Kiwi tree ∗ The 10 best planting and care tips

Characteristics

• Scientific name: Actinidia
• Family: Ray pen family (Actinidiaceae)
• Genus: Ray pen with 60 species
• Synonyms: Chinese Gooseberry, Chinese Ray Pen
• Growth type: woody creeper
• Growth height: 300 cm to 1000 cm
• Leaf: deciduous, oval
• Flower: wheel-shaped, dioecious
• Fruit: berry
• Fruit property: edible, healthy
• Harvest time: August to October
• Hardiness: conditionally hardy

growth

The designation kiwi tree is misleading, because ray pens do not form a stable trunk. Although kiwi plants thrive with woody shoots, they are not true shrubs. The following key data on growth sheds light on the darkness with a botanically correct definition:

• definition: The kiwi is a perennial, deciduous, woody creeper with liana-like growth.
• growth habit: left-handed, climbing if a trellis is available.
• growth height: 300cm to 1000cm
• growth width: 200cm to 1000cm
• branches: young shoots reddish and hairy, later brown and smooth
• growth rate: 50 cm to 400 cm per year
• root: Shallow roots

The shape and size of the climbing aid have a significant influence on the growth of the creepers. Resourceful hobby gardeners know how to use this circumstance so that an actinidia still thrives as a kiwi tree.

Inspiration for hobby gardeners: artful climbing aids turn the kiwi plant into a kiwi tree

species

The kiwi species is native to Asia, mainly in China, Japan and Korea to Siberia. The large, hairy kiwis from the store shelves mostly come from New Zealand, whose heraldic animal has been used as the namesake of the exotic fruit since 1959. Of the 60 known kiwi species, some plants are robust enough to be cultivated in German hobby gardens. The 4 best radiation pencils for beds and tubs at a glance:

blossom

Kiwi plants are dioecious. Male and female flowers are on separate plants. Home gardeners conclude from this botanical trait that a mixed kiwi double is necessary for planting. The differences between male and female kiwi flowers are easy to spot. You can read all the important features in this overview:

• flower shape: simple, circular cup flower
• male flowers: short, white styles, numerous, long yellowish stamens
• female flowers: radiating, long white styles surrounded by a ring of short yellowish stamens.
• position: solitary or in groups in the leaf axils on annual shoots.
• heyday: May to June/July

With a seductive scent, the white to cream-colored cup flowers attract hard-working pollinators. bees, bumblebees And butterflies won't be disappointed, because inside the flower there's nutritious nectar to be found. With a nectar value of N2 (good), kiwi plants are among the bee pastures.

fruit

The vitamin-rich, aromatic and juicy kiwi fruits with these characteristics develop from pollinated female flowers:

• fruit shape: cylindrical to spherical, 2 cm to 5 cm in size.
• Peel: hairy or smooth.
• pulp: glassy-juicy, sweet-sour to sweet, green or golden-yellow with numerous black seeds.
• harvest time: between September and November, depending on the species and variety

With a healthy 71mg of vitamin C and a slim 51 calories per 100g of fruit, kiwis are a delicious sweet treat for the whole family.

hardiness

The degree of winter hardiness depends on the kiwi species and variety. Classic kiwi plants suitable for cultivation in Central Europe are frost hardy down to -10° Celsius, at least in regions with mild winters. Modern breeds are attested a winter hardiness of up to -28° Celsius. Therefore, when purchasing, please ask exactly how frost-tolerant the desired kiwi plant is.

Plant a kiwi tree

The time window for planting kiwi plants is open from spring to autumn. Comes autumn in disguise Indian summer therefore, you can plant a kiwi tree until November/December provided that the spade still gets into the ground. Young plants offered in specialist shops usually come from cuttings. Following this example, amateur gardeners grow from annuals in the spring cuttings grow their own kiwi plants. Read the best kiwi planting tips for beds and balconies here:

Location

Early budding from April makes a kiwi tree susceptible to late frost damage. With the right choice of location you avoid this danger:

• Sunny to shady position.
• Ideally, the climbing aid should be on the wind-protected house wall facing west or east.
• Normal, fresh-moist garden floor
• Fresh, moist, nutrient-rich soil with a slightly acidic pH of 5.0 to 6.0.
• Exclusion criteria: south face in full sun, calcareous and waterlogged soil, alkaline pH greater than 6.5.

Plant a kiwi tree in the garden

How to properly plant a pair of kiwis in the bed:

1. Place the root ball in a bucket of rainwater before planting.
2. Dig two plant pits with twice the volume of the pot balls.
3. Planting distance is ideally 200 cm to 250 cm, maximum 400 cm.
4. Enrich soil with leaf compost or rhododendron soil and horn shavings.(€9.00 at Amazon*)
5. Plant the potted, water-soaked root ball at a slight angle to the climbing aid.

The strongest shoot is chosen as the trunk and fixed vertically to the trellis. Tie the remaining tendrils to the right and left as legs, similar to cordon training grapevine. Water the plants thoroughly. A mulch layer of leaves keeps the soil moist longer and prevents drought stress.

Plant kiwi in the bucket

A female and a male Chinese gooseberry are planted in two tubs with integrated climbing aids or in a long balcony box with a trellis. A mixture of is suitable as a substrate potting soil and rhododendron earth without peat, enriched with coconut fibers and lava granules.(€14.00 at Amazon*) That lava granules also please use for a 5 cm high drainage on the bottom of the vessel. Planting technique and orientation of the creepers are comparable to planting kiwis in a bed.

digression

Build your own kiwi trellis

Maintain kiwi tree

The successful care of kiwi plants depends on a continuous water supply. occasional Fertilize balances nutrient consumption. A pruning twice per season keeps it that way fruit wood young and vital. Simple protective measures ensure that the exotic creepers come through the winter healthy and lively. It's worth taking a look at these care tips:

Pour

An important factor for ripe, aromatic and juicy kiwi fruits is even soil moisture. Water kiwi plants with harvested water during drought rainwater or stagnant tap water. On hot summer days, it is best to set out in the morning and evening with a full watering can to see the thirsty creepers.

Fertilize

In spring, a start fertilizing with leaf compost and horn shavings gets the growth going. Fertilize Chinese gooseberries in tubs every two weeks from April to August with a liquid kiwi fertilizer. After repotting, the nutrient supply pauses for six to eight weeks.

To cut

Proper pruning care is rewarded with a rich harvest of juicy kiwi fruits. This fundamental care measure is dedicated to detailed instructions that you here can read. A short version for quick readers:

• Cut kiwi plants twice a year from the third year.
• First appointment: in early spring, cut off the fruit wood that has been removed down to a short stub, thin out the bush thoroughly.
• Second date: cut back all one-year-old fruit shoots by a third in August.

hibernate

As lignification progresses, kiwi creepers acquire a reasonable level of winter hardiness. Protective measures are obligatory on the way there and in harsh winter locations. How to overwinter kiwi plants successfully:

• Preparation: stop fertilizing from August/September, water more sparingly
• Kiwi tree in the bed: root disc with leaves and needles mulch, shade tendrils with fleece.
• Hibernate the bucket kiwi outside: change location in front of the house wall, place the pot on wood and cover it with jute.
• Overwinter potted kiwis indoors: bright and frost-free at a cool 5° to 8° Celsius.

In the year of planting and in the following three years, place a reed mat in front of the climbing aids or stuff straw between the rods.

Popular Varieties

These five kiwi premium varieties are a tasty and visual benefit for beds and balconies:

• KiwiBerry: Premium variety with sweet and sour fruits and edible skin, hardy to -28° Celsius.
• Hayward: female Actinidia deliciosa bears large, aromatic fruits, conditionally hardy, growth height up to 400 cm.
• Issai: self-fertile Actinidia arguta delights with sweet kiwiberries from mid-September, hardy.
• solo: decorative, hardy Actinidia deliciosa, self-pollinating, 400 cm high, up to 800 cm wide, beautiful bee pasture.
• Weiki: the popular and hardy Bavarian kiwi (Actinidia arguta) as a duo for productive, decorative growth.

FAQ

Can you grow a kiwi plant from seed?

For the sowing you need a fully ripe kiwi. Cut the fruit open and remove the black seeds from the flesh with the tip of a knife. Spread wet seeds on an absorbent kitchen towel. Sow the dried kiwi seeds in a seed tray potting soil. Leave the light germs on the substrate and water them with a fine spray. Germination takes about two weeks in a warm, sunny window seat.

Does the kiwi plant grow as a tree or a shrub?

The kiwi plant is neither a tree nor a shrub. Rather, all kiwi species of the genus Actinidia thrive as woody creepers. If a climbing aid is available, the exotic plants with their epic long lianas can grow to a height of up to 10 metres.

Does every female kiwi plant need a male pollinator?

A single male kiwi plant can fertilize up to eight female kiwis with its pollen. It is important to note a maximum planting distance of 4 meters between the individual kiwi species. Greater distance is possible, but may reduce the effectiveness of pollen transfer.