The strong-growing, twining kiwi bush from the family of rays is an easy-care plant that is grown in many tropical climates. A variety of robust and frost-resistant varieties can also be successfully cultivated in the home garden.
How do you properly care for a kiwi bush?
Kiwi bush care includes a sunny, wind-protected location, regular watering without waterlogging, mulching or sparing fertilization with lime-free fertilizer and regular pruning to rejuvenate and control growth. Frost-sensitive varieties require winter protection or frost-free overwintering.
Kiwi is a climbing, deciduous shrub that comes from China. It loves it sunny, warm and protected from the wind and is also quite frugal in terms of location and care. The large-fruited kiwi varieties are not hardy and can therefore only thrive in areas with mild winters. The small-fruited varieties are extremely hardy and high-yielding, even in the regions northeast of the Rhine.
Do kiwi plants need a lot of water?
The kiwis don't like drought, but they also can't tolerate waterlogging. In midsummer the plants need a lot of water. Good drainage is particularly important when kept in containers. From August onwards, you should water less to slow down further growth and encourage the shoots to become woody.
Should kiwis be fertilized?
If the soil is rich in nutrients and humus, no fertilizer is applied in the first few years. Instead, a thick layer of mulch keeps the pH in the acidic range and prevents drying out. Older plants can be fertilized sparingly with lime-free fertilizer during the growth phase.
When and how do you cut?
Since kiwis tend to overgrow, they should be thinned out regularly (if necessary several times a year). Further cutting measures for kiwis:
- Training pruning of the main and side shoots on the trellis,
- Fruit wood cutting in late autumn after harvest on stubs of two to four buds,
- Rejuvenation/renewal pruning of the older main shoots or parts of the plant damaged by frost.
What pests or diseases are threatening?
The kiwi plants are neither susceptible to pests nor diseases. Care errors can have a negative impact on fruit formation.
Do you have to overwinter the kiwi bush frost-free?
The young kiwi bushes and the frost-sensitive varieties need winter protection or should be overwintered frost-free in the pot in the first year. Hardy varieties planted on the house wall do not require winter protection.
Tips & Tricks
The undemanding kiwi plants can be easily transplanted or repotted from early spring to late autumn.