Grow Delicious Kiwifruit
© Geoffrey Ian Miller
The kiwifruit vine, named for its resemblance to the New Zealand kiwi bird, originated in China. Plants are dioscious, meaning that they have male and female flowers on different plants. Consider this requirement for successful pollination. Males do not bear fruit.Haywood is the most popular variety for the garden and commercially. Fruits are brown and oblong with a hairy skin. Flesh has a tart sweet flavour. This variety is commonly grown in California, New Zealand, and Australia.
Be aware that kiwifruit start producing new growth early in the spring, thus increasing susceptibility to cold and frost damage. Protect young plants early and though the trunks thicken and age, protect them with wrapping.
Consider site selection and planting important for the survival of the vines. They require a well-drained soil to prevent root rot. Transplant Haywood directly into the ground. Consider planting cold hardy varieties in a 25 litre (5 gallon) container until they become established for transplanting. Incorporate a medium wheelbarrow load of aged manure at the planting site.
Build a trellis prior to or close after planting. Use 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 inch) diameter hardwood posts 2.6 to 2.9 metres in length set 60 to 90 cm in depth. Place posts at each plant, 4.5 to 5.5 metres apart at that depth. Brace end posts substantially. Attach a 1.5 metre, 5 by 10 cm crossbar on top of each post and brace it to the post with wire or timber. Stretch three #8 to #12 wires evenly spaced along the tops of the crossbars.
Remove lateral growth so as to train a single stem to climb up each post to the top of the trellis. Secure stem loosely to the post and prevent it spiraling around the post. The next year, train a shoot along the centre wire and the next year train a shoot to go the other direction. These two shoots will be the basic vine leaders. Prevent these leaders from twisting around the wire, as this will weaken the vine in the future. The lateral growth from these leaders is tied to the other wires.
Prune during winter dormancy. Remove old fruiting wood and any malformed or broken canes. Select and keep healthy year old canes that have not fruited and spaced about 25 to 37 cm apart along the leaders. Prune these back to the initial 8 buds. Summer pruning may be required to admit light to the fruiting canes.
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