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How to grow kiwi fruit at home


How to Grow Kiwi From Store Bought Kiwi Fruit!

You can grow kiwi fruit from store-bought kiwi and enjoy the process if you have a little patience.

Growing kiwi from seed is not complicated but it will take between 3 to 5 years before you can take a bite into your home-grown kiwi fruit.

Don’t despair though, there’s plenty to enjoy until your first fruit harvest.

 

Kiwi’s are beautiful landscape vines!

 

Before I share instructions on growing kiwi from seed, I want to fawn over the beauty that is the kiwi vine.

Yes, kiwis are vining plants, although some of you may have envisioned a kiwi tree.

From a purely ornamental perspective, kiwi vines (especially the male kiwi) have soft, velvety, large, almost heart-shaped leaves.

 

 

The new stem growth can range from dark green to a luscious burgundy red, depending on the variety.

 

During the spring, both male and female kiwi vines bear prolific, white (sometimes creme-to-pale-yellow) flowers that, when fertilized, become the kiwi fruit.

 

The male flower is charged with pollinating the female flower and is equipped with pollen-heavy stamens that attract the “birds and the bees!”

 

The female flower has stamens though they are sterile and cannot pollinate themselves.

Upon close inspection, you can see the ovule and stigma whose “sticky disposition” helps hold the pollen.

 

Long story short, the kiwi vine makes a gorgeous landscape plant whether or not it ever bears any fruit!

Give the kiwi a strong support system and lots of room to grow as it can  grow up to 30 feet long and will become extremely heavy.

 

I demonstrated how to grow kiwi from seed on the Home & Family show recently.

Here’s a recap of the information I shared along with some photos.

 

 

How to Grow Kiwi From Store Bought Fruit Seed

(Actinidia deliciosa) 

Where do you get kiwi seeds?

 

Take a look inside the kiwi fruit.

 

See all the black seeds?

These are the seeds that you use to grow more kiwi plants.

There are hundreds of them and each of them are a potential new plant.

Buy kiwi fruit labeled “organic” at the store for stronger seed stock.

 

How many kiwi fruit grows from one plant?

A mature kiwi vine can produce more than 200 pounds of fruit.

One hundred or more pounds are possible from a single cold-hardy variety kiwi plant.

 

How to harvest and prepare the Kiwi seeds for planting:

1. Remove seeds from Kiwi fruit.
2. Place kiwi seeds and water in small blender to separate gooey membrane from seeds.
3. Wash seeds in sink using colander.
4. Places seeds on damp paper towel and insert into a plastic ziploc.
5. Place in a warm spot.
6. Check daily until you see that the seeds have sprouted. Make sure the paper towel stays moist at all times.
7. Tear paper towel into small pieces and plant a couple of the sprouted seedlings that are stuck to it into a small pot.

 

STAGE 1 – Several tiny kiwi plants in one pot starting to grow

There are many plants that are growing from the small spouts we planted in the container.

You can see tiny leaves.

Up to this point the plant was drawing from the stored energy in the seed to grow.

At this point I separated the little plants and placed two in each pot.

STAGE 2 – Kiwi plant is separated 2 per pot

At this stage, it will take about 3 weeks for the kiwi plants to grow more leaves and rely on photosynthesis or energy from sun to continue growing.

The plants need plenty of light and consistent moisture.

 

Shows STAGE 3 – 1 large plant per pot

When the plants start growing more leaves, I move them into individual pots because they will begin to grow fast!

Start fertilizing them with “starter fertilizer” to boost their nutrition.

 

STAGE 4 – 2 large, mature Kiwi vines – one is male the other is a female plant

When plants have grown this big, it’s a significant time because they will begin to flower and you can see if it is a “male” or “female” plant.

To grow Kiwi fruit, the female plant needs to be pollinated by the male plant.

Nature will take care of this, but you have to make sure you have at least 1 male plant for every 5 female plants for successful pollination.

Only female kiwi plants bear fruit.

The male plant only assists!

 

How can you tell from the flower which is male and which is female?

Male flowers produce pollen from the many stamens.

Female flowers have a well-developed ovary with long sticky stigmas in the center to hold the pollen.

 

Fun Facts About Growing Kiwi

“How long do you have to wait for first Kiwi fruits?”
3-4 years

“Can you grow Kiwi in cold areas?”
Yes. Cold hardy varieties can take 10-degree winter.

“What month do you harvest Kiwi fruit?”
September-October

“How big does one vine get?”
30 feet long!

 

Do you have any questions about growing kiwi?

 

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How to Grow Kiwi Fruit

, written by Benedict Vanheems

My earliest memory of kiwi fruit was when, as a young lad, I was taken off to the grocery store to buy one of these fabled fruits. In those days (mid-1980s) kiwis were seen as terribly exotic – at least to British shoppers. They cost a fair bit too, and so these small, fuzzy fruits were handled with reverence, brought home gingerly in their brown paper bag then sliced in half and spooned out with genuine excitement. To me they tasted of far off lands – somewhere sunnier, lusher and far more mysterious than the pedestrian suburbs of my youth!

They still carry an air of the exotic about them. But did you know that kiwis are a textbook case of marketing spin? Once more commonly known as Chinese gooseberries, the kiwi fruit got its second name from – no prizes for guessing – the New Zealanders, who cornered more of the market for growing them over the course of the 20th Century.

Once considered exotic, kiwi fruit (aka Chinese gooseberry) can be grown at home in many areas

Nowadays kiwi fruit is more widely grown, so that today you can buy half a dozen fruits for the same money that would have got you just one not so long ago. I grab a net of kiwi fruit every week to drop into my morning smoothies. They are full of vitamin C, so I see them as a delicious defence against coughs and sniffles.

Growing Kiwi Fruit

Kiwi fruit originates from East Asia. They love sunshine and grow best in climates that are consistently warm. In more temperate climates you can still enjoy good results by growing them against a sunny wall where they can romp away to reach – get this – 10m (30ft) tall...wow! A warm wall also somewhat protects tender spring growth from frost damage.

The vines grow okay in shade too, but at the expense of any fruits. That’s not necessarily a bad thing because this is one stunning vine, with chunky, heart-shaped leaves, red stems and pretty, fragrant flowers.

Such a lofty climber needs very sturdy supports. A series of horizontal wires properly anchored into the wall or fence every 45cm (18in) should give them the leg-up they need. Use a thick-gauge wire and tighten them into place with robust vine eye screws. You could also try growing a vine up a pergola or trellis – assuming it’s strong enough for the job.

Kiwi fruit vines are rampant, and need sturdy supports

The plants are naturally dioecious, meaning the female and male flowers are borne on separate plants. ‘Hayward’ is one of the most popular female varieties with ‘Tomuri’ a good male companion planted approximately one to every six females. But not all of us have the space for multiple kiwi vines – and what if the male plant doesn’t bloom at exactly the right time? This uncertainty has disappeared with the advent of self-fertile varieties, which make things a lot simpler. One plant should suffice but like many self-fertile plants, pollination is even better when two or more plants are involved, and there’s one variety that crops up time and again for reliability: ‘Jenny’.

Plant your kiwi fruit into nutrient-rich, moisture-retentive soil. If you are planting against a wall then set the plant at least a foot away from the base so the roots don’t sit in a rain shadow. Space vines at least 3m (10ft) apart so they don’t get tangled up in each other but are still close enough to improve pollination. If you’re thinking about growing them in a greenhouse, don’t bother – unless you want it to completely take over in there to the detriment of everything else!

Kiwi fruit needs regular pruning to keep it productive

Pruning Kiwi Fruit

Kiwi fruit are not shy and retiring. They’re bold, brazen and will quickly become a thicket of stems and foliage if left to their thing. You have two choices to keep them tamed: train them into a formal espalier shape, or hack out the oldest stems every winter after they have finished fruiting. In reality the latter is a lot easier and perhaps more conducive to its rambling nature.

Fruits develop on side shoots growing from canes that are at least one year old. You want plenty of older canes for lots of fruit, but not too old that they become less productive. Stems older than four years are generally good for cutting completely out in order to allow younger, more vigorous stems to replace them. Don’t worry if you can’t tell which stems are what age – you’d be a champion pruner to work that one out – just aim to remove canes that look the oldest and thickest. Cut canes right down to ground level. Aim for an even spread of canes that will allow plenty of light to reach all parts of the plant.

Fresh kiwi fruits can be made into a delicious vitamin-rich smoothie

Harvesting Kiwi Fruit

For all their bravado the fruits themselves are a long time coming, especially in cooler climates. Fruits typically ripen by mid-autumn, often just a few weeks ahead of the first frosts. Pick them when they look brown (because of the hairs) and give a little when pinched between finger and thumb. If a frost threatens but the fruits aren’t quite ready, harvest them anyhow and bring them indoors where they should continue to ripen. Keep the fruits in a cool, dry place and they should store for up to six weeks.

Back outside, lavish love on your kiwi vines; they may seem indestructible but that doesn’t mean they don’t need looking after! Layer on a thick mulch of organic matter such as well-rotted compost in early spring, and keep vines well-watered should you be lucky enough to enjoy a long, warm summer.

Have you grown kiwi fruit before? I’d love to hear how you got on with them and your favorite recipes using them. Please tell all in the comments section below.

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90,000 cultivation of kiwi at home (+photo): from seeds (bones)

Content

Conditions for flowering

In order for the plant to bloom, you need to carefully follow the rules of planting and further care.

Cross-pollination is required to obtain fruits.

In this case, in the third or fourth year of growth, white flowers will appear on the kiwi, which gradually turn yellow as they grow. The plants produce female and male specimens, so cross-pollination is required to produce fruits at room conditions. nine0003

Lighting

Kiwi belongs to light-loving plants. Therefore, for its growth, you need to choose a well-lit place, preferably in the southern part of the room. In this case, the plant should be protected from direct sunlight to avoid burns. To do this, in a particularly hot time to create artificial shading.

Important! When choosing a place for growing kiwi, you need to know that with proper care it grows strongly, forming a powerful vine. Therefore, you need to prepare a fairly spacious room for him. nine0003

Selection of planting material

To grow kiwifruit from seeds, you need to choose a large, well-ripened fruit. It should not have traces of rot or any mechanical damage. It must be thoroughly washed, dried, cut into two halves and the required amount of seeds removed.

Kiwi seeds very small

Kiwi planting and care at home

To obtain strong healthy seedlings, special attention should be paid to the preparation and planting of seeds, as well as the further proper care of young plants. nine0003

Seed preparation

Carefully remove the pulp from the cut fruit and place it in a container of water. After that, stir with a spoon or knead with your hands. Change the water periodically until the seeds are completely clean. After that, they need to be laid out on dry matter and dried.

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Next, take a small plate and cover it with damp cotton wool, put the seeds on it and tighten the top with polyethylene. The container must be placed in a warm, well-lit place. The film must be removed daily for several hours to ventilate and moisten the seeds. The appearance of sprouts should be expected within a week, after which you can plant. nine0003

Planting germinated seeds

Use shallow pots for planting seeds. A good drainage layer should be poured at the bottom, and pre-prepared, sterilized soil should be poured on it. Make holes in it with a depth of no more than 5 millimeters, plant the seed material, sprinkle it with a thin layer of soil and slightly moisten.

Remove the weakest sprouts after emergence. Every day, the shelter should be removed in order to ventilate the plantings and water if necessary. After the sprouts appear, you need to remove the weakest of them. nine0003

Planting dry seeds

Dry seeds can be planted in the same way as germinated seeds. But in this case, the seedlings will have to wait a little longer. In the future, the emerging sprouts are similarly cared for.

Picking

In about a month, the plants should have several true leaves. At this time, you need to carry out a pick, planting seedlings in separate small pots. Since kiwi has a very delicate, superficial root system, it is necessary to remove seedlings from a common container very carefully. Root damage can lead to plant death. nine0003

Young kiwifruit should be grown in separate containers

Top dressing

When transplanting kiwifruit into individual containers, it is recommended to add a small amount of compost to the prepared soil. In the future, from the beginning of spring to the end of summer, it is necessary to feed the plants with complex mineral fertilizers every 2 weeks.

Watering

Kiwi is a moisture-loving plant, so watering should be regular and frequent during the growing season. The soil should remain moist at all times, but overflows should not be allowed, which can lead to rotting of the root system . The pot should have drainage holes and drain the excess water from the trays regularly. In particularly hot weather, in addition to watering, plants require daily spraying.

Important! Starting in autumn, it is necessary to moisten the soil only as needed after its top layer has completely dried.

Why a plant can die - possible reasons

Kiwi needs careful care

Kiwi can die if the rules for caring for it are not followed. nine0057 The reasons may be:

In order to prevent the death of plants, it is necessary to follow the rules for their maintenance and regularly carry out routine inspections.

If fungal diseases are detected that lead to decay of both the root system and the ground part, one should:

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Important! Cats love to eat kiwi leaves, and even the roots of the plant. Therefore, if there are pets in the apartment, it is recommended to wrap the pots with a net in order to avoid its destruction.

Propagation by seedlings and cuttings

Kiwi can be propagated by seeds and cuttings

Kiwi can be grown not only from the stone, but also from cuttings and seedlings. For propagation by cuttings, semi-lignified or lignified cuttings are used, on which there must be at least 3 buds. The lower edge is cut obliquely under the lower kidney, and 1 centimeter is left above the upper one.

Then the planting material is placed in a container with water, to which the growth stimulator Kornevin is added for at least 12 hours. After that, boxes for seedlings are prepared, on the bottom of which a drainage layer is poured, and on it a mixture of equal parts of peat and sand. The cuttings are planted in a container, moistened, covered with glass jars and sent to a warm, well-lit room. nine0003

Seedlings are removed and sprayed daily and watered as needed. After about a month, the cuttings form a fairly developed root system. At this time, they can be planted in individual pots with a good layer of drainage and soil mixture.

Propagation by seedlings is carried out with the help of root suckers. They are simply carefully separated from the mother plant so that the roots remain on them. The resulting planting material is planted in small pots with nutrient soil and watered. As a rule, seedlings take root very quickly. nine0003

How to get a good kiwi harvest at home

In order to get a good kiwi harvest, you need to provide the plant with comfortable conditions close to those in which it grows in the wild. As mentioned above, it needs good lighting, regular watering and proper feeding.

Kiwi fruit, if properly cared for, bears fruit well at home

In addition, you need to make supports along which growing vines will rise up. In order for the plants to branch better, regular pinching should be carried out. And, of course, in order to have fruits at home, it is required to cross-pollinate male and female flowers. nine0003

Kiwi is an exotic tropical plant. Nevertheless, it grows well in the conditions of ordinary city apartments, and with proper care, it even brings not only tasty, but also healthy fruits.

We invite you to get acquainted with the nuances of growing kiwi at home. Happy viewing!

Kiwi from seeds: the secrets of growing on the windowsill

Sat, 23/05/2015 - 09:59 | Comments: 0 | Author: OLCHUKS

Houseplant lovers can decorate the window sill in the house not only with the usual ornamental crops, but also with fruit-bearing exotics: citrus fruits, creepers, etc. One of the types of tropical plants that you can try to grow on the windowsill is kiwi. Its second name is Chinese gooseberry, it is a heat-loving vine, which can create quite suitable conditions for growth. How to grow kiwi from seeds with your own hands? nine0003

Contents:

  • Peculiarities of kiwi cultivation
  • Germination of kiwi seeds at home
  • Growing Kiwifruit: Basic Rules
  • Important conditions for a good harvest

Features of growing kiwi

Kiwi is a dioecious plant, so if you want to get fruits, you need at least two plants - male and female. They will not begin to bear fruit soon: usually kiwi blooms only in the sixth year after seed germination. nine0003

It is possible to determine whether a plant is male or female only after flowering, so it is advisable to plant several vines for optimal results. As a seed material, you can take seeds from ordinary ripe fruits, which are now sold in stores in any city.

All varieties are suitable for growing at home, so seeds can be taken from both "fluffy" and "bald" fruits.

Kiwi is one of the distant relatives of grapes, and they need approximately the same conditions: plants need a lot of light and heat, so they are best placed on the windowsill in the southern part of the house or apartment. nine0003

The best time to germinate seeds is early spring. The germination of seeds depends on this, so it is better not to delay planting. In nature, kiwi grows in a zone with a long warm summer, and the task of a home gardener is to create the most comfortable conditions for him.

Germination of kiwi seeds at home

To obtain planting material, you need:

  • Take half a ripe kiwi fruit, about 20 seeds should be extracted from it. They must be completely freed from the pulp, otherwise the seeds in the ground may begin to rot. nine0008
  • For washing, the seeds are placed in gauze and washed with running water. Washing is desirable to carry out several times in order to remove the pulp as much as possible.
  • Spread the clean seeds on a saucer and dry for several hours.
  • Next, you need to germinate them, for this you need to do the following:
  • A cotton wool is placed in a saucer, which must be moistened with hot water, seeds must be laid on it. At the same time, there should not be a lot of water, it should only saturate the cotton wool well. nine0008

The saucer should be placed in a sunny area and covered with foil to create a draft-proof mini-greenhouse. At night, the film is removed, and in the morning it is necessary to moisten the cotton wool again and return the film to its place. The first sprouts of kiwi seeds will give in about a week.

As soon as thin white roots appear, the plants need to be transplanted into the ground.

The best soil mixture will be peat, humus, sand and sod in equal proportions. Seeds should be placed in small individual pots, they are placed on the surface of the soil and sprinkled with a thin layer of earth. It does not need to be compacted, otherwise it will be difficult for the plant to break through to the surface. The soil must be sprayed every day so that it is constantly moistened. Additional protection from drying out can be provided by installing a mini-greenhouse made of a cut plastic bottle above the pots of earth. nine0003

Kiwi Growing Basic Rules

Repotting into larger containers is done when the plant has a few pairs of true leaves, and the soil should contain less peat and more soddy soil. When growing young plants, it is important to create conditions for them that are as close to natural as possible, then it will be possible to achieve healthy rapid growth.

Basic requirements for kiwi fruit:

  1. Overdrying of the earthy clod must not be allowed, so uniform watering must be ensured. In order not to damage the plants and to ensure constant moistening of the entire surface of the earth, it is better to use a sprinkler rather than a conventional watering can. You can pre-calculate the exact number of times the sprayer is pressed so that the amount of water is the same with each watering. nine0008
  2. Kiwi requires a long daylight hours, so the pots should be placed on the southern windowsills. If there is not enough natural light, daylight hours can be extended with a fluorescent lamp. Winter lighting is best placed in a horizontal direction.
  3. Organic compounds are used as top dressing: biohumus is required, or compost can be used. Normally, organic top dressing should be carried out once a year if nutrient soil is used for planting. In order for the plant to constantly receive nutrients, a trench can be dug around the grown sprout, after which fertilizers are laid in it. During watering, they will gradually flow to the roots, ensuring healthy growth. nine0008
  4. In addition, in the summer, the plant is provided with a complex mineral fertilizer: top dressing will be required approximately once a week or once every 10 days.
  5. In order for the vine to be strong, it is necessary to periodically pinch the top: this stimulates the appearance of lateral processes.
  6. Kiwi has wide leaves, so each plant requires a separate pot so that they do not block each other's sunlight. Sprouts are drawn out quite quickly, usually re-transplantation is carried out within 4 weeks after the appearance of the first leaves. nine0008

Important conditions for a good harvest

Liana needs proper placement. It takes up quite a lot of space, so an insulated balcony will be the best place to grow it. It is necessary to organize a support for her, along which the liana can climb up, it can be made to frame the balcony window so that it looks beautiful. The total length of each vine can reach 7 meters.

To obtain fruits, flowers must be pollinated: in nature, this work is done by bees and bumblebees, in greenhouse and room conditions, the owner must take care of pollination. nine0003

If it turns out that there are too many male plants, buds from female plants can be grafted onto them to get fruit. To get a good harvest, you need 1 male plant for 5-6 female ones, so if the ratio is wrong, it is better to transplant the "eyes". They take root quite well, so the method will increase the yield.

Leaves should be constantly inspected to:

  • Early detection of fungus and cleaning of leaf blades. nine0008
  • Kiwifruit can be infected by pests from other houseplants, so inspections should be carried out as often as possible, and if possible, plants should be kept away from other houseplants.
  • In autumn, it is desirable to remove old shoots: if the branches of the vine have already given fruit, it is better to remove them. This will make room for new shoots, and the vine will not age: this will allow it to bear fruit for many years.

If kiwifruit is grown on a veranda or on an uninsulated balcony, care must be taken to protect the creeper from the cold in winter.

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