How to grow kiwi to get your own crop? How kiwi grows in the wild and at home How to grow kiwi in the open field

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This exotic fruit has long been in high demand on our shelves, especially in winter. This is not surprising, since the content of vitamin C in these fruits is six times higher than its content in lemons and 4 times in rose hips. It also contains high amounts of potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. In our article, we will tell you how to properly plant and grow kiwi in our latitudes.

Description of kiwi

Kiwi came to us from China. It belongs to the Actinidia family. Initially, these were small shaggy berries, outwardly resembling a kiwi bird, which were called Chinese gooseberries. Over time, in the process of selection, the weight of one fruit increased to 100-300 grams. The tree is liana-shaped, has a height of up to 10 m. The fruits are ovoid, brown-green in color, covered with a dense grayish fluff. The skin is thin, the flesh is dark green at the edges and light green in the middle. It has a sweet pleasant taste and a light aroma of pineapple. Inside the pulp there are small black seeds.

In the process of breeding, frost-resistant varieties were bred that are able to adapt to different climatic zones. This is a dioecious tree that begins to fully bear fruit 7 years after planting. A prerequisite for the formation of the ovary is pollination by insects. This is a deciduous plant that needs supports to wrap around in a spiral.

Kiwi planting

To plant kiwi seedlings, dig a hole as deep as a spade bayonet. Mix the extracted earth with sawdust. Lay a layer of soil mixed with sawdust at the bottom of the pit and place the seedling together with a peat container, sprinkle a layer of soil with sawdust on top, while compacting it well. Drive three wooden pegs one and a half meters high around the seedling, forming an equilateral triangle. Tie a wooden stick 2-2.5 meters high to one of the pegs, which will serve as a growth guide. Attach white agrofiber to the supports with a stapler or small nails in such a way as to cover the plant from the penetration of small rodents or cats. Cats love to nibble on male kiwis in the spring, when sap flow begins. Kiwi planting is done in spring or summer before the onset of the first cold weather, so that the plants have time to form a strong root system and take root in a new place.

In the process of growing seedlings, all lateral shoots should be removed, leaving only the central point of growth so that it grows strong and later shoots with fruits form on it. After planting, compact the soil well and water it abundantly.

Kiwi cultivation and care

Kiwi care includes watering and shaping the tree. With good care, the vine can bear fruit for about 40 years.

Top dressing. It is necessary to fertilize kiwi with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers of 200 grams per plant when planting seedlings. In the future, fertilizer should be carried out three times a season in parts. The first time in the first half of March, before the awakening of the kidneys. The second time - after the onset of a consistently warm temperature and the third time - in September, after the final formation of the fruit. One plant should have 0.5 kg of nitrogen-containing fertilizer, 135 g of phosphorus, 250 g of potash and 75 g of magnesium fertilizer.
Loosening weeding. Since the kiwi roots are in the upper layers of the soil, the bushes cannot be loosened or treated with herbicides from weeds.
Hydration. In dry hot weather, vines are sprayed, watering is increased. It is recommended to mulch the soil under the trunk. This will retain moisture. Do not allow the top layer of soil to dry out. This may cause the flowers to fall off. Kiwi has a shallow root system. The main mass of kiwi roots is located in the upper layers of the soil within a radius of 1-1.5 from the central stem. It sinks to a depth of 40-50 cm. Therefore, in the summer, kiwi needs regular watering.
Pruning. Pruning and shaping of trees is carried out in late autumn after the completion of the fruiting period. At the same time, the strongest healthy shoots are left, and all the rest are removed.
Wintering. For the winter, no manipulations are required to prepare the vines for the cold. They tolerate frosts down to -27 degrees. The stems are not damaged, do not get sick and do not freeze. Do not need additional pruning, sheltering or pressing.
Tree shaping. All work on the formation of kiwi should be carried out in the summer. They include pinching and cutting shoots. It should be borne in mind that kiwi stems are very juicy and pruning shoots in the spring during the sap flow can lead to wetting of the shoots.
Diseases. The plant is very resistant to diseases and insects. Therefore, it does not need measures for chemical or any other additional treatment of plants for the purpose of prevention or treatment.
Harvest and storage. The final formation of kiwi fruits ends in September-October. At this time, the fruits are harvested and placed in a room with a temperature of 0 to 5 degrees Celsius. In such a room, kiwi is stored until spring. Before use, the fruits should be placed in a warm room with a temperature of 25-30 degrees for a day or two.

In the second decade of March - the first decade of April, a constant positive temperature is established. During this period, active sap flow and bud break begin. Young shoots are green-reddish in color, produce alternate leaves, old shoots are brownish green and bear fruit.

Kiwi budding begins in May. If the spring is cold - in early June. The buds can stand closed for a long time and bloom only in warm weather, at the same time when pollinating insects begin to fly. Flowering begins at a stable temperature of about 20 degrees.

The flowers are creamy yellow, with six petals and yellow-orange stamens in the center. Since this type of creeper is dioecious, only male or only female flowers bloom on one plant. The flowering period lasts for a week. Flowering is abundant, on one shoot a large number of flowers are formed, each of which then gives the ovary to the fruit.

Kiwi breeding

Kiwi can be propagated effectively in two ways: seeds and cuttings.

Reproduction by seeds. You should choose a healthy large fruit and let it fully ripen. After that, the seeds are separated from the pulp and combined with sand. The resulting mixture is placed in a container with soil, there should be drainage at the bottom of the container. From above it is covered with glass or film. Crops need frequent abundant moisture. The first shoots appear after three weeks. After the appearance of sprouts, the soil around them should be loosened regularly. To do this, you can use a toothpick or a wooden stick. As a top dressing, it is recommended to add complex mineral fertilizers to the water for irrigation. After the appearance of two true leaves, the seedlings dive into separate pots with a soil mixture of wooden hardwood soil and humus in equal parts. A ready-made mixture of humus and peat is also suitable. With proper care, a healthy sprout will grow, which needs to be fed regularly. The first flowering will begin after 6-7 years.
Propagation by cuttings. Cuttings are taken in autumn after all unnecessary stems are cut, which will prevent the plant from enduring the winter well. Cuttings are cut 25-30 cm long. They should have 4-5 healthy buds. Remove all leaves from the cutting and make an oblique cut at the end that will be planted in the ground. Pour the permite substrate into a tall 10-12 cm pot and place the cutting in it. Deepen it into the substrate 1-2 cm above the lower kidney. Compact the substrate around the cutting and water abundantly so that the substrate sags and the cutting is well strengthened. Place the pot in a greenhouse or cover with foil. This will create the necessary microclimate for the fastest rooting of the cuttings. To create high humidity inside the film or greenhouse, spray the cuttings from a spray bottle with plain water at room temperature 2-3 times a day. Cuttings take root within two to three months. During this period, you need to regularly air them by removing the film.

Features of growing in our latitudes

Despite the fact that kiwi is a southern fruit, breeders managed to develop some varieties that can be successfully grown in our latitudes. Ukrainian breeder Heinrich Straton developed a variety that can withstand frosts down to -30 degrees, can adapt to our climatic conditions and gives a good harvest. This variety is called "Kiwi Karpat Straton variant Valentine" and is distributed throughout Ukraine and Russia.

Kiwi on the windowsill is a real exotic. This large liana, growing up to 7 meters in length, will gladly settle on a warm glazed balcony or bright veranda. And with proper care, an adult plant can not only bloom, but also give fruits.

The birthplace of kiwi is China, it grows in nature as a liana, prefers a sunny warm place. Therefore, in home breeding, the same rules of care should be followed.

In the southern latitudes, kiwi has long been grown using grape technology - on trellises

Before deciding to grow kiwi from seeds at home, think about whether you can provide the plant with a southern humid microclimate, a lot of sun and heat, and decent care. I must say that most often young seedlings are grown from seeds, which are planted next spring on the site, that is, in open ground. Or they grow a vine to a large tub, taking it out into the yard for the summer, and providing home care for it in the winter.

Kiwi plant is unpretentious, but with a lack of light, the shoots stretch out, so the optimal location is in a room with windows facing south, southwest. At the same time, in the southern regions, you should not place the plant on the windowsill, as tender leaves can burn in the sun. Place the vine away from the window.

Kiwi can theoretically be grown in an apartment, but most often the grown liana is transplanted into open ground in the spring.

Important! In winter, the plant sheds its leaves and rests, so the kiwi pot will have to be removed to a room where its bare branches will not interfere with anyone, while the air temperature should not be below +10 0 C.

Kiwi is a large vine, somewhat reminiscent of grapes, its shoots can grow up to 6–7 meters in length, which must be directed to supports and regularly pruned. The flowering of a vine grown from seeds occurs at 3-4 years in the south, and in the middle part of Russia - at 6 years.

Need to know! In kiwi, there are female and male plants, and if you want to get fruits, you will have to grow many seedlings before the first flowering. For two female plants, one male is enough, while the seeds can be taken from one fruit.

When propagated by seed, seedlings usually do not repeat the mother fruits in size and taste, but on the other hand, varietal cuttings can be grafted onto them in the future.

Kiwis have both male and female flowers.

Preparing seeds for planting

The best time for planting kiwi is spring: from March to May, during the summer months, the seedling will grow up, get stronger, and there will be enough light for it to grow. The soil is better to take loose, moisture-intensive and breathable.

Do not use soil from front gardens or gardens.

For kiwi, you can use a special primer for citrus fruits, in extreme cases - universal.

For planting kiwi, you can use soil for citrus fruits

If possible, it is better to make the soil yourself from universal soil, coconut fiber, vermiculite and biohumus.

2 liters of soaked coconut fiber from a briquette, 1 liter of vermiculite, 1–2 liters of biohumus are added to a 10-liter pack of universal soil. Everything is mixed well so that the components are evenly distributed throughout the soil mixture.

Planting kiwi seeds

It is best not to buy kiwi seeds for growing, but to get them from a fruit bought in a store. Choose ripe fruits that show no signs of rot, damage or overripeness. The fruit is cut in half, seeds with pulp are pulled out with a spoon, washed so that the seeds remain clean.

Seeds are pulled out with a spoon from a ripe fruit without signs of rot

If the remains of the pulp remain on the shell, then after planting in the ground, it may rot, and seedlings may not appear.

The pulled out seeds are washed from the pulp

Freshly harvested seeds can be dried before planting, or they can be immediately planted in the ground or germinated.

How to germinate seeds on cotton wool or in hydrogel

Sprouted seeds germinate faster and more amicably than dry ones. For germination, you can use a regular cotton pad or hydrogel.

A cotton pad moistened with warm water, preferably melted water, is placed on a saucer, and kiwi seeds are placed on it.
The saucer is placed in a transparent plastic bag and cleaned in a bright and warm place. Optimum seed germination temperature +25 0 С+28 0 С.
Every day you need to open the package and look at the seeds, moisten the cotton pad if necessary.
As soon as the roots appear, you need to immediately plant the seeds in the ground, otherwise the root will grow into a cotton pad and may break off when planting.

You can germinate kiwi on cotton pads or napkins

When using a hydrogel, they act like this:

A small amount of dry powder is diluted with water until the crystals swell.
The hydrogel is placed in a container, and the seeds are laid out on top.
Close the container with a lid or film and also keep it in a bright, warm place.
The roots of hatched seeds can even germinate into a hydrogel, but this is not scary, you can plant such a seed directly with the remains of the gel on the roots.

Germinated seeds are planted in a shallow bowl or pot with prepared soil. It is imperative that there are drainage holes at the bottom so that excess water drains and the soil does not turn sour.

Seeds are evenly distributed over the surface of moistened soil.
Fall asleep with soil, layer up to 5 mm, no more. The seeds are quite small, and from under a larger volume of soil, they may not break through.
A bowl with planted plants is placed in a bag and cleaned in a warm place.
Usually germinated seeds germinate in a week. Do not forget to ventilate and moisten the crops.
When the first green loops appear, move the pot to the light, but not under direct sunlight.

Video: planting kiwi at home

Care for seedlings on the windowsill

As soon as the plants sprout, you need to constantly maintain soil moisture, avoiding overdrying.

Usually germinated kiwi seeds give quick and friendly shoots.

Small sprouts can be watered by spraying with a spray bottle or pouring a bowl from a syringe or syringe.

With a lack of light, you can additionally turn on fluorescent lamps or special phytolamps, bringing the daylight hours to 14-16 hours.

If the plants have sprouted too densely, then it is necessary to thin out the plants in time. When growing kiwi fruit, you can leave 3-4 copies for fun, and if you want to get fruits, you need to leave more to ensure that you get both male and female plants.

Seedlings that are too dense can be thinned out so that the plants are not crowded.

When the seedlings have 2 true leaves, you can carefully transplant them into separate pots. The size of the pots can be small, with a diameter of 7–8 cm. In the future, with the growth of kiwi, it will be possible to transfer the plants along with a clod of earth, so as not to damage the roots, into large pots.

The root system of kiwi is shallow, but wide, so it is better to take pots for mature specimens that are low, but wide, and ceramic for good stability. Drainage in the form of expanded clay is necessarily laid at the bottom.

For adult kiwis, it is better to take wide pots.

Transplantation of adult plants is carried out 1 time per year, in the spring, increasing the size of the pot by 3-4 cm in diameter. Young plants are transplanted more often - once every six months by transshipment, trying to injure the roots as little as possible.

Throughout the entire period of growth, kiwi requires regular and abundant watering, and a month after germination, you can already start feeding.

What top dressing can be used for kiwi

Most of all, kiwi loves organic top dressing, both at an early age and when the plant is already an adult. The best top dressing is biohumus, dry, in bags, or liquid in bottles.

Liquid biohumus is bred according to the instructions and the plants are fed after watering

Dry biohumus can be used as top dressing for adult plants, scattering 1-2 tablespoons in each pot 1-2 times a month before watering. Liquid biohumus is diluted according to the instructions and watered over moist soil every 1-2 weeks.

Kiwifruit top dressing is carried out only during the period of active growth: from spring to the end of summer. At the end of summer and autumn, feeding with biohumus is stopped, and for a successful wintering, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers can be used twice. The first feeding is carried out in early September, and the second - 3-4 weeks later from the first.

In autumn, before wintering, plants are watered with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

Also, to feed kiwi during the active growing season, you can use folk remedies: yeast tinctures, herbal infusions, chicken manure infusion (only 1 time in the spring after bud break).

With the manifestation of chlorosis on the leaves, spraying with any complex mineral fertilizer can be applied.

With the manifestation of chlorosis on the leaves, you need to spray the plant with a complete mineral fertilizer.

Pests and diseases

Kiwi is practically not affected by pests, diseases bypass it, and deterioration in appearance is most often provoked by the gardener himself - due to improper care. Most often, leaves droop due to rare watering, and if the soil is moist, but the leaves hang with a rag, it means, on the contrary, that they have been waterlogged. To correct this situation, look at the drainage holes to see if they are clogged. Gently loosen the top layer of soil, and if the soil is very dense, pierce the soil to the bottom in several places with a knitting needle to let air to the roots.

In the dry air of a kiwi apartment, it can be affected by a spider mite, so preventive spraying is needed, especially in summer, and if a pest is found, treatment with Fitoverm.

Kiwi seed

Features of growing kiwi

Houseplant lovers can decorate the window sill in the house not only with the usual decorative crops, but also with fruit-bearing exotics: citrus fruits, creepers, etc. One of the types of tropical plants that you can try to grow on the windowsill is kiwi. Its second name is Chinese gooseberry, it is a heat-loving vine, which can create quite suitable conditions for growth. How to grow kiwi from seeds with your own hands?

Features of growing kiwi

Kiwi is a dioecious plant, so if you want to get fruit, you need at least two plants - a male and a female. They will not begin to bear fruit soon: usually kiwi blooms only in the sixth year after seed germination.

It is possible to determine whether this plant is male or female only after flowering, so it is advisable to plant several vines to achieve optimal results. As a seed material, you can take seeds from ordinary ripe fruits, which are now sold in stores in any city.

Any variety is suitable for growing at home, so seeds can be taken from both “fluffy” and “bald” fruits.

Kiwi is one of the distant relatives of grapes, and they need approximately the same conditions: plants need a lot of light and heat, so they are best placed on the windowsill in the southern part of the house or apartment.

The best time to germinate seeds is early spring. The germination of seeds depends on this, so it is better not to delay planting. In nature, kiwi grows in a zone with a long warm summer, and the task of a home gardener is to create the most comfortable conditions for him.

Germination of kiwi seeds at home

To obtain planting material, you must:

Take half a ripe kiwi fruit, about 20 seeds need to be extracted from it. They must be completely freed from the pulp, otherwise the seeds in the ground may begin to rot.
For washing, the seeds are placed in gauze and washed with running water. Washing is desirable to carry out several times in order to remove the pulp as much as possible.
Clean seeds are laid out on a saucer and dried for several hours.
Next, you need to germinate them, for this you need to do the following:
A cotton wool is placed in a saucer, which must be moistened with hot water, seeds must be laid on it. At the same time, there should not be a lot of water, it should only saturate the cotton wool well.

The saucer should be placed in a sunny room and covered with a film to create a mini-greenhouse, protected from drafts. At night, the film is removed, and in the morning it is necessary to moisten the cotton wool again and return the film to its place. The first sprouts of kiwi seeds will give in about a week.

As many thin white roots appear, the plants need to be transplanted into the ground.

The best soil mixture will be peat, humus, sand and turf in equal proportions. Seeds should be placed in small individual pots, they are placed on the surface of the soil and sprinkled with a thin layer of earth. It does not need to be compacted, otherwise it will be difficult for the plant to break through to the surface. The soil must be sprayed every day so that it is constantly moistened. Additional protection from drying out can be provided by installing a mini-greenhouse made of a cut plastic bottle above the pots of earth.

Kiwi Growing: Basic Rules

Re-transplanting into larger containers is carried out when the plant has several pairs of true leaves, while the soil should contain less peat and more sod land. When growing young plants, it is important to create conditions for them that are as close to natural as possible, then it will be possible to achieve healthy rapid growth.

Basic requirements for kiwi:

It is impossible to allow overdrying of an earthen coma, so you need to ensure uniform watering. In order not to damage the plants and to ensure constant moistening of the entire surface of the earth, it is better to use a sprinkler rather than a conventional watering can. You can pre-calculate the exact number of times the sprayer is pressed so that the amount of water is the same with each watering.
Kiwi requires a long daylight hours, so the pots should be placed on the southern windowsills. If there is not enough natural light, daylight hours can be extended with a fluorescent lamp. Winter lighting is best placed in a horizontal direction.
Organic compounds are used as top dressing: biohumus is required, or compost can be used. Normally, organic top dressing should be carried out once a year if nutrient soil is used for planting. In order for the plant to constantly receive nutrients, a trench can be dug around the grown sprout, after which fertilizers are laid in it. During watering, they will gradually flow to the roots, ensuring healthy growth.
In addition, in the summer, the plant is provided with a complex mineral fertilizer: top dressing will be required approximately once a week or once every 10 days.
In order for the vine to be strong, it is necessary to periodically pinch the top: this stimulates the appearance of lateral processes.
Kiwi has wide leaves, so each plant requires a separate pot so that they do not block each other's sunlight. Sprouts are drawn out quite quickly, usually re-transplantation is carried out within 4 weeks after the appearance of the first leaves.

Important conditions for a good harvest

Liana needs proper placement. It takes up quite a lot of space, so an insulated balcony will be the best place to grow it. It is necessary to organize a support for her, along which the liana can climb up, it can be made to frame the balcony window so that it looks beautiful. The total length of each vine can reach 7 meters.

To obtain fruits, flowers must be pollinated: in nature, this work is performed by bees and bumblebees, in greenhouse and room conditions, the owner must take care of pollination.

If it turned out that there are too many male plants, buds from female ones can be grafted onto them to get fruits. To get a good harvest, you need 1 male plant for 5-6 female ones, so if the ratio is wrong, it is better to transplant the “eyes”. They take root quite well, so the method will increase the yield.

It is necessary to constantly inspect the leaves in order to:

In time to identify the appearance of the fungus and take measures to clean the leaf blades.
Kiwifruit can become infected with pests from other houseplants, so inspections should be done as often as possible, and plants should be kept away from other houseplants if possible.
In autumn, it is desirable to remove old shoots: if the branches of the vine have already given fruit, it is better to remove them. This will make room for new shoots, and the vine will not age: this will allow it to bear fruit for many years.

If kiwi is grown on a veranda or on an uninsulated balcony, in winter you need to take care of protecting the vine from the cold. After pruning, the shoots are removed from the trellises, they need to be wrapped up so that they can safely survive the cold period. In the spring, after waking up, they will actively produce young sprouts.

Growing kiwis on your own is not as difficult as it might seem. The Chinese gooseberry is not a very whimsical culture, and it is quite possible to create suitable conditions for it at home. This will surprise guests with delicious fruits, which for many still remain overseas exotic.

More information about planting kiwi seedlings can be found in the video.

We grow kiwi from seeds at home

Kiwi is one of the most popular exotic fruits that can be found on the shelves of almost all stores. If you love these green hairy fruits, then we have good news for you: kiwifruit can be grown at home. In our article, we will show you how to do this using only the seeds from the fruit.

Requirements for growing kiwi at home

In order for the plant to be accepted and developed, as well as to produce a crop, it is important to comply with certain requirements:

kiwi loves light and warmth, so the pot should be placed on the windowsill on the sunny side;
make sure that it is protected from drafts;
the plant loves moisture, so it is recommended to spray it daily;
make sure that the soil is also always moist, but do not flood the sprout.

Remember that kiwi is an exotic fruit, and for its normal development it is necessary to create conditions as close as possible to natural ones.

Growing process

The growing process includes several stages, each of which is important and can affect the yield of the plant.

Preparing seeds for planting

To extract the seeds from the fruit, you need to choose a fresh kiwi that has ripened well.

The process includes the following steps:

the pulp of the fruit must be mashed with a fork;
move the resulting porridge into a gauze bag, which should first be folded into 2-3 layers;
rinse the bag until the pulp is completely removed;
the seeds that remain in the gauze must be removed and laid out on a paper sheet; the leaf is left at room temperature so that the seeds dry out properly, make sure that direct sunlight does not fall on them.

After extracting the seeds, they begin to stratify them. To do this, the planting material must be mixed with sand, placed in a closed container and left in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment for 2-3 months.

During this period, it is important to ensure that the sand is always wet, from time to time it is worth airing the container. After the "artificial winter" is completed, planting material can be used for sowing activities.

Before you sow the seeds, you need to germinate them. On a saucer you need to put a cotton pad, which is pre-wetted with hot water. Seeds are laid out in an even layer on it.

In order for the seeds to germinate, greenhouse conditions must be created. It is necessary to cover the plate with polyethylene, and at night it must be removed, and put on again in the morning, adding a little water to the cotton pad. After about 2 weeks, the seeds will germinate - this indicates their readiness for planting in the ground.

Soil preparation

For planting seeds, choose medium-sized pots. Ideal for kiwifruit is light fertile soil with low acidity. The soil can be purchased at specialized stores or prepared independently.

To do this, in equal proportions, you need to mix humus, sand, peat, leafy and soddy soil. Before proceeding to disembarkation, the mixture must be subjected to heat treatment.

Planting germinated seeds in the ground

The planting process includes the following steps:

A drainage layer is laid at the bottom.
The prepared soil mixture is poured on top of the drainage.
Holes are made in the soil, the depth of which is no more than 5 mm.
Planting material is laid out in the holes, covered with a thin layer of soil and moistened a little.
The pot or container is covered with plastic wrap, placed in a warm and bright room.

Every day, the shelter must be removed and the plantings should be aired and watered.

The subtleties of caring for kiwi

After 4 weeks, several leaves will appear on the sprout. It is during this period that picking is carried out - planting seedlings in separate small pots. Kiwi has a very delicate superficial root system, so you should carefully remove the seedlings from the common container.

If the roots are damaged, the plant may die.

When transplanting kiwi into pots, it is very important to add some compost to the prepared soil mixture. Further top dressing should be carried out from March to September every 2 weeks.
Mineral fertilizers are ideal for this.

Kiwi is a moisture-loving plant, and it is very important not to allow the soil to dry out.

It should always be kept moist, but overflowing can cause the roots to rot. Choose pots that have drainage holes to allow excess water to escape from the soil.

Be sure to ensure that water does not stagnate in the pan. In the hot period, it is recommended to spray the plant daily.

To obtain a crop, in addition to ensuring the proper level of illumination, regular moistening and proper feeding, other measures must be taken.

It is imperative to make supports. They are needed so that the vine can rise up. To improve branching, it is necessary to regularly pinch the plants.

Do not forget that in order to obtain a crop, it is necessary to cross-pollinate male and female flowers. If it is carried out, the first fruits can be harvested 6-7 years after planting.

Vegetative propagation of kiwi

In addition to growing kiwi from seeds, there are other methods of propagation. Let's consider them in more detail.

In a split with a hardened cutting

To use this method, you will need hardened cuttings that contain at least 3 buds. Be sure to cut obliquely the lower edge under the lowest kidney, and above the top one should leave a distance of 1 cm.

After that, the planting material must be placed in water and a growth stimulator added to it (you can use the drug "Kornevin"). The plant should be kept in a container of water for at least 12 hours.

Then you need to prepare seedling boxes, lay out a drainage layer at the bottom, and a prepared mixture on top, which includes peat and sand in equal parts.

Then the cuttings are planted in a container, they are moistened, covered with glass jars on top and left in a dark place with good lighting.

Every day you need to remove the jar and spray the seedlings, and, if necessary, water them. After 3-4 weeks, the seedlings should have a root system. From this point on, it is possible to plant in separate pots with a drainage layer and specially prepared soil.

In a split with a green cutting

To implement this method, it is worth using green cuttings, which are harvested during summer pruning. They must have 2-3 kidneys.

The lower cut is carried out at an angle of 45 degrees, and the upper one should be performed 1 cm above the uppermost kidney, exactly. Then the cuttings must be placed in a container with water (4-5 cm), covered with paper and left for 24 hours.

budding

The simplest method of budding (grafting) is budding in the butt, as it can be performed both in spring and summer, provided that the air temperature is above +10 °C. First of all, you need to choose a rootstock plant. Below the budding area by 40 cm, all leaves and shoots must be removed.

Only a few fresh shoots should be cut from the scion, and it is important that they already have buds. On the rootstock at an angle of 45 degrees, it is necessary to make a cut, the length of which is 6-7 mm, and then make the second cut 3 mm higher.

It must be led down so that it connects with the first. On the cutting of the scion, it is worth carrying out the same procedure, only the kidney should be located in the middle of the shield. The shield with the kidney should be placed in a cut on the rootstock and wrapped with plastic tape.

Why does the plant die

The main causes of plant death include:

insufficient moisture or excess watering;
bad light;
lack of useful elements in the soil;
damage to the plant by fungal diseases and pests.

The most common diseases include:

shield;
spider mite.

remove all affected foliage and stem sections;
remove the plant from the container, flush the root system and remove its rotten parts;
transplant kiwi into clean soil;
spray the plant and irrigate the soil with a fungicidal solution.

When pests appear on kiwi:

wilted and dried leaves are pruned;
all parts are washed with a solution of laundry soap;
spraying is carried out with a special infusion, which contains garlic, onions, tobacco or wormwood;
in the absence of effectiveness from spraying with infusion, they resort to the use of insecticides.

Growing kiwi at home is a very long process, and if you set yourself the goal of getting a crop, you will have to spend a considerable amount of time on this. But you can boast of self-grown exotic fruit.

Kiwi: growing at home

Almost all flower growers, striving to improve their own skills, at one point decide to grow fruit-bearing crops, such as citrus fruits, coffee or creepers. And many are interested in whether it is possible to start growing kiwi at home. In reality, this is quite possible, but certain requirements must be observed in the process.

How kiwi appeared: an interesting fact

Kiwi is a fruit-bearing vine, also known as the Chinese gooseberry. And in order for this culture to begin to bear fruit, you need to simultaneously grow two varieties of plants - male (required for pollination) and female. If you plan to grow from seeds, then get ready for the fact that you have to wait for the flowering period, because that's when you can determine the sex of the vine. In most cases, kiwi blooms in the sixth year of life.

We grow kiwi at home

Basic Growing Requirements

So, the growing process is simple, but you will have to be careful, caring and patient.

How kiwi is grown

You can grow kiwi:

cuttings;
seeds;
adventitious root buds.

All methods have their own nuances, advantages and disadvantages, which we will get acquainted with a little later. However, there are a number of general rules that apply to kiwi breeding.

Kiwi is a distant relative of grapes, and therefore a similar cultivation technology is used here. The described culture is warm and photophilous, so it must be placed in a well-lit place (preferably without drafts). It should be remembered that the direct rays of the sun can lead to foliage burns, therefore, the light should fall from the side. An even better option is artificial lighting directed vertically.

In the process of development, the pots should be periodically scrolled clockwise (10-15 ° every two weeks). This will provide the plants with a straight silhouette, and the crown will turn out to be thick and uniform.

Note! There are many varieties of kiwi, but, characteristically, almost all of them are suitable for growing at home.

It should also be remembered that kiwi is a dioecious crop, and therefore one male and at least two or three female plants are required for normal fruiting. If kiwi is grown from seeds, then approximately 80 percent of the seedlings come out male, so there should be as many of them as possible.

Now let's take a look at the actual workflow.

Kiwi - growing at home

It is better to start growing kiwi in early spring, because then the highest germination of seeds is observed. This is a very important point, so do not delay sowing. Also consider the fact that kiwi naturally grows in regions with long and warm summers, so the conditions for the plant should be as comfortable as possible.

Traditionally, the process begins with the preparation of everything you need.

If you really want to grow kiwi at home, make sure you have enough free space.

Stage one. We prepare everything you need

To grow vines, you must prepare:

one ripe kiwi fruit;
neutral or slightly acidic soil intended for citrus crops (available at any specialized store);

soil for citrus

The "shop" soil can be replaced with a soil mixture prepared by oneself, consisting of peat, sand and black soil (in equal proportions). By the way, when you dive seedlings into pots, this soil mixture is also well suited, only there should be less peat in it.

Stage two. We prepare the seeds

Cut the fruit in half

Take a ripe fruit and cut it in half. You can eat one part, and extract about 20 grains from the other. Cleanse the grains from the pulp (otherwise they will rot in the ground), but do this carefully, do not damage the shell. To simplify the procedure, you can throw the seeds into the water, mix them well and leave for a while to settle. Repeat the procedure two or three times - this minimizes the risk that the seeds will rot.

After that, spread the seeds on a napkin and dry for four hours.

Collection of kiwi seeds

Stage three. Sprouting seeds

Step one. Place a piece of cotton wool in a saucer and pour boiling water over it. There should be enough water so that the cotton wool is saturated with it, but the saucer should not be poured.

Step two. Cover the saucer with a piece of cling film and place it in the brightest spot in your home.

Step three. Every evening, remove the film, and return it in the morning, adding a small amount of water (cotton must be wet all the time).

Step four. After about a week, when the first shoots appear (in the form of thin white roots), you should plant the seeds in the soil.

Stage four. Planting seeds in soil

As for the soil, it should be the same as indicated in one of the previous paragraphs. Pour it into prepared containers or pots (the bottom must be previously covered with expanded clay drainage layer) and make small holes on the surface (the depth should not exceed one centimeter). Place the seeds in the holes, lightly cover with soil, but do not tamp.

Cover the containers with foil or glass and place in a warm place. Alternatively, you can put them in a mini-greenhouse. In the future, water the soil daily. It should not dry out, otherwise the sprouts will simply die. When watering, you can use a spray bottle, or you can place the pots in a pan and pour water there.

Kiwi shoots grown from seeds

Note! When the first shoots are formed, proceed to accustoming to fresh air. To do this, remove the glass / film daily, increasing the ventilation period over time.

Stage five. We make a pick

Approximately four weeks after planting the seeds, when there are several true leaves on the seedlings, perform a pick, that is, transplant the plants into individual pots. The soil at this stage, as noted earlier, should already contain a smaller amount of peat, while more turf soil can be used. At the same time, act very carefully, because the root system of vines is extremely delicate and located on the surface, which means that it is easy to damage it.

Kiwi after dive

Why do you need a transplant? The fact is that this plant has rather wide leaves, which, as they develop, will shade each other.

Sprouts with large leaves

How to grow kiwi at home

Stage six. Further care

To ensure conditions as close to natural as possible, you must adhere to a number of rules. Let's look at these rules in more detail.

Growing kiwi from seed

Table. Key Requirements

How to grow kiwi from seeds at home

Growing kiwi at home is not an easy, but rather exciting, interesting process. It should be noted that the Chinese gooseberry (as kiwi is popularly called) refers to dioecious plants. That is, in order to get a crop of fruits, you will need both a male and a female plant. Kiwi blossoms 3-4 years after seed germination. Then it will be possible to determine the sex of the crop, so I recommend planting as many seeds as possible - 25-30 pieces.

When to plant, and how to choose kiwi seeds

Almost all kiwi varieties grow and develop well in room conditions. But from my experience I will say that high-yielding and early-growing Hayward, Abbott, Bruno are best suited for growing at home. The optimal time for sowing seeds to obtain highly productive seedlings is from March to May. It is during this period that the highest germination of seeds is observed.

When choosing a kiwi for seeds in a store, give preference to a fully ripe fruit. It should be soft, even, without obvious defects and mechanical damage.

We receive and prepare seeds for sowing

When you get home, wash the fruit thoroughly and cut it into two parts. Carefully remove the skin from one half. Mash the pulp with a fork and send it to a glass or mug with warm water for settling. After 10-15 minutes, rinse the contents of the glass several times - the pulp will disappear, and the seeds will remain floating on the surface.

How to get seeds from kiwi

Remove the washed bones from the water, put on paper. Then leave in a dry, warm place for 2-4 hours, until completely dry. After this time, wrap the seeds in a damp cloth and place on a saucer. Cover the plate with cling film and send to a warm place for one week. Thus, you will create a mini-greenhouse for germinating seeds. During this period, dampen the cloth regularly, preventing it from drying out. And at night, lift or even remove the film from the saucer. In a week, if everything is done according to my recommendations, the seeds will give the first sprouts.

Preparing the ground

The next stage of growing kiwi from seeds is the purchase of planting containers and soil. It is better to take a long pot - it will be easier to care for young plants. The soil can be prepared independently from peat, humus, sand and turf in equal proportions, or you can buy it in a specialized store, as I did. In any case, the soil mixture must be disinfected - kept in a water bath for two hours.

Sowing kiwi seeds in flower pots

We sow

Sow seeds in the following sequence:

pour expanded clay on the bottom of the pot, with a layer of 3-4 cm;
fill the container with soil and level;
at a distance of 5 cm, make holes 5-10 mm deep and put 3 seeds in each;
carefully fill the holes with soil. Pour the plantings abundantly with warm water, cover with a film;
put the pot on the window located on the south side. So you will provide the plants with the amount of light and heat necessary for their normal growth and development.

Raise the film daily and spray the soil with water from a spray bottle. If you do not water, the earth will dry out and the sprouts will die.

Taking care of seedlings

The first shoots should appear in 3-6 days after sowing the seeds. When the seedlings form a real leaf, discard weak and unnecessary specimens. Continue to water the plants twice a week using only settled water. In winter - during a period of slow growth, reduce the number of waterings to 2-3 per month.

Growth and development of kiwi at different stages at home

In order for the plants to have sufficient area for full development, do not forget to thin them out. It is better to do this at the initial stages, when the sprouts can simply be pulled out of the soil. A little later, thinning will be problematic, since the kiwi roots develop very quickly. If such a need arises in the future, simply cut off the unnecessary plant with scissors.

As soon as the seedlings reach a height of 10-12 cm, pick them into individual containers. If this is not done, the plants will shade each other, and therefore lag behind in development. After a year, feed the kiwi with compost. In summer, additionally apply complex mineral fertilizers.

How to grow kiwi from seeds

Is it easy to grow kiwi at home or in the country

The birthplace of kiwi is China, it grows in nature as a liana, prefers a sunny warm place. Therefore, in home breeding, the same rules of care should be followed.

In the southern latitudes, kiwi has long been grown using grape technology - on trellises

Kiwi can theoretically be grown in an apartment, but most often the grown liana is transplanted into open ground in the spring.

When propagated by seed, seedlings usually do not repeat the mother fruits in size and taste, but on the other hand, varietal cuttings can be grafted onto them in the future.

Kiwis have both male and female flowers.

Preparing seeds for planting

Do not use soil from front gardens or gardens.

For kiwi, you can use a special primer for citrus fruits, in extreme cases - universal.

For planting kiwi, you can use soil for citrus fruits

If possible, it is better to make the soil yourself from universal soil, coconut fiber, vermiculite and biohumus.

Planting kiwi seeds

Seeds are pulled out with a spoon from a ripe fruit without signs of rot

If the remains of the pulp remain on the shell, then after planting in the ground, it may rot, and seedlings may not appear.

The pulled out seeds are washed from the pulp

Freshly harvested seeds can be dried before planting, or they can be immediately planted in the ground or germinated.

How to germinate seeds on cotton wool or in hydrogel

Sprouted seeds germinate faster and more amicably than dry ones. For germination, you can use a regular cotton pad or hydrogel.

A cotton pad moistened with warm water, preferably melted water, is placed on a saucer, and kiwi seeds are placed on it.
The saucer is placed in a transparent plastic bag and cleaned in a bright and warm place. Optimum seed germination temperature +25 0 С+28 0 С.
Every day you need to open the package and look at the seeds, moisten the cotton pad if necessary.
As soon as the roots appear, you need to immediately plant the seeds in the ground, otherwise the root will grow into a cotton pad and may break off when planting.

You can germinate kiwi on cotton pads or napkins

When using a hydrogel, they act like this:

A small amount of dry powder is diluted with water until the crystals swell.
The hydrogel is placed in a container, and the seeds are laid out on top.
Close the container with a lid or film and also keep it in a bright, warm place.
The roots of hatched seeds can even germinate into a hydrogel, but this is not scary, you can plant such a seed directly with the remains of the gel on the roots.

Germinated seeds are planted in a shallow bowl or pot with prepared soil. It is imperative that there are drainage holes at the bottom so that excess water drains and the soil does not turn sour.

Seeds are evenly distributed over the surface of moistened soil.
Fall asleep with soil, layer up to 5 mm, no more. The seeds are quite small, and from under a larger volume of soil, they may not break through.
A bowl with planted plants is placed in a bag and cleaned in a warm place.
Usually germinated seeds germinate in a week. Do not forget to ventilate and moisten the crops.
When the first green loops appear, move the pot to the light, but not under direct sunlight.

Video: planting kiwi at home

Care for seedlings on the windowsill

As soon as the plants sprout, you need to constantly maintain soil moisture, avoiding overdrying.

Usually germinated kiwi seeds give quick and friendly shoots.

Small sprouts can be watered by spraying with a spray bottle or pouring a bowl from a syringe or syringe.

With a lack of light, you can additionally turn on fluorescent lamps or special phytolamps, bringing the daylight hours to 14-16 hours.

Seedlings that are too dense can be thinned out so that the plants are not crowded.

For adult kiwis, it is better to take wide pots.

Throughout the entire period of growth, kiwi requires regular and abundant watering, and a month after germination, you can already start feeding.

What top dressing can be used for kiwi

Most of all, kiwi loves organic top dressing, both at an early age and when the plant is already an adult. The best top dressing is biohumus, dry, in bags, or liquid in bottles.

Liquid biohumus is bred according to the instructions and the plants are fed after watering

In autumn, before wintering, plants are watered with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

Also, to feed kiwi during the active growing season, you can use folk remedies: yeast tinctures, herbal infusions, chicken manure infusion (only 1 time in the spring after bud break).

With the manifestation of chlorosis on the leaves, spraying with any complex mineral fertilizer can be applied.

With the manifestation of chlorosis on the leaves, you need to spray the plant with a complete mineral fertilizer.

Pests and diseases

In the dry air of a kiwi apartment, it can be affected by a spider mite, so preventive spraying is needed, especially in summer, and if a pest is found, treatment with Fitoverm.

Kiwi is an exotic plant that produces delicious fruits with a unique sweet and sour taste. But not everyone knows that it can be easily grown from a seed at home, and we will give you detailed instructions on how to do this. It is not necessary to buy seeds for germination, it is enough to purchase a ripe and healthy fruit.

Sowing kiwi seeds

Pre-sowing preparation of seeds

Before sowing, kiwi seeds must be germinated. It is best to sow in the spring. Purchase a well-ripened fruit from a store or market without signs of damage or decay, wash it thoroughly and divide it into several slices with a knife. Then remove the pulp with seeds, knead it well, put it in a deep bowl and fill it with clean water. After a while, when the kiwi pulp becomes sour, carefully separate the seeds from it: the ripened seeds should float on the surface. Put them on a paper towel, let dry, then place them on a saucer, cover with moistened gauze, and over the gauze with a film. In about two weeks, tiny white sprouts will appear on the seeds.

In the photo: Kiwi seeds

Rules for sowing kiwi seeds

Take a low pot or container and lay a layer of drainage on its bottom - expanded clay is ideal for this. Then fill the container with a pre-disinfected soil mixture - this can be a ready-made soil for seedlings or a substrate prepared with your own hands from equal parts of peat and sand. Germinated kiwi seeds are buried in a moist substrate by no more than 0.5 cm.

Be careful, make sure that when sowing, sprouts do not fall off the seeds: a seed without a sprout will not germinate!

After sowing, the substrate is sprayed with clean water, and the container is covered with a film or glass and placed in a warm, bright place. As soon as the first shoots appear, the crops are watered abundantly, the cover is removed, and the weakest shoots are pulled out. After a pair of true leaves is formed on each kiwi, the seedlings are picked in small separate pots. Only the strongest and most well-developed seedlings need to be transplanted.

In the photo: Kiwi seedlings

Care for young kiwi seedlings

Water the seedlings regularly, but moderately. Remember that for a plant like kiwi, both drying out the substrate and waterlogging, which can cause fluid stagnation in the roots, are equally harmful. In winter, the substrate is moistened no more than 1 time in two weeks, and during the growing season, watering is carried out on average 1 time in two days. On hot summer days or when the heating devices are operating at full capacity in the room, it is recommended to systematically spray the plants from the sprayer.

Kiwi is light and thermophilic, so it is best to grow it on a south-facing windowsill. When kept on a western or eastern window sill, the plant may need additional artificial lighting.

To get a rich harvest of fruits in the future, kiwi seedlings need to be fed with compost in a timely manner. If you keep the plant in suitable conditions and properly care for it, then in the fourth year it can bear fruit.

In the photo: Growing kiwi on the street

Features of keeping and caring for kiwi at room conditions

The choice of substrate for kiwi

Adult kiwi grows very well in a soil mixture consisting of equal parts of black soil, peat and sand. Remember that the substrate in the pot should be slightly damp at all times, but never wet. The soil must be sterilized before planting, and then mixed into it with a small amount of crushed eggshells or a handful of wood ash.

In the photo: Ground preparation

illumination

It has already been said above that kiwi needs a lot of light, and it is better to grow it on a southern windowsill. However, in summer, from noon until evening, the plant requires protection from direct sunlight, leaving burns on the leaves. For shading, a thin curtain or ordinary gauze is enough.

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Flowering and fruiting kiwi

With proper care, kiwifruit can bloom for the first time in the fourth year of growth. The flowers of the plant are large, white, but over time they become yellowish. On one bush there can be only male (with many stamens) or only female (both with pistils and stamens) flowers.

If your kiwi turned out to be male, then to increase the yield, it is recommended to graft a branch of a female plant onto it.

Kiwi Fertilizer

Kiwis are fed regularly during the period of active growth - 2-3 times a month. As a fertilizer, both mineral complexes and organic compounds are suitable. But it is best to use biohumus: a recess is made around the bush, dry fertilizer is placed in it, after which the groove is closed. In the future, each time after watering, the plant will receive useful substances released from humus.

In the photo: Fruiting kiwi

Watering and humidity

Water kiwi fruit abundantly. After each moistening, the excess liquid that has drained into the pan must be poured out. On hot days, foliage should be sprayed with a spray bottle. In the cold season, the bush is watered once every 2 weeks.

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Recently in Russia they could not even think that exotic kiwi fruits could be bought in any supermarket. Even today, most Russians do not know how to grow kiwi from seeds at home. Yes, it is not easy, but extremely interesting. In order for a plant to bear fruit, both are needed - male and female. A bush will bloom in three years, when it starts a shoot. For this, a ripe fruit is selected. It should not have scratches, bumps. Good germination from the seeds will turn out if they are sown in the spring.

How to prepare seeds?

To extract the seeds, cut the kiwi in half and remove the skin. After softening the pulp, defend in a container, pouring warm water into it. After a while, the seeds will float to the surface. After washing and drying, they are wrapped in a wet cloth, put on a plate, which is covered with a cellophane film. You need to make sure that the material does not dry out. The sprouts will hatch in a week. Seeds are small, black in color. The fruit contains more than one thousand pieces.

sowing kiwi

Sowing is the next stage of growing kiwi from seeds at home. The soil is prepared from a mixture of sand, peat and humus. It's good to add sod. The proportions are taken approximately the same. First, expanded clay is laid on the bottom of the pot. The height of the layer should not exceed 4 cm.

the soil is poured out and leveled;
holes are made to a depth of 1 cm, where 3 grains are placed;
the holes are covered with earth from above and watered;
containers are covered with foil.

The pot should be well exposed to the rays of the sun, so it is placed on the windowsill, where daylight is at least 10 hours, and the air temperature is +20 degrees. So that the soil does not dry out, it is sprayed with a spray gun, lifting the film. It is better to leave a distance of 5 cm between the holes. The sprouts that appear after a few days are thinned out so that the plants have enough space. Kiwi roots branch out quickly. The grown seedlings (up to 12 cm in height) dive and sit down - so they are well strengthened. The soil needs to be fertilized regularly. This is what compost is for.

Under natural conditions, kiwi grows up to 10 m in length - it will have to be transplanted annually and form a crown. The fruits will be tied from the first buds. The vine should be supported with a support where the vine will go up. If there are no fruits for a long time, then the plant will become an ornament. In order not to engage in manual pollination, you can buy the variety "Jenny". If only a male plant is obtained, then female cuttings are grafted onto it.

Kiwi Care Requirements

You need to carefully monitor the moisture content of the soil. Watering should be uniform, using a spray bottle.
In order for the plant to strengthen, its top is regularly pinched. The shoots will develop from the sides. Tropical creepers need a lot of light, in winter it should fall horizontally. If there is not enough lighting, a fluorescent lamp is installed.
For top dressing, a small depression is made around the soil, where compost or biohumus is placed. Fertilize the soil annually.
Harvest is also obtained from seedlings when the seeds are sown in January. And two years later, kiwi is grafted onto the grown plant.

Now you know what it is like to grow kiwi from seeds at home. The stores sell different varieties of this tropical fruit - "Monty", "Abbot", "Bruno", "Hayward". The bones of all can sprout. If the owners have a desire to take care of the plant, they will succeed, and the reward will be juicy and fragrant fruits!