit in an exemplary manner
Kiwi plants depend on a stable support structure. A wire trellis on the south wall of the house requires little effort. Stretch out three thick wires horizontally at a distance of 50 to 80 centimeters from each other. You attach the bottom wire at a height of 80 centimeters. A wall distance of 7 to 8 centimeters has proven to be good. In the first two years, the pruning department is dedicated to a clear and productive upbringing. How to do it right:
Education first year
- In the spring after planting, select the strongest shoot as the main shoot
- Cut back the main shoot by a third or half just above an undamaged bud
- Cut off all remaining ground shoots (if any) at the base
- Tie side shoots growing from the main shoot horizontally to the trellis
In the first year you raise your kiwi with a framework of main shoots and side shoots, which you tie horizontally to the wires on both sides. Only cut back the scaffolding tendrils when they have reached the end of the trellis.
Second year upbringing
In the second year, the first side shoots form on the horizontal main branches. These will produce fruiting long shoots from the third year onwards. Prune the first side shoots several times during the summer to a length of four to six leaves. The resulting sap jam makes a valuable contribution to the later branching with fruit wood.
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Horizontal scaffold shoots benefit from the law of growth
Summer pruning optimizes crop yield
In the third year of standing, the pruning leads from the upbringing to the maintenance. At the beginning of the growth period, the first fruit shoots form, which carry the longed-for flower buds in the inner four or five leaf axils. The summer pruning is dedicated to the long fruit tendrils. Here's how to do it properly:
- Shorten long shoots to 4 leaves behind the last flower bud
- In the same summer, break out the branches from the interface by hand
- Cut back extensions on the main branches to 150 to 200 centimeters and tie again
In summer not blended will be young, this year's shoots that sprout along the horizontal scaffold branches. These are new short shoots that will form the valuable, long fruit wood in the coming year.
In summer, fruiting long shoots are pruned to six to eight leaves behind the last fruit. Side shoots that develop below an intersection break out.
Spring pruning promotes fruit wood
When pruning in spring, the focus is on worn, frozen and dead shoots. A courageous pruning ensures order and clears the way for fresh long shoots that will bloom and bear fruit this year. How to do an exemplary spring pruning on your kiwi:
- Cut empty stems back to 5 cm short stubs
- Cut frozen twigs back into sound wood
- Deadwood on Astring cut off
- Cut back last year's growth on the scaffold shoots and tie them up again
- Thin out branches that are growing too densely so that future fruit tendrils are not shaded in summer
- Short shoots from the previous year do not cut
As the illustration below illustrates, do not completely cut off the abraded wood. The task of the short cones is to branch out of sleeping eyes and in this way to form new short shoots.
In the spring, removed fruit tendrils are shortened to 5 centimeters short cones. Last year's growth in scaffolding shoots is cut back to a length of 50 to 100 centimeters and is tied to the climbing aid. Thin out frozen and dead tendrils.
Digression
Achilles' heel short shoots - protection against late frosts is the key
frequently asked Questions
Are kiwi plants self-fertile?
The majority of kiwi varieties thrive as dioecious plants. Specifically, this means that male or female flowers will form on separate plants. A female kiwi can only bear fruit if its flowers are fertilized by male pollen. Newer cultivars are self-fertile, such as the well-known kiwi varieties 'Solo' or 'Jenny' because they have male and female flowers. The yield is of course significantly higher if there is another male plant in close proximity.
Last year I planted a self-fruiting variety of kiwi that already bore fruit in the year of planting. With a diameter of 2.5 centimeters, the berries are very small. What can I do to make the fruits bigger?
For a kiwi plant to bear large fruits, it depends on a sunny, warm location and loose, airy, light-flooded growth. Prune the creeper in spring and summer to encourage fruit wood growth. In addition, we recommend an organic nutrient supply with compost and from April to July Horn shavings(€ 32.93 at Amazon *) in bed or liquid Berry fertilizer(€ 11.35 at Amazon *) in the bucket. At the end of July, the administration of fertilizer ends with a potassium-accentuated autumn fertilizer, such as potassium magnesia or potash.
My kiwifruit has been in a less than ideal location for two years. Can I transplant the kiwi in October now?
Kiwi plants are native to Asia and cannot rely on the home advantage of Central European fruit trees. It is therefore advisable to wait until next spring before moving to another location. The plant is sufficiently rooted in its current location to survive the winter. You can then transplant the kiwi in March or April. Cutting back by half makes it easier to grow.
Can I grow a kiwi on the rose arch?
That is very possible. It is important to note a sunny, warm and sheltered location. Guide the tendrils along the rose arch and tie the growth regularly.
Our kiwi 'Jenny' is 5 years old and this year it bloomed profusely for the first time. Unfortunately, the plant has shed all the flowers? Why is that?
The most common causes of bloom shedding are late frost, drought and a lack of potassium. Provide your kiwi with special fertilizers whose NPK formulation indicates a high content of phosphorus and potassium, such as Terrasan Organic berry fertilizer with NPK 7 + 8 + 12. Please ensure that the soil moisture is even. The earth dries out much faster in the bucket than in the bed. If meteorologists announce belated ground frosts in May, protect your kiwi with a fleece.
The 3 most common mistakes
Cutting back at the wrong time or doing without the upbringing throws your kiwi off the beaten track. After the juicy vitamin bombs, you will be on the lookout in vain for blatant omissions in the care of the cut. The following table lists the three most common cutting errors, describes typical damage patterns and gives tips on prevention:
| Cutting errors | Damage image | prevention |
|---|---|---|
| no parental cut | rampant growth, little horizontal fruit wood | educate on the trellis for the first two years |
| not cut back in summer | fruit tendrils tearing off, shadows cast on fruit | in summer shorten the fruit shoots to 6 leaves behind the last kiwi |
| too much cut in spring | few long shoots, low fruit yield | thinning out in spring and cutting back worn fruit tendrils - nothing more |
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Tips
Kiwi plants have an aversion to lime. It is not enough to pay attention to a slightly acidic pH value of the bedding soil or substrate. If hard tap water is used for watering, lime builds up in the soil and the plant becomes sick. Use filtered rainwater or stale tap water primarily when watering your kiwi.
