North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Lori Rizzo" <larizzo@charter.net>]

The same thing happened to me last year – had two kiwis, were doing great, then I noticed them drooping and in 2 days they were dead.  I couldn’t find any parasite, etc. when I pulled them. Red clay soil, other plants around them were fine. 

 

Lori

 

Lori Rizzo, RN BSN MBA

Health Care Quality Improvement

Pet Training & Behavior Improvement!

Maryville, TN

larizzo@charter.net

 

---

From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Hilborn.E@epamail.epa.gov
Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2009 8:40 AM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: [NAFEX] Trouble with establishing a kiwi

 

I need some help with a kiwi problem..

I am trying to establish kiwis this year. I am having trouble with my female Saanichtons. I planted one, it seemed to thrive, then approximately 1 month at the site, the leaves wilted, dropped.  It was showing so signs of leafing out again despite green cambium, so I replaced it with a vigorous, actively leafing out female about 4 weeks ago.  Now that plant is starting to wilt at all of its terminal leaf clusters.  All this difficulty has occurred at one this site.

 

In the arbor area, I also have another female Saanichton, a male pollinator and two hardy kiwis and a muscadine. They are all vigorous and growing rapidly.

 

I have seen no pests so far on the kiwis. I have red clay soil, about 6.2 pH, I add bone meal to the planting hole, then mulch the plants with composted stable waste.  They are protected from weeds and staked to bamboo for support. They are all in full sun. We have had a rainy year, but with periods of heat and dry. The soil has been moist overall, though the site does drain well.  All the plants are planted soil level to slightly high.

 

Any thoughts on this one site or what is wrong with these two successive kiwis?  I’d like to use the site if possible as I have limited space.

 

Thanks,

Betsy Hilborn

7a NC