The kiwis tend to overgrow. In order to keep the vigorous plant in the desired shape and at the same time promote the formation of fruit wood, you should prune your kiwi tree vigorously - if necessary several times a year.
When and how should you cut back a kiwi plant?
To properly prune a kiwi plant, carry out training pruning in the first few years, thinning pruning when necessary, fruit wood pruning after harvest and rejuvenation or renewal pruning every seven years. The best time for pruning fruit wood is late autumn, for more extensive pruning measures at the end of February to March.
The kiwi plant is a climbing, hardy shrub that likes to climb up pergolas, arbors, fences and walls. Under optimal site conditions, the kiwi grows several meters a year. This is rarely desirable, so strong-growing branches should be shortened.
Cutting time
Fruit pruning is carried out in late autumn after harvest. The extensive fruit wood renewal pruning and the shortening of the long shoots are carried out in February/March, when the leafless framework can be seen better.
Cutting types
Pruning is an important care measure in order to harvest lots of he althy fruits. The following cutting measures are used for kiwis:
- Education cut,
- Blending cut,
- Fruit woodcut,
- Rejuvenation/renewal cut.
Educational Cut
In the first two years of growth, the direction of growth of the main and side shoots is determined and the basic structure of the plant is formed. This is easiest to do on a trellis. To do this, you stretch wires (€7.00 on Amazon) between sturdy wooden posts. You start at a height of about 60 cm above the ground and stretch at least two more wires about 50 cm apart. Each wire is only covered with one tendril, the main shoot is tied to a vertical rod. Competing shoots are removed immediately.
Fruit woodcut
When harvesting, cut the fruit shoots to stubs of two to four buds. After three years, the fruit wood can be removed completely and new side shoots can then be grown to form fruit wood. To ensure a consistent yield, you should not cut away more than a third of all the old fruit wood.
Rejuvenate and Renew
Approximately every seven years, older main shoots can be removed and replaced with young shoots. Low-yielding plants can be radically pruned, the old wood removed and thus renewed. The plant can be rebuilt by diverting young, well-growing competing shoots. You can also proceed in this way if there is frost damage to the kiwi plant.
Tips & Tricks
You can practically not intersect with the heavily growing kiwis. The more radical the cut, the stronger the plant will sprout again.
