The kiwi ( Actinidia chinensis ) is a Chinese vine that appreciates mild winters and hot summers, but that doesn’t stop it from growing throughout France, fruiting generously. So, if you want to enjoy kiwis in the morning to fill up on vitamin C or prepare autumn fruit salads, don’t miss the planting season that extends before winter.
- See the kiwi cultivation sheet
When to plant kiwi?
Kiwi seedlings are technically possible but the result is so discouraging that it is best to plant a foot either from a cutting made by yourself or purchased from a nurseryman.
Autumn is the ideal season for planting a kiwi plant. Winter will allow it to settle in despite the harsh climate, to germinate in spring, proud of having passed this winter test.
However, in northern France where winters are harsher it is preferable to wait until spring so that the young subject is not too much a victim of the biting cold.
The kiwi must be planted in soil with little or no limestone. A rich, deep, fertile soil, rich in humus, well drained and which remains cool all year round, with a warm and sunny exposure, to the west or east, sheltered from strong winds, will be ideal.
How to plant kiwi?
Since the kiwi is a dioecious plant, male and female plants are needed mixed so that they fertilize each other: generally, 1 male plant is needed for 3-6 female plants. Of course, if you opt for self-fertile feet, this won’t be necessary.
Start by installing the support on which the kiwi vines will climb because it will be easier with virgin soil: either it is a wall on which you will lay wires, or you will have chosen a pergola or a pergola, for example, which will have to be well fixed to the ground .
Mark the position of the kiwi soles on the ground to ensure that the male foot is not off-center and is rather in the center of the female feet. You will have to take into account the future development of each vine by maintaining a space of 3 to 6 m between each foot.
Prepare planting holes at least 40 cm in diameter and deep, 30 cm from the support. Pour compost or well-rotted manure onto the bottom.
Place the stem of the kiwi at the bottom of the hole, making sure that the roots are not all mixed up in one plug, in which case it will be necessary to untangle them a little.
Fill the hole with the extracted soil, compact it and form an irrigation basin that allows you to water more easily in large quantities. The first year you will need to water regularly.
Autumn sowing must be accompanied by thick mulching of the foot so that it can withstand the cold of winter. Also pay attention to late spring frosts which are fatal for the sprouts formed.
When the kiwi develops in spring, you can start training it.