Mini kiwis are absolutely trendy. To ensure that the kiwiberries in your garden bear fruit for a long time, we have the best tips for you on proper care.
Mini kiwis (Actinidia arguta) are often referred to as kiwiberries. When cut open, the fruits look quite similar to the large kiwis (Actinidia deliciosa), but their shape, size and color differ significantly. In themselves, kiwiberries do not require much care and offer the great advantage that they can withstand frosts of up to -30 °C. In this article you will learn everything you need to know about caring for kiwiberries properly. If you still need tips on planting your mini kiwis, check out our special article here.
The care measures for the kiwi berry are limited. Watering and fertilizing should not be neglected here either. And you also have to think about the right cut if you want to bring in a rich harvest.
Water the kiwiberries
Mini kiwifruit produce plenty of leaf mass. This means a high photosynthesis performance and also a large evaporation surface. Both cost the plant water. In addition, the shallow roots cannot penetrate very deep into the ground to draw water up from there. The kiwi berry is therefore dependent on regular watering. In dry and hot summers you should therefore water at least two to three times a week.
Fertilize Kiwiberries
If you mixed compost into the soil when planting, the mini kiwi can live on it for a long time. Too much fertilization tends to damage the young kiwi berry, which then forms long young shoots that are slightly susceptible to frost. From the second year on, you should regularly strengthen the mini kiwi with organic fertilizer. From mid-March you can start mixing the fertilizer under the mulch layer. Compost, animal manure and our Plantura organic universal fertilizer with organic long-term effect are suitable for this. Especially fertilizers with long-term organic effects are not only kind to the environment compared to synthetic fertilizers, but also release the nutrients slowly and more evenly to the plant.
Cutting kiwiberries
As a vigorous liana plant, the kiwi berry likes to climb high. However, pruning measures are necessary to ensure that your garden does not turn into a jungle and to ensure a high yield. The best time for pruning is summer or autumn, as the shoots bleed heavily in spring.
If the mini kiwis grow in a trellis, you can proceed as follows when pruning: Only leave the strongest shoot of a plant. Shorten this to 50 cm and attach it vertically to the bottom wire of the trellis. During the first year, a shoot extension forms, which is attached vertically to the nearest wire and shortened to about 15 cm above the wire. The side shoots form on this shoot extension. Only leave the two strongest of these and fasten them horizontally along the wire - these form the guide pulleys. Then train the plant in such a way that two tendrils branch off from the main shoot on each wire. The leading grater forms side shoots, which form the basis for later blossom and fruit formation. These fruit shoots are shortened to four to five leaves behind the last fruit in summer. After harvesting, the fruit shoots can be cut back further so that two buds remain. You should also cut back the leading shoots and the main shoot after every summer.
Summary of trellis cutting kiwiberries:
- Leave only one main shoot
- Guide the main shoot vertically up the trellis
- Leave two side shoots on each horizontal wire
- The fruit shoots grow on the side shoots
- Shorten fruit shoots to five leaves behind the last fruit
- After harvest, cut back fruit shoots to two buds
- Pruning back leading shoots and main shoot every summer
Tip: You can use an elastic PVC cord to fasten it. This is flexible and does not damage the shoots.
If the mini kiwis are grown on a pergola, cutting them is much easier. However, you also have to reckon with a significantly lower yield here. Direct the shoots in different directions here. After harvesting, you can always thin out the plant a little by cutting the oldest shoots onto young onesShorten side shoots.
Mini kiwis are generally very tolerant of pruning. You can therefore cut back annoying shoots or shoots that are too long at any time, even in summer.
Kiwiberry Overwintering
In contrast to its big sister, the kiwi, the mini kiwi is perfectly adapted to our winters. The kiwi berries are not harmed by frost, and depending on the variety, the delicious fruit is not affected by temperatures down to -30 °C. The mini kiwi can only become dangerous during late frosts. The plant begins to sprout as early as March and young shoots are severely damaged by frost. Therefore, make sure that the location is as sheltered as possible. The kiwi berry also does not like too much direct sunlight in winter. You should also make sure to keep the soil well moist, even in winter, so that the plant does not dry out.
You can read all about other beautiful and hardy climbing plants (though those without fruit) here.