The kiwi plant needs very warm summers, mild winters and frost-free springs to thrive. In Germany, the best yields can be achieved in wine-growing regions. Particularly frost-resistant varieties are also successfully cultivated in the rough locations.
Kiwi is a climbing, deciduous shrub that is easy to care for, robust and reliable in yield in the optimal location. The fruits of the Chinese creeper are available in German supermarkets all year round. The exotic climbing fruit is now also conquering domestic gardens.
Variety suitable for every climate
A large selection of different kiwi varieties does not make it easy for the garden owner to decide. First and foremost, when buying, you should make sure that the variety offered is frost-resistant enough for the given climatic situation.
Large-fruited kiwis bring good yields in wine-growing regions with mild winters, while the much more robust mini kiwis, which bear small, smooth fruits, can withstand temperatures down to -30° C without damage and are therefore also suitable for colder regions.
Planting and care instructions
The purchased kiwi plants should preferably be planted in early summer so that they are well established by the onset of winter and have a better chance of overwintering. The shrubs that are planted in autumn should be wintered frost-free in the bucket in the first year or the root area should be well protected from frost with mulch, (239.00 €) leaves and brushwood outdoors.
When choosing a location, it is also important to ensure that it is as sheltered from the wind and as warm as possible. A south or south-west wall with a trellis or a pergola in front of it as a climbing aid is ideal. The soil should be nutrient-rich and slightly acidic. Since kiwis are dioecious, you need at least one male and one female plant, with the distance between the two being about 1-4 meters.
tips and tricks
Many of the particularly frost-resistant mini kiwifruit varieties are self-pollinating, so you can get by with just one kiwifruit plant and enjoy the delicious smooth-skinned kiwifruit from your own garden.