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  • From: Matt Demmon <mdemmon@gmail.com>
  • To: nafex mailing list at ibiblio <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [nafex] Growing hardy kiwis - multiple varieties: same hole?
  • Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2012 19:51:58 -0500

I've had my kiwis for about 6 years, and after my pruning today I have
some thoughts. It doesn't really matter whether they are on a vertical
or horizontal trellis, as long as the trellis is strong enough to hold
their weight (much more for A. arguta than A. kolomikta); they are
attached securely to the trellis, either by laying on top of it, or
twining around it; and the fruit comes mostly on horizontal or better
yet in my case, drooping/weeping arms. If I only had a vertical space,
I'd train the kiwi as a single trunk up something that had both
horizontal and vertical members, letting it twine a little through it
so it was firmly attached, and I'd prune it to have drooping 'arms'
that came off, where the fruit was borne. Mine A. arguta are on an old
childern's play structure, kind of wild and wooly, and the best
fruiting parts are shoots that grow long and vigorously up and away at
a 45 from the sides of the structure, not attaching to anything. The
second year, they grow a bunch of fruiting spurs and are nearly
horizontal, then they fruit, and droop about 45 below horizontal. I
shorten them and prune the fruiting spurs, and so far it's working
good.

My kolomiktas are growing very slowly, because they are in a drier
area, and with a lot more shade. But my plan there is basically the
same, I've got one vigorous shoot going straight up, and then they
will (eventually) branch off to each side at the top, and have
fruiting arms along the vertical and horizontal portions.

I wish I had enough time in the summer to hedge, I usually don't, and
then the winter pruning is a nightmare.

-matt
z5 se MI

On Sun, Mar 4, 2012 at 5:42 PM, Dan Nave <nave1@comcast.net> wrote:
> I bought a male and female Arctic Kiwi (Actinidia Kolomikta) for spring
> delivery and had thought to
> grow them up a tree trunk.  As you don't recommend that, I have another
> space where they may get
> more sun but they will still have to go up a vertical trellis rather than
> across a horizontal
> trellis.  As the plants are Kolomiktas they won't be as vigorous or as
> large as the other Kiwis.
> Can you give any recommendations about making a vertical trellis?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dan
>
> On 3/4/2012 2:56 PM, Scott Smith wrote:
>> Steve, the main thing about growing kiwis close together is to allocate
>> space for each one.  I wouldn't recommend growing up a tree, it will be
>> hard to harvest and if its gets out of hand your only recourse is to chop
>> it down.  It also won't get any sun under a big oak.  My recommendation is
>> build say a 10' trellis and put the male 1' from one end and the female 4'
>> from the other.  Let the female take up 8' of the trellis and the male 2'.
>>  Cut back brutally if they cross.  There is no reason to have a male take
>> up any more than 2', that is plenty of flowers.  You need to hedge them at
>> least twice per summer and prune way back in the winter like grape pruning.
>>
>> Scott
>>
>> On Mar 4, 2012, at 2:19 PM, Steven Covacci wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> In order to save space, is it ok to plant both the fruiting female hardy
>>> kiwi along with the male pollinator in the same hole; or will only one
>>> (likely the male) thrive and, eventually, displace the female?
>>> As an alternative, is it ok to plant the vines, each, 10 feet away from a
>>> tree - both being on polar-opposite ends from each other, so that they
>>> both head for the tree (coming from opposite directions) and then meet up
>>> when the climb the tree.  I have a huge oak tree with all the lower limbs
>>> cut down, so the tree would be a good nature trellis/host for the 2
>>> vines.  Or would still, one out-compete the other?  If so, I would think
>>> the vine would still live, as the first 10-feet (before the tree ascent)
>>> would be free of mutual competition.
>>> Thank you,
>>> Steve; NJ
>>>
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