Mini kiwis are absolutely trendy. So that the kiwi berries in your garden will bear fruit for a long time, we have the best tips for you on the right care.
Mini kiwi fruit (Actinidia arguta) are often referred to as kiwi berries. The fruits see the large kiwis cut open (Actinidia deliciosa) quite similar, but shape, size and color differ significantly. As such, kiwi berries do not require a lot of care and have the great advantage that they can withstand frosts of up to -30 ° C. In this article you will learn everything you need to know about caring for kiwi berries properly. If you have any tips on Plant your mini kiwi fruit need a look here in our special article.
contents
- Pour the kiwi berries
- Fertilize kiwi berries
- Cut the kiwi berries
- Hibernate kiwi berries
The care measures for the kiwi berry are limited. Watering and fertilizing should not be neglected here either. The right pruning is also important if you want to reap a bountiful harvest.
Pour the kiwi berries
Mini kiwis produce plenty of leaf mass. This means a high photosynthesis performance and also a large evaporation area. Both of these cost the plant water. In addition, the shallow roots cannot penetrate very deeply into the ground in order to draw water upwards from there. The kiwi berry is therefore dependent on regular watering. In dry and hot summers, you should therefore water at least two to three times a week.
Fertilize kiwi berries
When you are planting compost have mixed into the soil, the mini kiwi can still feed on it for a long time. Too much fertilization is more damaging to the young kiwi berry, it then forms long young shoots that are easily susceptible to frost. From the second year onwards, you should regularly strengthen the mini kiwi with organic fertilizer. You can start mixing the fertilizer under the layer of mulch from mid-March. Compost, animal manure and ours are suitable for this Plantura organic universal fertilizer with organic long-term effect. Compared to synthetic fertilizers, fertilizers with an organic long-term effect not only protect the environment, but also release the nutrients slowly and more evenly to the plant.
Cut the kiwi berries
As a vigorous liana plant, the kiwi berry likes to climb high. However, pruning measures are necessary so that your garden does not turn into a jungle and to ensure a high yield. The best time to cut is summer or autumn, as the shoots bleed heavily in spring.
If the mini kiwis grow in a trellis, you can proceed as follows when cutting: Leave only the strongest shoot of a plant. Shorten this to 50 cm and attach it vertically to the bottom wire of the trellis. In the course of the first year an elongation of the shoots forms, which is attached vertically to the next wire and shortened to about 15 cm above the wire. The side shoots form on this shoot extension. Leave only the two strongest of these and attach them horizontally along the wire - these form the main drives. Then further train the plant so that two leading shoots extend from the main shoot on each wire. The leading grater form side shoots, which are the basis for the later flower and fruit formation. These fruit shoots are shortened to four to five leaves behind the last fruit in summer. After the harvest, the fruit shoots can be cut back further so that two buds remain. You should also cut back the leading and main shoots after each summer.
Summary cutting kiwi berries in a trellis:
- Leave only one main shoot
- Guide the main shoot vertically up the trellis
- Leave two side shoots on each horizontal wire
- The fruit shoots grow on the side shoot
- Shorten the fruit shoots to five leaves behind the last fruit
- After harvesting, cut the fruit shoots back to two buds
- Cut back the leading and main shoots every summer
Tip: You can use an elastic PVC cord to fix it. This is flexible and does not damage the shoots.
If the mini kiwifruit grow on a pergola, the cut is much easier. However, you must also expect a significantly lower yield here. Direct the shoots in different directions here. After the harvest, you can always thin out the plant a little by shortening the oldest shoots to young side shoots.
Mini kiwis are usually very easy to cut. Therefore, you can cut back unwanted or too long shoots at any time, even in summer.
Hibernate kiwi berries
In contrast to its big sister, the kiwi, the mini kiwi is optimally adapted to our winters. The kiwi berry does not harm frost, depending on the variety, temperatures down to -30 ° C do not affect the delicious fruit. Only late frosts can be dangerous for the mini kiwi. The plant begins to sprout as early as March and young shoots are then severely damaged by frost. You should therefore ensure that your location is as protected as possible. The kiwi berry also doesn't like too much direct sunlight in winter. You should also make sure to keep the soil well moist even in winter so that the plant does not dry out.
Everything about more beautiful and hardy climbing plants (but those without fruit) can also be read here.
