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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Propagating Hardy Kiwi

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  • From: "Hal Love" <lovehd@comcast.net>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Propagating Hardy Kiwi
  • Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 12:05:44 -0600

Mark,
 
Scionwood is taken during winter from dormant vines and kept refrigerated until used. Well-ripened wood from the previous season is best, but older wood can also be used. Actinidia are similar to grapes, in that the old wood will bleed profusely in spring, making it difficult to graft then. You can graft in late winter or early spring on old wood before or after signs of growth, but the cuts at this time will bleed badly. You can try making a pressure release cut below the graft site to allow the sap to flow out, but I wait and graft to green or semi-green new growth in mid spring to early summer. This growth does not bleed and the graft takes off very quickly due to the warm temperatures at this time. Old wood will also work better by late spring, since the bleeding is much less after the rampant spring growth settles down.
 
Since I usually receive cuttings in winter, I often graft to a small potted plant indoors to get a head start. With a small plant, the bleeding has never been an issue, and I graft right onto the old wood once the plant starts growing. This way, I can have a new plant ready to move outside when it gets warm enough to plant, but before it gets too hot. I typically use A. chinensis seedlings as the rootstock, both indoors and outside.
 
Hal
 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 9:06 AM
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Propagating Hardy Kiwi

Hal,
Do you cut your scionwood when it is dormant and store it until it is time to graft?
Do you graft at the first sign of growth or wait a few weeks?
Do you graft onto new green growth or last years growth?
-Mark Lee, Seattle
----- Original Message -----
From: Hal Love
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 6:56 AM
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Propagating Hardy Kiwi

Dormant Actinidia cuttings can be rooted with bottom heat, but not reliably. The surefire method I use is to graft onto an established vine outdoors in spring (or a potted plant indoors in winter). Actinidia are as easy to graft as it gets. Whip and tongue works really well. The species does not matter, unless you leave it grafted too long, then incompatibility may result in graft failure. The scions should start to grow out in 10-14 days. When the new growth reaches 2-3 feet, I run it up through the bottom of a one gallon nursery pot, then fill with potting soil. The shoot should put out sufficient roots in 2-3 weeks, and can then be cut loose. In another 2-3 weeks, the new plant should be ready to transplant.
 
Hal
zn 6b, TN




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