The edible fruit of the Chinese ray pen is called a kiwi. Native to China, this trailing deciduous shrub has large, hairy leaves and whitish flowers. Although it likes warmth, the shrub can also be successfully cultivated in Germany.

Kiwis need a climbing aid to be able to grow well

Can you plant kiwis in Germany?

Although the hardy climbing shrub is native to the subtropical regions, the exotic climbing fruit is also successfully bred by many hobby gardeners in Germany. Suitable varieties ensure good yields if a few planting and care instructions are followed.

Which location is optimal?

A sheltered, warm location is ideal. In addition, the kiwi plants need a climbing aid. This could e.g. B. attached to a south or southwest-facing arbor, pergola or house wall. A high fence will also suffice.

Which floor is suitable?

For good growth, the kiwi needs slightly acidic, nutrient-rich, humus-rich soil. If the soil is alkaline, put some rhododendron soil or peat in the planting hole to improve growth. A layer of mulch not only prevents drying out, but also keeps the pH value of the soil in the favorable acidic range.

What should be considered when planting or sowing?

Kiwi plants grown from seed often take up to ten years to flower for the first time. The purchased young plants, on the other hand, already bear flowers and fruit after two to four years. If you want to harvest your own kiwi fruit, it is also important to note that you must plant at least one female and one male plant in the garden.

planting distance

The dioecious kiwi plants carry either only male or only female flowers. Both types of flowers are needed for the fertilization process. not planted too far apart. The distance between the two shrubs should ideally be between 1-4 meters. A male plant is capable of fertilizing up to seven female plants growing in its immediate vicinity.

Self-pollinating varieties

The self-pollinating kiwi varieties, which are also commercially available, carry male and female flowers on one plant at the same time. They therefore do not require a pollinator variety, but deliver better yields when more than one plant is growing side by side.

How are kiwi plants propagated?

The new kiwi plants are obtained from seeds or cuttings. In addition, propagation by offshoots is recommended. The cuttings, about 10-15 cm long, are best cut off from a woody shoot in the spring and placed in the potting soil or in a sand-peat mixture for rooting. The substrate should be kept evenly moist.

Offshoots can easily be pulled from the long shoots of the kiwi plant. To do this, place one of the lower shoots on the ground and cover it with soil so that the tip of the shoot remains on the surface. Root formation can be accelerated by cutting the shoot beforehand. After growth, the daughter plant is separated from the mother plant and transplanted.

The black edible seeds of the kiwi fruit can be sown. To do this, soak the seeds in warm water for several days so that they can be removed from the pulp. After that, the seeds are lightly pressed into the peat-rich soil, not covered. A greenhouse or cling film over the planter provides the necessary moisture. The germination time is about 2 weeks.

When is the best time to plant kiwis?

The commercially available container plants can be planted from early spring to late autumn. If the shrubs are planted in early summer, they have a better chance of surviving the winter unscathed. The young shrubs planted in autumn should get good winter protection or overwinter as a container plant in a frost-free, dark room in the first year.

When does the kiwi bush bloom?

The first flowers can often only be expected after the 3rd year or even later. The yellowish white flowers appear in May-June. If it is not known whether you have planted a male or female plant, you can tell by the flower at the latest. Only female flowers produce fruit.

When is kiwifruit harvest time?

The brown, hairy, oval fruits ripen in late autumn and are usually harvested immature in October and November in temperate climate zones. During storage, the kiwi fruits continue to ripen until they are fully ripe for consumption. You can expect the first fruits in your own garden in about the fourth year.

tips

Originally introduced to New Zealand as the Chinese gooseberry, the fruit is said to have been renamed the kiwi by New Zealand farmers, after the native bird, the kiwi. Under this name, the fruit spread first in England and later on the European continent.

Category:

Vegetable garden