Growing your own refreshing kiwi becomes a successful project if a gardener knows how to take care of the pruning properly. In order for the Far Eastern creeper to bloom magnificently in spring and bring a rich harvest in autumn, you should train your kiwi skilfully and cut it twice a year. This applies equally to self-fertile varieties and as a mixed double. You can read practice-oriented instructions with useful tips & tricks in this tutorial.

Kiwis are very attractive climbing plants

Table of Contents

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  1. Types of cuts and dates
  2. education cut
  3. summer cut
  4. spring pruning
  5. frequently asked Questions

    6. Cutting kiwi - types of cutting and date

    Kiwis thrive as left-winding creepers with an annual growth of up to 100 centimeters. A strategic one Education on the trellis is just as indispensable for a rich harvest as a twice a year. Kiwi plants flower and fruit on long, annual shoots. Fruiting long shoots sprout from last year's short shoots, which in turn are supported by a permanent framework. The following table summarizes the types of cuts you use to properly care for a kiwi:

    cut type goal/occasion best appointment
    education cut optimal structure on the trellis 1st and 2nd year in spring and summer
    summer cut Improve crop yield, promote fruit wood from the 3rd year in summer
    spring pruning Thin out old fruit wood, regulate growth from the 4th year in spring

    Raising Kiwi in an exemplary manner

    Kiwi plants depend on a stable climbing aid. A wire trellis on the south wall of the house requires little effort. Stretch out three thick wires horizontally, each 50 to 80 centimeters apart. Fasten 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 cutting care is dedicated to a clear and productive upbringing. How to do it right:

    Education first year

    • In the spring after planting, choose the strongest shoot as the main shoot
    • Prune the main shoot back by a third or half just above an undamaged bud
    • Cut off all remaining 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 trellis-forming tendrils when they reach the end of the trellis.

    second year education

    In the second year, the first side shoots form on the horizontal main branches. These will produce fruiting long shoots from the third year. Prune first side shoots to four to six leaf length several times during summer. The resulting accumulation of juice makes a valuable contribution to later branching with fruit wood.

    background

    Horizontal skeleton shoots benefit from law of growth

    The law of top promotion teaches us that fruit trees only produce valuable fruit wood when their shoots are in oblique to horizontal orientation condition. The fruit wood on a kiwi is short-lived and is not part of the supporting structure. In order for it to grow, the main branches must be motivated to first sprout spurs, from which the fruiting long spurs grow. As long as a shoot is taut, its juices tend to reach the top bud, to the detriment of branching. By tying the side leading branches of the central shoot horizontally to the right and left, you create the basis for the growth of short shoots and their fruiting, this year's long shoots.

    Summer pruning optimizes crop yield

    In the third year, care for the cut leads from education to maintenance. At the beginning of the growth period, the first fruit shoots form, which carry the longed-for flower buds in the four or five inner leaf axils. The summer pruning is dedicated to the long fruit tendrils. Here’s how to do it professionally:

    • Shorten long shoots to 4 leaves behind the last flower bud
    • In the same summer, break out any branches that arise from the cut by hand
    • Cut back extensions on the leading branches to 150 to 200 centimeters and tie again

    In summer not blended become young, this year's shoots that sprout along the horizontal branches of the skeleton. These are new short shoots that will form the valuable, long fruit wood in the coming year.

    Fruiting long shoots are cut back to six to eight leaves behind the last fruit in summer. Break out side shoots that appear below an intersection.

    Spring pruning promotes fruit wood

    When cutting in spring, worn, frozen and dead shoots are the focus of attention. A courageous pruning ensures order and clears the way for fresh long shoots that will bloom and bear fruit this year. This is how you complete an exemplary spring pruning on your kiwi:

    • Cut back empty fruit canes to 5 cm short stubs
    • Prune frozen branches back into healthy wood
    • Cut off deadwood on knots
    • Cut back last year's growth on the scaffolding shoots and tie again
    • Thin out branches that grow too densely so that future fruit tendrils are not shaded in summer
    • Last year's short shoots do not cut

    As illustrated in the figure below, do not completely cut off the fruiting wood. The task of the short cones is to branch out of dormant eyes and form new short shoots along the way.

    In the spring, fruit tendrils that have been removed are shortened to 5 centimeter short cones. Last year's growth in scaffolding shoots is cut back to a length of 50 to 100 centimeters and tied to the climbing aid. Thin out frozen and dead tendrils.

    digression

    Achilles heel short shoots - protection against late frosts is key

    On a kiwi, this year's fruit wood comes from the short shoots of the previous year. This makes the short shoots vulnerable to late frosts in April and May. In an emergency, either no fruiting long shoots sprout at all or long shoots grow without flowers. All efforts to professionally care for the cut are then wasted - at least for this year's crop yield. Keep an eye on the weather report. If meteorologists announce overnight temperatures below freezing, cover your kiwi plant with a fleece. This protects the valuable short shoots with the buds from frostbite.

    frequently asked Questions

    Are kiwi plants self-fertile?

    Most kiwi varieties thrive as dioecious plants. In concrete terms, this means that male or female flowers form on separate plants. A female kiwi can only bear fruit if its flowers are fertilized by male pollen. Newer varieties are self-fertile, such as the well-known kiwi varieties 'Solo' or 'Jenny', because they have male and female flowers. Of course, the yield is significantly higher if there is another male plant in the vicinity.

    Last year I planted a self-pollinating variety of kiwi that borne fruit the year it was planted. With a diameter of 2.5 centimeters, the berries are very small. What can I do to make the fruit grow bigger?

    In order for a kiwi plant to bear large fruits, it needs a sunny, warm location and loose, airy, light-flooded growth. Prune the creeper in spring and summer to encourage the growth of fruiting wood. In addition, we recommend an organic nutrient supply with compost and horn shavings (€32.93) in the bed or liquid berry fertilizer (€3.94) in the bucket from April to July. At the end of July, the application of fertilizer ends with an autumn fertilizer that emphasizes potassium, such as Kalimagnesia or Patentkali.

    My kiwi has been in a less than ideal location for two years. Can I transplant the kiwi now in October?

    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. The plant is sufficiently rooted at 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 cultivate a kiwi at the rose arch?

    That is very possible. A sunny, warm and wind-protected location is important. Lead the tendrils along the rose arch and tie the growth regularly.

    Our kiwi 'Jenny' is 5 years old and has bloomed profusely for the first time this year. Unfortunately the plant threw off all the flowers? Why is that?

    The most common causes of flower dropping are late frost, drought and potassium deficiency. Provide your kiwi with special fertilizer whose NPK formulation indicates a high content of phosphorus and potassium, such as Terrasan organic berry fertilizer with NPK 7+8+12. Please make sure the soil is evenly moist. The soil dries out much faster in a bucket than in a bed. If meteorologists announce delayed ground frosts in May, protect your kiwi with a fleece.

    The 3 most common cutting mistakes

    A pruning at the wrong time or not training pruning will throw your kiwi off track. After the juicy vitamin bombs, you will look in vain for blatant omissions in cutting care. The following table lists the three most common cutting errors, describes typical damage patterns and provides tips for prevention:

    cutting error damage picture prevention
    no educational cut rampant growth, little horizontal fruit wood educate on a trellis in the first two years
    not cut back in summer tearing fruit tendrils, shadows cast on fruits in summer, shorten fruit shoots to 6 leaves behind the last kiwi
    too much pruning in spring few long shoots, low fruit yield Thin out in the spring and cut back worn tendrils - nothing more
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    tips

    Kiwi plants have an aversion to lime. It is not enough to ensure that the soil or substrate has a slightly acidic pH value. If hard tap water is used for watering, limescale will accumulate in the soil and the plant will become ill. Primarily use filtered rainwater or stagnant tap water when watering your kiwi.

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Vegetable garden