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  • From: Hal Love <lovehd@comcast.net>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Hardy kiwi death- can I save scionwood now?
  • Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:07:59 +0000 (UTC)

Those temps should not have bothered a hardy kiwi, unless it was not dormant when the cold hit. Even if the trunk is killed, it should push vigorous shoots from the crown in spring, and grow back rapidly. I have found that waiting until these new shoots are growing vigorously, and then grafting dormant hardwood cuttings to them, gives excellent results. However, grafting the same cuttings on would not make sense, unless you are trying to force the cuttings to flower. The grafted wood can produce blooms, assuming the vine was ready to bloom next spring, but way too late to pollinate the females the same year.

You can take some cuttings now and hold them in the refrigerator for grafting to the female in spring, in case the male does not come back. If the cambium is still green on them in spring, then they should be ok. Grafting to green shoots is by far the best way to go, as the green shoots don't bleed and the graft heals and grows really fast if the weather is warm. Best time is mid to late spring, long after the bloom period is past.

You can force cuttings to bloom indoors in late winter (assuming they were mature enough to bloom), and collect pollen for hand-pollination. Just stick them in a glass of water in a warm spot with good light. When the shoots start to appear, remove all the shoots except one or two per cutting, and then only leave a couple of flower buds per cutting. If you let too many develop, the shoots will collapse and die before the flowers open. The anthers can be snipped off and dried on a piece of wax paper overnight, then placed in a jar with some dessicant and stored in a refrigerator or freezer until needed. If you need to wait more than a week or two, the freezer is best.

Hal


----- Original Message -----
From: "Hilborn E" <Hilborn.E@epamail.epa.gov>
To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 11:35:30 AM
Subject: [NAFEX] Hardy kiwi death- can I save scionwood now?

My lone male Hardy kiwi pollinator appears to have severe cold injury.
The bark on its trunk is hanging off and cambium is exposed.  This is
its second winter and I was surprised to see this.  However,, we have
had unusually early and deep cold and it has lasted longer than usual.

I notice that the lateral branches appear to be flexible and viable.
Can I hope to save scion wood if harvest this early?

I was hoping to graft to my female of the same age to get some
pollination this and next year while I wait for a new male to become
established.

Does anyone have experience with grafting techniques and grafting timing
for hardy kiwi?

Betsy Hilborn
7a NC where we have experienced 11 degree F lows twice this December!




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  • Re: [NAFEX] Hardy kiwi death- can I save scionwood now?, Hal Love, 12/22/2010

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