Actinidia: planting and care, cultivation. Growing actinidia on a plot with your own hands Actinidia how to plant care what places he likes

Actinidia is a woody vine of the Actinidia family. The name of the plant is translated as a ray. In the natural environment, it is found in Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, and the Far East. China is considered the homeland.

It has been cultivated in European countries since 1958. Actinidia deli is a plant whose fruit is the well-known kiwi. In the gardens of the temperate climate zone, species are grown that give smaller fruits and are not so hairy.

Botanical description

These are perennial deciduous. The stems need support. The leaves are whole, smooth or leathery, have a variegated color - the main reason for the decorativeness of the plant. In the axils of the leaves, flowers of white, golden yellow, orange color appear, they are arranged in 1-3 pieces. Flowers are fragrant only in some species.

Actinidia kolomikta Dr. Szymanowski Actinidia kolomikta ‘Dr Szymanowski’ in bloom photo

Actinidia fruit is a valuable food product. It is rich in sugars, ascorbic acid, and other biologically active substances. They are consumed fresh, they are used to make jams, wines, dried berries look like raisins. Actinidia is gaining more and more popularity in gardening.

Male and female actinidia

The plant is dioecious, therefore, in order to obtain fruits, it is necessary to have male and female actinidia on the site. Sex is determined by the structure of the flower: males have many stamens, and the pistil is absent; female flowers have a large pistil surrounded by stamens with sterile pollen (not participating in pollination). Pollen from male plants to female plants gets with the help of insects, wind.

How does actinidia reproduce?

Vegetative and seed propagation is possible. Actinidia grown from seeds are more hardy, but varietal characteristics are most often not transmitted, and you will only know the sex of the plant during flowering, which occurs in the 7th year of life. With vegetative propagation, flowering will occur in the 3-4th year.

layering

Reproduction by layering is a simple and reliable method.

In the spring, when young leaves are already opening, you should choose a long, well-developed shoot.
Tilt it to the ground, pin it and sprinkle it with a layer of soil 10-15 cm thick, the top of the shoot should be above the ground.
Mulch the mound with sawdust and humus.
Water regularly, remove weeds, when a young shoot appears, spray it.
In autumn, or at least next spring, the young sprout will be ready to be separated from the mother plant and planted in a permanent place.

Reproduction of actinidia cuttings

Reproduction is the fastest and easiest way to reproduce.

Green cuttings

Root green cuttings in June. Select several annual branches 0.5-1 m long, cut them into segments 10-15 cm long. Each cutting should contain 2 internodes and 3 growth buds.
The cut under the lower kidney should be at an angle of 45º, the upper one should be straight, 4-5 cm above the kidney.
Remove the lower leaves along with the petioles, and shorten the upper ones by half the length.
Root in water, greenhouse, greenhouse or directly in the garden.
In the latter case, the cuttings are covered with gauze in 2 layers: spray daily 3-5 times a day, in cloudy weather, remove the gauze in the morning and evening, completely get rid of it after a couple of weeks.
The soil needs a neutral or slightly acidic reaction, in which humus, river sand and complex mineral fertilizer (100 g per m²) should be added.
Position the cutting at a 60º angle, the middle bud should remain at ground level. compact the soil, water well.
Cover with fallen leaves for the winter. With the onset of spring (before bud break), transplant to a permanent place of growth.

lignified cuttings

Can be rooted. Cut them in late autumn, tie them in bunches, place them vertically in a box and store until spring at an air temperature of 1-5 ºC. Plant in spring for rooting.

Rooting lignified cuttings look at the video:

Rooting combined cuttings is possible: at the beginning of summer, select the shoot of the current year and separate it together with the heel (part of the annual branch adjacent to it). Root in open ground or greenhouse. Water daily, shade out of direct sunlight. These cuttings quickly develop the root system and next spring can already be transplanted to a permanent place of growth.

Actinidia from seeds at home

Consider propagation by seeds. Seedlings should be grown.

Collect seeds from ripe fruits: mash the berries, place in a mesh bag and rinse under running water. Then take the seeds out of the bag, lay them out on paper and dry in the shade.
Store until the first decade of December, and then soak the seeds for 4 days, change the water every day.
Next, place the seeds in a nylon cloth and lower them into a box with wet sand, keep at an air temperature of 18-20 ºC.
Every week, remove the bag from the sand and ventilate for several minutes, rinse the seeds under running water directly in the bag and return to the box again.
The seeds must not dry out.
In January, wrap the box with a cloth and move it to the garden, burying it deep in the snow for a couple of months. If there is no snow, store in the vegetable section of the refrigerator.
After stratification, return to the room and keep at a temperature of 10-12 ºC. At the same time, air and wash the seeds weekly.
When the seeds are pecked, it's time to carefully plant them, trying not to break the sprouts. Fill the containers with a mixture of soddy soil and river sand, spread the seeds on the surface less often and lightly sprinkle with sand.
It will be necessary to moisten the crops from the spray gun and cover with a film to create a greenhouse effect. When the plants sprout, it is better to remove the film.
Spray seedlings regularly, protect from direct sunlight.
With the advent of 3-4 true leaves, plant seedlings of actinidia in separate containers.
in open ground in the 3rd year of life in the spring.

Planting actinidia in open ground

Actinidia grows well in one place for more than 30 years, but it is necessary to choose a suitable site and observe agricultural practices.

Selecting a landing site

Actinidia is shade tolerant, but the fruits will only fully ripen when sunlight is available: pick up a site in the bright sun with shading in the midday hours. It is not recommended to plant next to apple trees. Currant bushes will be suitable neighbors.

Priming

The soil requires moist, loose, drained. Does not tolerate clay and alkaline soils. Avoid areas with close groundwater (in this case, you will need to fill the hill). It is best planted on hills or slopes - the water will drain naturally without stagnation in the roots.

Support preparation

Support is necessary for actinidia, otherwise the stems will become tangled, it will become problematic to care for the plant, and the fruits in this case ripen unevenly.

The creeper does not have aerial roots, so calmly plant it near buildings, fences, frame gazebos.
As a support, use classic-shaped arches, pergolas (wooden, metal, concrete).
You can stretch galvanized wire between two concrete columns (3-4 rows) according to the principle of a grape trellis: actinidia will grow vertically, tie up the shoots during growth.
In areas with severe winters, it is better to use removable trellises in order to remove the vine for the winter, lay it on the ground with the construction of a shelter.

When and how to plant

Plant actinidia in early spring (before sap flow) or in autumn (2-3 weeks before frost). It should be noted that in the fall it is better to plant creepers aged 2-3 years, since older specimens painfully endure autumn planting.

Prepare the planting hole 2 weeks before planting. Length, width and depth - 50 cm each.
At the bottom, lay a drainage layer of small pebbles or broken bricks.
Move fertile soil with peat and compost, add fertilizer (250 g of superphosphate, 120 g of ammonium nitrate, 35 g of wood ash and potassium sulfate) and fill the hole.
On seedlings, cut off dry and broken roots, treat the cuts with a fungicide, hold the seedlings in a clay mash.
Pour a hill of soil without fertilizer into the planting hole, place the seedling so that the root collar is flush with the soil surface.
Cover the roots with earth, press the earth a little.
Pour 10-15 liters of water under the bush, mulch with a layer of compost or peat 4-5 cm thick.

Keep a distance between plantings of 1.5-2 m. To decorate the wall of the building, plant seedlings in a trench, retreating between plants 0.5 m.

The fragrance of the creeper is attractive to cats - so protect the seedlings from their encroachment. Dig a metal mesh around the plant at least 0.5 meters high.

How to care for Actinidia outdoors

Watering and loosening the soil

Water the plant generously. During a severe drought, apply 6-8 buckets of water under each bush once a week. Also spray actinidia in the morning and evening. This must be done so that leaves are not shed. Young leaves do not have time to get stronger in the cold and freeze in winter.

Loosen the soil, remove weeds.

top dressing

It is important to fertilize regularly. In early spring, apply 20 g of potash and 35 g of nitrogen fertilizer per m². During the formation of the ovary, apply 10-12 g of phosphate and potash fertilizers and 15-20 g of nitrogen fertilizers per unit area. After harvesting (approximately the second decade of September), add 20 g of potassium and phosphorus. Fertilize as follows: plant the fertilizer granules into the soil around the plant to a depth of 10-12 cm, water abundantly.

pruning

Sanitary pruning spend in mid-September: shorten the shoots by 1/3 of the length, remove the branches that thicken the crown.

With the achievement of the age of 3-4 years, it is necessary to carry out forming pruning creepers. Do this throughout the summer. Form a two-shoulder cordon along a horizontal trellis: direct two shoots of the same level in the same plane in opposite directions and fasten, cut off the rest of the shoots. Next year, second-order shoots will appear on them - it is on them that fruits are formed, they should be tied to a vertical guide.

anti-aging pruning spend at the age of 8-10 years. Do it in the summer. Completely cut off the shoots, leaving a 30-40 cm high stump.

How to distinguish male and female actinidia, look at the video:

Diseases and pests

Diseases and pests rarely bother actinidia.

Possible diseases: fungal diseases (powdery mildew, phyllosticosis, etc.), green and gray mold, fruit rot. For prevention, treat the plant with Bordeaux liquid after the appearance of the kidneys and 2 weeks after the first treatment. When a disease appears, the affected areas should be removed and treated with a fungicide.

Pests: leaf beetles, moth caterpillar, lacewings, bark beetles. In spring and autumn, treat the vines and soil with Bordeaux liquid.

Harvesting

Fruiting begins at the age of 3-4 years. It will be possible to collect full-fledged crops from actinidia aged from 7 years: about 60 kg of berries from one plant with proper care. Fruit ripening is uneven, but they do not crumble for a long time. Harvest time starts from mid-August and lasts almost until mid-October.

Wintering Actinidia

Young plants (2-3 years of growth in the open field) will need shelter for the winter. Remove the branches from the supports, lay on the ground, cover with peat, dry leaves, spruce branches (layer at least 20 cm thick). Mice can make nests there - use poison. Adult specimens hibernate without shelter.

Types and varieties of actinidia with photos and names

In the natural environment, there are 70 plant species, 3 of them are cultivated culturally with numerous varieties bred.

Actinidia arguta or acute Actinidia arguta

The most powerful plant among cultivated species. The length of the creeper reaches 25-30 m, the diameter of the trunk is 15 cm. The leaf plates are ovoid with finely serrated edges, their length is 15 cm. The flowers are fragrant, arranged singly or collected in racemose inflorescences of 3 pcs. The fruits are spherical in shape (diameter 1.5-3 cm), dark green in color, have a slight laxative effect, ripen at the end of September.

Varieties:

Actinidia self-fertile photo

Actinidia Self-fertile - fruiting begins in the second half of September. The weight of an elongated cylindrical berry is about 18 g, it is painted in a bright green color. Winter-hardy plant;

Primorskaya - leaves of medium size, soft, oblong, green in color. The fruits are elliptical in shape, have an olive color, weight is 6-8 g. Average winter hardiness;

Actinidia large-fruited - an elliptical fruit, painted dark green with a blush, weighing 10-18 g. A frost-resistant plant.

Other popular varieties: Mikhneevskaya, Relay, Golden Spit, Ilona, Vera, Lunnaya, September.

Actinidia kolomikta Actinidia kolomikta varieties for the Moscow region and the Leningrad region

Very resistant to severe winter frosts. Plant height is 5-10 m, trunk diameter is 20 mm. The obovate leaves are elongated by 7-16 cm. They have sharply serrated edges, the veins are covered with orange pubescence. in males, the leaves are variegated: in autumn they become yellow-pink, red-violet. Female flowers are arranged singly, male - 3-5 pcs. The fruits are green in color, becoming a bronze, reddish hue in the sun.

Varieties:

Actinidia Pineapple- a very productive variety. Oblong berries 3 cm long have a pineapple flavor;

Actinidia Doctor Shimanovsky variety description- Curly liana, lashes reach a length of 3 m. Annual growth is about 1.5 m. Young leaves have light green spots, but quickly become pink in color. Liana loves warm, sunny, wind-sheltered places. Double look. The flowers are white, fragrant, bloom in June. Fruits are edible, sweet, ripen in August.

Gourmand- has fruits 30 mm long and weighing 4-5 g, taste: sweet and sour with a hint of pineapple.

Other varieties: Festive, Slastena, Waffle, Folk, Moma, Homestead.

Actinidia polygama Actinidia polygama

Liana 4-5 m high. Elliptical leaf plates with pointed tops and serrated edges, painted green with silvery spots, leaves turn yellow in autumn. Fruit weight - 3 g.

Varieties:

Actinidia polygama Apricot- winter hardiness is moderate, the fruits ripen late. The berries are slightly flattened, weighing about 6 g, have a sweet and sour taste;

Beauty is a winter-hardy plant. Fruits of a yellow-green color, taste sour;

Patterned - the fruits are cylindrical in shape, painted orange with longitudinal stripes. It has a fig-pepper taste.

Actinidia Giraldi Actinidia giraldii

Species listed in the Red Book. It looks like actinidia arguta, but has larger fruits.

Varieties:

Juliania - berries weigh 10-15 g, taste sweet;

Alevtina - berries weighing 12-20 g, sweet;

Native - berry weight 7-10 g.

Actinidia purpurea Actinidia purpurea

Actinidia purple Actinidia arguta variety ‘Ken’s Red’ photo

Shade-tolerant vine, low cold resistance. The fruits are purple. Their weight is 5.5 g. They taste sweetish.

Actinidia hybrida

The work of the breeder I.M. Satan. This is a cross between actinidia arguta and actinidia purpurea. The fruits are large, purple in color.

Varieties:

Kievskaya Large-fruited - oval green berries, weight - 10 g, taste - sweetish;

Candy - fruits ripen late, have a sweet taste and candy-fruity aroma;

Souvenir - greenish-red fruits weighing about 8 g, sweet.

Useful properties of actinidia

The fruits of the plant are excellent remedies for belching, heartburn, and other digestive disorders. They are also recommended for anemia, rheumatism, lumbago, gonorrhea, colitis.

Other parts of the plant also have medicinal properties. From them prepare infusions, decoctions, ointments.

Polygamol is a drug based on actinidia, which has a tonic effect.

A contraindication to the use of drugs is varicose veins, thrombophlebitis.

Actinidia is a perennial representative of deciduous vines. Her homeland is the subtropical zones of Asia and the East. However, plant species have now been bred, for the cultivation of which the middle zone of the European part of Russia is ideally suited. Gardeners have noticed that actinidia in landscape design looks very harmonious. According to reviews, this plant gives the garden an exotic look. In addition, it is cultivated as a berry bush. The fruit of the creeper is very healthy and tasty.

Description and characteristics of culture

The plant is a woody vine. It densely braids any support, very beautifully decorating the landscape of the site. It can be used as a green hedge, decoration for arches, house walls, any structures.

The leaves are elongated, juicy. The shape is slightly heart-shaped. There are varieties in which the leaves have neat, even edges, and there are varieties with leaves with notches. Actinidia leaves have a unique property. They change color several times during the season. At first they are light copper in color, then emerald, whitish, pink. In autumn, the tips of the leaves turn purple.

Appearance

In spring (May, June) Actinidia blooms. At this time, the site is filled with an indescribable fruity-floral aroma. Flowers are white or slightly purple.

The trunk is strong, can reach a diameter of 2-5 cm, curving. The height of the shrub is from 15 to 30 meters. Liana constantly wraps around the support and stretches towards the sky.

The fruits ripen at the end of August. They are slightly larger than grapes. They are elongated oval berries. Very tasty, fragrant, sweet with piquant sourness. They contain a lot of ascorbic acid. Ripeness is not friendly. Ripe berries fall off. The yield is decent - from an adult bush, depending on the variety, from 4 to 11 kg of juicy berries are collected. Delicious homemade jams, juices, wine are prepared from the fruits.

Additional Information. Actinidia fruits are useful. They contain vitamins A, C, P, B, copper, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, iodine, organic acids, etc. Berries increase the body's resistance, treat diseases of the digestive system, help with headaches, and soothe.

Some gardeners are tormented by the question: “why does actinidia not bear fruit?” To answer it, you need to understand that actinidia is a dioecious plant. There are female and male vines. In order for this crop to bear fruit, it is better to grow several varieties on the site. Male and female specimens differ in flowers. The male flowers have many stamens but no pistil. In females, the pistil is present, it is surrounded by stamens.

The culture has several types, which, in turn, have varieties. The middle zone of Russia is suitable for growing such types of actinidia as:

Kolomikta;
Argut;
Polygam;
Large-fruited.

All of them easily tolerate winter frosts and give good harvests, even if the summer is cool and rainy.

The answer to the question "when does actinidia begin to bear fruit?" - 2-3 years after planting. However, the crop gives the maximum yield only after 6-8 years.

Note! The most famous type of actinidia is Chinese. Its fruits are sold in our stores. This is kiwi. It is grown only in warm countries.

Preparing for landing, choosing a place

First you need to choose the best place for the development of the plant. An important condition is moist loose open ground. Acidity should be weak or neutral. It is best to plant a vine in fertile land, where there is enough clay and sand. Culture loves the sun. Partial shade is also suitable for her. Another condition is the presence of support. Without it, actinidia will not be able to grow normally. You can install a trellis, an arch, a regular column next to it. Another option is to plant a crop right at home. In this case, she will be able to cling to the wall.

Before boarding

Much gives the right choice of seedlings. It is better to buy a small plant in a specialized store, nursery. The seedling must be healthy. Its roots are closed. Suitable age is one to two years.

Growing actinidia begins with preparation for planting. A few weeks before the appointed day of planting, a pit is prepared. If several plants are planted, then several holes are prepared. The distance between them must be at least 2 meters. The hole needs to be dug quite deep - more than half a meter. The width is exactly the same. A drainage layer is arranged at the bottom. Suitable pebbles, fragments of bricks. A soil mixture of humus, peat, garden soil, ash, ammonium nitrate is placed on the drainage, it is allowed to add superphosphate.

Note. Within two weeks, the soil mixture will settle. To it is added the usual soil. It is poured in the form of a slide. Actinidia will land on this hill.

On the day of planting, the seedling is inspected. Remove all dry twigs, straighten the roots, remove broken or dried ones. After the root system is dipped into a clay mash, its consistency should be like thin sour cream.

Proper Fit Scheme

The correct landing scheme consists of the following steps:

As soon as the clay talker on the roots has dried up, the rhizome is placed in the planting hole;
The gardener must place the roots on a mound in the form of a hill made of ordinary earth. Each spine should be surrounded by free space;
It is necessary to ensure that the root neck does not go deep, but is at ground level;
Gradually the hole is filled with earth. It is lightly rammed;
You need 2-3 buckets of water to water the seedling;
Planting is completed by mulching the soil. You can take peat, hay, grass.

Actinidia Care

How to grow actinidia in the country? This can be done if the rules of planting and care are followed. At the same time, the cultivation and care of actinidia do not cause any special difficulties for gardeners. Even a novice gardener can handle this.

Cultivation of a crop involves rare watering, but frequent irrigation of the leaves. Spray water can be sprayed on crops early in the morning and in the evening. Water the soil under the bush should be every few weeks. If the summer is not dry, then watering can be abandoned.

Top dressing is carried out in April. First, the earth is loosened. This is done carefully, since the roots are not deep from the surface of the earth. Next, complex fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium are laid. Fly ash is added. Mulch is laid out. Suitable hay, sawdust, spruce needles.

Important! In order for actinidia to feel comfortable, you need to observe the root neck. The plant will develop better if this area is not very exposed and protrudes from the ground. At times it can be sprinkled with earth.

For the winter, the plant is removed from the support, laid on the ground. If the liana is not 3 years old, it is covered with peat, spunbond.

Trimming pattern

The first sanitary sample of the culture is carried out 3-4 years after planting. Anti-aging pruning, when only a small stump is left, - after 9-10 years.

Sanitary shortening of leaves is carried out in early spring, before bud break, or in autumn, before hibernation.

The pruning scheme consists in removing old shoots that do not bear fruit, dry branches, overgrown branches.

The principle of deleting old branches

In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to what kind of actinidia grows in the garden. Each type has its own characteristics and trimming patterns.

Advice. If we take actinidia Kolomikta as an example, then it can be cut only after the plant reaches 7 years of age. After each year, one of the main shoots is removed from her. Medium will do. It is replaced by a new stem.

reproduction

An exotic plant can be propagated and grown in several ways. Among them:

seeds;
Arc layering;
Cuttings with green shoots;
Woody cuttings.

seeds

How to grow actinidia from seeds? Planting actinidia seeds is troublesome. Pre-seed material should be prepared for planting for almost 5 months. First, the grains are washed, dried, placed in water for 3-5 days. After they are soaked, they are cleaned in wet sand. Sand with seeds is watered every 7-10 days. The container must be in the apartment. After 60 days, it is removed underground, where it is cool. There, the seed material will stay in the sand for another 60 days. Then it is brought home for 20 days. Next, the seeds are planted in containers with soil mixture. Transplantation to a permanent place in open ground is carried out after the appearance of 3-4 strong leaves on the sprout.

Arc layering

This method is suitable for early spring. The lower branches with buds are taken from actinidia. They are not cut off, but simply bent to the ground in several places. In these places, pits are equipped where peat and humus are placed. Parts of the branches are fixed in these pits, sprinkled with earth. It is important that the tip of the branch, which is taken for growing layering, is not covered with earth. Pits with bent branches constantly spill. Transplant layering is possible in a year.

cuttings green shoots

It is necessary to cut green cuttings that have at least three buds. The upper part is cut straight, the lower part forms an acute angle. The cuttings are planted in a greenhouse in fertilized soil with sand. They need to be watered every day. The procedure is performed in early summer after flowering. A transplant to a permanent place is also possible after a year.

Reproduction by green cuttings

lignified cuttings

The procedure for cutting cuttings is carried out in the fall. Next, the sticks are stuck in a container with sand. Tara is cleaned in the cellar until spring. In the spring months, cuttings are planted in a greenhouse or greenhouse. There they will grow for about a year.

Diseases and pests of actinidia

This plant has strong immunity. If you plant a vine in fertile soil, properly care for it, then pests and diseases will not touch it.

However, even such a strong plant can sometimes get sick with powdery mildew, fruit rot. To cope with ailments, infected shoots and leaves should be removed in time. You can treat the culture with household soda. The solution is being prepared. It is necessary to dilute 100 grams of soda in 2 buckets of water. Liana is sprayed with water and soda. The procedure is carried out every 10 days.

Note. Among the pests that can appear on actinidia are the larvae of leaf beetles. These insects eat the leaves. Insecticides are used as a control.

Prevention of diseases and pests is simple. In spring and autumn, the plant is washed with a common remedy - Bordeaux mixture. They also water the ground under the bush.

Actinidia: the secrets of growing

Creating conditions for fruiting and increasing the yield of actinidia is the main thing in growing this beautiful vine.

In order to grow a healthy plant that gives a good harvest every year, 9 conditions must be observed:

The seedling must be without damage, with a closed root system. You should buy it only in proven nurseries;
The place for actinidia is selected sunny or with partial shade;
The soil should be fertile, neutral or slightly acidic;
The landing pit is prepared 2 weeks before planting. It must have a drainage layer;
A plant cannot develop without support. The main purpose of the creeper is to grow up and wrap around objects;
You can rarely water, but be sure to irrigate the leaves of actinidia from a spray bottle;
Sanitary pruning is carried out in spring or autumn. But you need to start it only after the plant has reached the age of 3-4 years;
The plant can be fed with complex fertilizers. This will increase productivity;
In spring and autumn, you should be engaged in the prevention of diseases and pest invasions.

If you grow and care for actinidia correctly, then the plant will produce a bountiful harvest of juicy fruits every year for 40-60 years, decorating a summer cottage with its appearance.

Actinidia self-fertile is quite an interesting ornamental plant. Its fruits are extremely beneficial for human health, tasty and fragrant. Growing and caring for the plant is easy. In addition, actinidia gives high and stable annual yields. Fruits differ in marketability and remarkable transportability, can be stored for a long time in a cool place. Detailed information on growing actinidia and keeping it at home is provided below.

Description of actinidia self-fertile

The above plant has several names. This is holly actinidia, and self-fertile actinidia, and kiwi, and pineapple atinidia. The plant is, first of all, a showy tree-like vine, which is characterized by a beautiful decorative appearance and edible fruits. The latter are distinguished by an extremely high content of useful trace elements and vitamins.

This plant is characterized by a stable, high yield, sufficient frost resistance, unpretentiousness to growing conditions, resistance to diseases and pests.

It should be noted that self-fertile actinidia does not require a male plant: it is well pollinated by itself. This monoecious plant begins to bear fruit already 4 years after planting. From one bush you can get up to 9 kg of berries.

Actinidia fruits can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months, but it is imperative to observe a strict temperature range for this: from 0 to 2 degrees Celsius.

Features of actinidia

The above plant has the following characteristics:

has a height of up to 25 m (variety of argut), up to 6 m (type of kolomikta);

trunk with a diameter of up to 5 cm;

high intensity of growth of plant shoots (up to 2 m per season);

fibrous root system, with skeletal roots;

the maximum sub-zero temperature that the actinidia plant can withstand is -30 degrees Celsius;

kiwi fruit that has come into fruition is more frost-resistant than non-bearing ones;

mid-August - fruit ripening period;

the fruits of the plant are distinguished by a round or oblong shape, from light to dark green in color;

the taste of fruits - from sweet and sour to fresh-sweet;

photophilous plant;

culture loves moisture, but an excessive amount does not tolerate it;

spring pruning is strongly discouraged.

It should be noted that the actinidia plant can grow and bear fruit well for about 30 years.

Useful properties of actinidia

The fruits of the above plant are extremely beneficial for the human body. In their composition they contain:

carotene, niacin, ascorbic acid, vitamin B5;

polyphenols;

minerals: salts of potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus;

dry matter;

organic acids;

pectins.

It should be noted that the fruits of this plant contain 5 times more vitamin C than black currants and 10 times more than citrus fruits.

These fruits significantly strengthen the immune system of hypertensive patients, people with diabetes, the elderly and children. Kiwi fruits are especially useful for patients who have vision problems.

Types of self-fertile actinidia

Perennial tree vines have about 30 plant species in the genus. All varieties of actinidia are distinguished by high annual fruitfulness and a beautiful decorative appearance. On the territory of Russia, the following types of the above plant are known:

hybrid;

Kiev large-fruited;

curly;

September;

Actinidia Arguta is self-fertile.

Pineapple;

Clara Zetkin;

Self-fertile actinidia Kolomikta;

Victory.

Pollination of this plant occurs with the help of wind or insects. Interestingly, this process can be carried out at fairly large distances: up to half a kilometer. For example, some species of kolomiktsy and interspecific pollinators independently. In this case, the yield is small.

In one place, tree vines can grow for more than 70 years.

The yield of the vine depends on its type. Argut give the largest number of fruits - up to 250 kg, kolomiktovye - only up to 3 kg. The weight of the fruits themselves also differs: for example, polygamous ones have fruits weighing 6 grams.

Recently, in America, breeders have bred a new variety of actinidia called Kiwi. So it is capable of producing fruits weighing up to 330 grams.

As for the harvest, the Giralda variety and all the colomict fruits are harvested at the end of August, the rest until mid-September. Although, if you want more sugars to accumulate in fruits, shoot kiwi closer to frost.

If the crop was harvested at sub-zero temperatures, it will not be stored in the refrigerator for a long time.

Reproduction of actinidia

The above plant is propagated by both cuttings and seeds. Stratification of the seed is carried out for 2 months. Before this process, the seeds are steamed. Then they are mixed with sand and lightly moistened. After that, the seeds are wrapped in a cloth and placed in a refrigerator, where a temperature of about +5 degrees Celsius must be observed. It is recommended to air them daily for fifteen minutes at room temperature.

After the above stratification process, the seeds are planted in light soil, which is pre-steamed. Seedlings appear early enough: after two weeks. During the first year they grow slowly. But it is not recommended to feed them with anything.

Young seedlings of actinidia in the first winter are best kept in a cool place. It is advisable to plant only in early spring.

If actinidia is propagated by cuttings, then it is recommended to cut them with two or three buds. Also leave one upper shortened leaflet. Cuttings are recommended to put for a day in a glass of distilled water. Only after that they can be planted in a container with a substrate. As the latter, you can safely use peat or sand. Important: do not fill the kidney with a leaf substrate! After planting the cuttings, they need to be watered and covered with a film.

In order for the cuttings to take root well, it is necessary to provide them with a temperature regime (+18 degrees Celsius), humidity above the average and access to sunlight. Once a day, it is recommended to spray the cuttings with a spray bottle.

Seedlings grown from cuttings will begin to bear fruit in two to three years.

Soil for the above plant

Actinidia seedlings prefer a variety of soils, with the exception of floating clay soils, near which groundwater is located. Breeders recommend making good drainage for the plant. Therefore, tree-like vines are best placed on slopes with water flow, elevated areas. This will prevent stagnation of water in the roots of the plant.

Intensive growth of actinidia is observed on acidic and slightly acidic soils fertilized with organic mixtures. But in no case should they contain lime. The plant does not tolerate this top dressing. Also, it is not recommended to add calcium chloride under actinidia.

It should be noted that it is strictly forbidden to plant actinidia after actinidia. An undesirable neighbor for the above plant is an apple tree. It is better to plant actinidia near blackcurrant.

In no case is it allowed to dig the soil around the tree vine. The maximum that can be done is to carry out fine loosening.

Self-fertile actinidia: planting and care

Plants are planted in spring to a depth of 70 cm. Gardeners advise adding a little fertilizer to each hole: about 10 kg of ordinary humus and 100 grams of superphosphate. It should be noted that actinidia is planted in early spring.

At the very bottom of the pit, you first need to place a drainage, which can be stones, expanded clay or broken bricks.

Plants are planted at a distance of up to 2.5 m. Before planting a tree vine, its roots are moistened in a clay mash.

Actinidia care is as follows:

Before flowering, a tree-like vine is fertilized with phosphorus.

In autumn, actinidia is fed with humus, potassium salt, superphosphate and ammonium nitrate.

For a plant, it is useful to mulch the soil with humus, sawdust or peat with a layer of 12 cm.

In addition, actinidia is covered for the winter to prevent freezing of young plants.

The above plant is unpretentious, but still requires some attention. Tree liana prefers to grow in the sun, although it also feels good in the shade.

It is important to build supports for the plant.
Provide her with additional watering in hot weather.
During the fruiting period, the soil around the tree-like vine is kept under black fallow.

Pruning a self-fertile actinidia

This action cannot be performed:

in early spring;
during the period of intensive sap flow (due to the loss of juice, the plant becomes weak);
at the end of summer (may cause awakening of the kidneys on the shoots of the current year).

The ideal time for pruning is the period after the flowering of the plant. Actinidia pruning is also carried out in late autumn. At this time, you can thin out the plants, cut out weakened branches, remove frozen tips on the shoots.

Pests and diseases of actinidia

The above plant is highly resistant to various diseases. Breeders note the following diseases that can affect actinidia:

leaflet phyllosticosis (brown spots);
fruit rot on berries.

It should be noted that in order to combat the above infections, the affected fruits and leaves are collected and destroyed.

A dangerous pest for actinidia are cats that like to gnaw out young shoots and dig up the roots of the plant. Therefore, it is important to enclose a woody vine with a wire mesh, and cover the top.

Calendar of works for the care of the above plant

In order for the plant to grow intensively and bear fruit well enough, it is important to carry out the necessary work on the care and maintenance of actinidia in time:

In April, shelters are removed from young tree-like vines. This is the time when actinidia is planted.
In May, gardeners are advised to feed the tree vine with organic fertilizers. Also this month it is recommended to loosen, weed the soil around the actinidia. If the weather is too dry in May, gardeners are advised to water the plant and mulch the soil.
In June, it is desirable to ensure that the plant receives the required amount of moisture. It is also important to loosen and weed the soil a little. At this time, the cutting of green cuttings is also carried out.
In July, in addition to weeding, loosening and watering, it is important to tie up the plant. It is also necessary to remove excess shoots.
The harvest is in August. After harvesting the fruits, it is recommended to feed the plant with minerals and organic fertilizers.
The harvest is also in September.
In October and November, pruning of actinidia is carried out, which is carried out to form a bush. Although the above plant is also highly frost-resistant, it is still important to have time to cover young tree-like vines for the winter to sub-zero temperatures.

Do you know that:

in terms of the content of ascorbic acid, only wild rose can compete with the fruits of the above plant;
1 or 2 actinidia berries provide the body with a daily requirement for vitamin C;
about 700 berries of the above plant cover the annual need for ascorbic acid for a person;
for a family of 4, it is enough to have only one tree liana bush to provide each of its members with an annual norm in vitamin C.

How is actinidia used?

The fruits of the above plant are actively used in cooking. They are also prepared for the winter: they canned and dried.

Jam is prepared from the fruits of actinidia, juice is squeezed out, and cocktails are made. The above fruits are also used to decorate cakes and other sweets, to make desserts.

Dried actinidia or raisins are especially popular, which resembles dried grapes (raisins) in their appearance.

When preserving actinidia fruits, experts recommend adding citric acid, since already processed they have a taste with mild acidity.

Actinidia is self-fertile - a plant that can not only decorate a personal plot, but also give extremely tasty and healthy fruits. This is just a godsend for an enterprising summer resident.

actinidia home care

An easily propagating vegetative plant, and the floor of the vine depends on which seedling it developed from. Seed propagation is more complicated, because. it is impossible to immediately determine which sex the plant will develop. However, plants grown from seeds are more hardy. Reproduction by arc layering is possible, and this method is considered quite simple. The plant also propagates by cuttings.

This powerful vine can grow up to eight meters in length, and with good care it bears fruit for up to 30 years. For this plant, the place where it will grow is very important. The shoots are unusually light-loving, reaching for the sun, and the superficially located roots suffer from a dry substrate. A little shading saves the situation somewhat, but at the same time reduces the yield and winter hardiness of the plant.

The soils required are not too light, clay or sandy. Close groundwater makes the site unsuitable for growing this plant.

A fast-growing dioecious plant in which male and female flowers are formed on different plants, you need to plant plants of different sexes nearby.

Perfectly tolerates pruning actinidia, responds well to fertilization, requires sufficient watering.

During the flowering period, the bushes are covered with large fragrant white flowers, which eventually acquire a creamy color.

Materials on Actinidia

In this section you will find posts on the care, cultivation, watering, reproduction of Actinidia. Community users share tips and secrets among themselves. A huge number of photos.

The purpose of our project is the exchange of experience so that each project participant can learn how to care for a plant at home. Register.

How to grow kiwi from seed 2

Kiwi fruit can be grown from seeds that are extracted from the fruit. To do this, seeds are removed from kiwi, since they are small, you can immediately smear the pulp with seeds on paper and wait until they dry. Before planting, they are simply separated from the paper and slightly deepened into the ground. For germination suitable universal soil. Place for sprouting.

How do I grow actinidia (kiwi) from seeds 3

I really like to grow plants from seeds or seeds. I will tell you how I grow actinidia (kiwi) from seeds. In January, I take out black seeds from a ripe kiwi fruit, separate them from the pulp and put them in wet sand for two months. I put the container with seeds and sand in the refrigerator on a shelf in the door and periodically spray the sand with water.

Actinidia in the garden 2

My whole family loves kiwi, but we have no way to grow it in the open field. Frost-resistant varieties have not yet been bred. But, there are other species from the genus Actinidia that live well in our climate. And, among them, actinidia arguta. It also produces tasty fruits, only they are smaller than those of kiwi. I bought actinidia bushes in a local greenhouse.

May - Actinidia planting time 2

The beginning of May is almost ideal for planting actinidia. I planted actinidia seedlings in the first days, keeping a distance of 1.5-2m between the bushes. Since the plant is separate, then for 1 male actinidia bush I have 4 female ones so that the actinidia is normally pollinated.

I have landing pits 50cm deep and 60x60cm in size. To the bottom.

Growing Actinidia 1

Actinidia is a very valuable berry vine. Its fruits contain a significant amount of vitamin C.
Liana grows up to 10 m tall. It should be planted in mid-April on the western side of the house or gazebo in well-humused, soddy and drained soil. Actinidia grows very poorly on calcareous and dry soils.
For getting.

Growing plants The sweetest and most frost-resistant variety of actinidia?

I can not decide on the choice of actinidia variety. I would like to purchase a frost-resistant (up to -35 degrees) variety with tasty, sweet fruits. Tell me what to choose?

Growing plants How to grow actinidia at home?

Tell me, is it possible to grow actinidia (a relative of kiwi) in indoor non-greenhouse conditions? I read that this is the most useful plant, and it looks interesting. Will it bear fruit at home?

Growing plants Is it possible to grow kiwi at home?

I saw a program on TV about how kiwi is grown on the balcony. But she starred in the southern countries. And who tried to grow kiwi at home in our climate. What should be the care?

Growing Plants Actinidia

How to properly care for and grow an actinidia plant? What is the difference between male and female plants when purchased and during the growing season? How to distinguish varietal plants from simple ones?

Plant identification How to distinguish actinidia?

They brought me 4 actinidia as a gift, but they lost the tags where it was indicated who was the “boy” and who was the “girl”. How now to distinguish seedlings, because the conditions for the growth of "boys" and "girls" are few.

If you still have questions about caring, growing, watering Actinidia, then create your own topic in the gazebo 🙂

Actinidia - planting and plant care

If you want to grow a plant called actinidia in the country, planting and caring for it is quite easy to do. We can find out all the details about this exotic plant below.

Actinidia - what is this plant?

The beginning and middle of autumn is the time when the fruits of actinidia can be harvested. Most often they ripen in September. Actinidia is a relatively unpretentious, easy to grow, disease-resistant tree. Thanks to this, it can grow even in not very favorable conditions.

The beginning and middle of autumn is the time when the fruits of actinidia can be harvested

Although until now little known in colder climates, actinidia is a very valuable garden plant. Not only will it add beauty to your garden with its twisting stems, but it will also bring a harvest of delicious fruits.

The most common type is Actinidia deli (kiwi), obtained from a Chinese plant. Initially, it was called "Chinese gooseberry". At the very beginning of the 20th century, it was brought to New Zealand, where everyone liked it, and they decided to name it in honor of the national bird - Kiwi.

Unfortunately, all cultivars of kiwi do not have frost resistance, and freeze at -10 ° C. The most frost-resistant variety is “Jenny”, which can withstand frost down to -15 ° C, but its fruits are very small and tasteless.

Video on how to plant correctly

Frost-resistant varieties

Actinidia arguta and kolomikta withstand temperatures from -23 ° C to -35 ° C. They are considered as decorative elements of the garden, ideal for facing fences, walls, pergolas and arbors due to their fairly rapid growth. They also have tasty fruits, but in much smaller quantities. Their kiwi is smaller than the average grape.

In orchards, Actinidia arguta (also known as mini-kiwi, or kiwi Hardy) is considered the best variety. It has relatively large and extremely tasty berries. In order to produce fruit, Tara Vine needs a long growing season of about 150 days without frost. An adult plant can bring from 10 to 20 kg of berries.

Actinidia arguta and kolomikta withstand temperatures from -23 ° C to -35 ° C

During this time, a climbing plant can grow up to 30-50 meters tall in a familiar climate. In cooler areas, it reaches up to 4-8 meters in height. Young plants have brown shoots that will change to gray with age. The large ovate green leaves turn yellow in autumn and fall shortly thereafter.

Varieties suitable for temperate climates

Geneva - American variety, the earliest, loves a lot of sunlight.

Ripening of various species occurs at the very beginning of autumn. The berries are rounded and medium in size (about 4 cm in length). Unripe fruits of this variety have a reddish-brown color.

They fascinate with their taste, as they are unusually sweet and fragrant. If the plant receives enough water, then its fruits ripen much faster. They become soft enough and fall off.

This is a very prolific variety. It begins to bear fruit in the third or fourth year after planting. For him, frost up to -30 is not terrible? WITH.

This variety of actinidia does not require any special care. The main thing every spring, when all the snow has completely melted, is to loosen the ground near the plant. Thus, it will be saturated with a sufficient amount of air.

Issai is a dicotyledonous, self-pollinating variety.

It was invented in Japan. The berries ripen in mid-autumn. The fruits have a sweetish taste. They are medium in size and oblong in shape (about 3 cm in length). The advantage of Issai is that it begins to bear fruit in the first year. The plant feels normal in frost down to -25? WITH.

This variety has a height of only 3 meters, so it is suitable for small gardens. When caring for a plant, make sure it is properly watered. As soon as the ground around the plant becomes dry, you need to immediately water it. In hot weather, this should be done very often, even several times a day.

Jumbo is a famous Italian variety.

It has large oblong and slightly elongated fruits (approximately 6 cm). The color of the berries can be either yellow or green. The largest berry can weigh up to 30g. The fruit is tasty and sweet, without a pronounced aroma, but persistent.

The color of the berries can be either yellow or green.

The berries ripen in mid-autumn. A variety that bears fruit in the third or fourth year after planting. It grows up to eight meters in height and can withstand temperatures down to -28°C. Top dressing remains a very important factor in caring for the plant. It is held at the very beginning of summer. To do this, you need to dilute one part of the mullein with ten waters and thoroughly water the plant with this solution.

Ken's Red is a variety from New Zealand.

It is a species of actinidia arguta and melanaudra. Large fruits (up to 4 cm long and 3 cm in diameter). Durable and tasty berries, although without a characteristic aroma. They are purplish red in full sun and green when in shade.

They ripen in mid-autumn. Ripe berries are not overly soft, making them suitable for transport. Not afraid of frost down to -25? WITH.

The plant should not grow in an open meadow, because it really does not like direct sunlight. When caring for him, this fact must be taken into account. Water it as often as possible to keep the soil moist.

Kokuwa is a Japanese self-pollinating variety.

The berries have a lemon flavor. The fruits are small but firm. Ripening occurs in mid-autumn. When you take care of the plant, try to carefully trim. By removing all unnecessary and dry branches, you will help actinidia grow stronger and bear more fruit.

Purpurna Sadowa is a famous Ukrainian variety.

Invented by crossing actinidia argut and purple. Tasty and juicy fruits of long shape and medium size (3.5 cm long and 2.5 cm in diameter). Berries are purple-red. Fruits in the third or fourth year after planting. Ripening occurs in mid-autumn. Not afraid of frost down to -25? WITH.

Fertilize and water this variety. Since he is crossed in Ukraine, he loves enough water. Treat the plant for pests before it begins to bloom.

Rogow is a variety that was invented in Poland.

He was baptized in Rogov. Quite tasty berries of medium size (about 3 cm in length). The fruits are green and ripen in September. A very prolific variety. It begins to bear fruit in the third or fourth year after planting. Not afraid of frost down to -30 ?

Every spring it is necessary to strengthen the roots of this plant. To do this, make a small pile of earth around the trunk of the plant. These actions will help strengthen the trunk from strong gusts of wind, and protect the roots from unexpected spring frosts.

VITIKIWI is a very beautiful and prolific variety that bears fruit without pollination (parthenocarpic).

It has been fruiting for a year now. Green berries ripen in mid-autumn. This variety has a fairly high growth rate, so it is necessary to cut it in time. Rid the plant of unnecessary and dry branches.

Weiki is a German dicot variety.

The male species are good pollinators for all Tara grape varieties. The females are very fertile. The fruits are tasty and medium in size (about 4 cm long).

Video clip about proper care

The berries ripen in mid-autumn, but they do not fall. They are usually green, but may sometimes develop a dark brown coating when exposed to direct sunlight. Glossy dark green leaves give the plant an attractive appearance.

The plant is suitable for ornamental purposes and can produce up to 10 kg of fruit. Cats are very fond of this shrub and can damage it, scratch or bite the leaves, so it is best to secure the base with a net in the first three years.

Don't forget to fertilize it in early summer. When the plant is fully hardened, it can withstand frost and cold up to 40 degrees below zero.

The most common varieties in temperate climates

Adam is an ornamental Polish male variety.

When the plant is fully hardened, it can withstand frost and cold up to 40 degrees below zero.

It has beautiful variegated foliage, attractive male flowers. It is a good pollinator for all varieties of Actinidia kolomikta.

Dr Szymanowski is a dicot variety that is of Polish origin.

It has extraordinary beauty leaves and juicy fruits. Very prolific, it bears fruit already in the fourth or fifth year after planting.

Sentyabrskaya is a prolific Ukrainian variety with attractive variegated foliage.

In the third or fourth year, it begins to bear fruit. Berries can be harvested in late summer and have a pleasant aroma and delicate honey taste.

Actinidia are best propagated by stem cuttings, which are split off in the middle of summer. They should be grown in a special container for 1-2 years to ensure good establishment before planting in a permanent place in the garden.

Roller Actinidia - the northern sister of the kiwi

Planting a plant at home

How to plant actinidia? If you choose dicotyledonous varieties, you need to plant both male and female species in close proximity to each other (no more than 3-5 meters).

When planting a large number of actinidia, it is enough to plant one male species for every 7 female ones. These may be samples of different varieties, but they must necessarily belong to the same species.

Male species should be evenly distributed among the female ones and remember that their flowering should occur in approximately the same period.

For example, arguta blooms at the turn of May and June, with small (1–2 cm in diameter) white flowers. The flowering period of kolomiktastarts is 7–14 days earlier. Its flowers are slightly smaller and have a faint lemon scent.

If you don't have enough space in your garden, it's best to put both species in the same hole, or alternatively choose hermaphroditic varieties (but this method doesn't always pay off).

When to plant actinidia? There is no single answer. After all, they can pollinate from spring to autumn.

The male flowers have more than a dozen racemes, and well developed stamens with pollen that remains fertile for 5 days.

The female flowers may be solitary, or in groups of two or three. They have a well-developed pistil, which is surrounded by sterile stamens. They can pollinate up to 10 days. The number and size of berries depend on the quality of pollination.

It is very important that both female and male flowers bloom at the same time. They are mainly pollinated by bees, in rare cases by the wind. Unfortunately, actinidia flowers are not very attractive, so you need a lot of insects to ensure good pollination. In the absence of insects, try hand pollination.

Choose a newly opened male flower and hold it close to the female for 1-2 seconds. The pollen of one male flower is enough to pollinate about 10 female flowers.

Select a newly opened male flower and hold it close to the female for 1-2 seconds

When is the best time to plant actinidia in autumn or spring? Planting in the fall is the best option.

Actinidias are generally very sensitive species, in particular they grow much better in warm, sunny, wind-sheltered areas.

It is necessary to avoid their long stay in the cold. They are sensitive to unexpected spring frosts. If there are walls or a fence, then they give off some heat and thus increase the chances of survival of these delicate plants in winter.

How to plant actinidia in autumn? All actinidia are most vulnerable during the first 3-4 years after planting, so during this period special attention should be paid to providing adequate protection from the cold, for example by placing mulch around the base of the plant.

How to choose the right landing site

Actinidia grow well in a variety of soils, although they prefer soils rich in organic matter. The soil should be well drained, moist but not waterlogged, and acidic (pH 5–6.5). Since Actinidia are shallow rooted plants, excessive loosening of the soil should be avoided.

Video story about the kolomikta variety

When planting occurs, the plant must be placed on the ground, at the same level at which it stood for growing in a pot. Pour compost or well-rotted manure into the hole.

Actinidia need large volumes of water throughout the growing season and it is especially important to water the plants regularly during periods of intense growth or when it is very hot. When planning your actinidia planting, you should keep in mind that large rivers and lakes are a natural reservoir of water.

Seedlings also require a balanced supply of macro and micronutrients. Feeding should begin in the second year after planting in the ground. You need to sprinkle the soil at the base of the plant, at a distance of about 20–80 cm from the trunk.

plant pruning

The simplest pruning helps to control the development of extra branches, increases the speed of their germination and promotes the growth and development of fruits. It must be done in the spring.

This allows air to move through the branches and opens the interior of the bush for maximum light penetration, which is necessary for optimal growth of flavor and fruit quality. Berries are harvested in autumn and in winter.

In January-February (before the start of the growing season), you need to cut the branches 3-5 cm above the top of the support.
In the second year, choose a pair of strong side stems and branch them out to the sides, tying them to a wire. In winter, trim their tips, leaving 8-12 shoots on each of them. In the spring, these buds will develop and begin to bear fruit the next year.
Again they should be trimmed at the sides and pinched in August to encourage the formation of numerous buds.
Every year in summer and winter, you must remove all side shoots growing from the bottom of the trunk and avoid their overgrowth.

Every year in summer and winter, you must remove all side shoots.

If actinidia is used as an ornamental plant, it can be left to grow without special supervision, periodically cutting off unnecessary branches. However, such a plant will begin to bear fruit much later, and they will be of poorer quality.

In order to achieve the best harvest, you must carefully monitor your actinidia and prune it on time, remembering that the berries fall on stems that form horizontally in 2-3 years.

In amateur cultivation, it is best if the plant grows along wires stretched between posts, on a wall or fence. It takes 3-4 years, but after that it will grow and bear fruit even after 50 years.

Video on how to properly prune a plant

What you need to know about fruits

Actinidia usually begin to bear fruit in the fourth year after planting. When the fruits are unripe, it is better to put them in a plastic bag and leave them for several days at room temperature.

Video about medicinal properties

Actinidia fruits are very useful. They are completely devoid of fat, low in sodium and rich in vitamins (C and E), potassium and other micronutrients, including zinc, which is an excellent addition to a healthy diet. Argut fruits contain about 400 mg of vitamin C, which is 4 times more than in a lemon or orange.

Try to grow actinidia in your country house and you will get not only a beautiful plant, but also tasty and juicy fruits that you will pick in the fall.

Growing actinidia: photo, care and planting in the suburbs

Actinidia is a fairly resistant plant to various diseases, and harmful insects are also of little interest to it, due to this, the berry is quite popular among domestic flower growers. Growing and caring for this plant is also not very difficult, and you will understand this if you learn more about this plant.

Actinidia: planting features and description

The actinidia family has approximately 37 varieties, the area of \u200b\u200bnatural growth is Primorye, Far East, Japan, China, Sakhalin Island. In the conditions of a homestead territory, four varieties are of interest for cultivation as an ornamental and berry plant:

One of the types of actinidia is also considered kiwi (a hybrid of kolomikta, Chinese and purple). Today there are many varieties and varieties of actinidia kolomikta with a fairly large number of berries.

Actinidia is a powerful tree-like liana with branches about 14–16 meters long, with a trunk diameter of 3–6 cm, wrapping around the frame counterclockwise. The bark is peeling, the sprouts are brown, new shoots are in the form of light lentils with which the plant is fixed to the fence.

Leaves and fruits

Actinidia leaves are quite large, thick, wrinkled, pubescent and quite attractive, because at different times of development, the vine changes its color. In spring, when new leaves are formed, their upper side is painted green-bronze, as they germinate, they get a bright green color, then darken. Before flowering- in early July, the tips of the leaves of this plant turn white, and for several days capture almost the entire leaf.

The flowers are white, large in size - up to 2 centimeters in diameter, located on long pedicels, have a rather strong smell. The smell is similar to garden jasmine, intensifies in the late afternoon and in the rain, thus attracting butterflies and bees. The flowering of this plant is quite long.- up to one month. Pollinated by bees, good honey plant. When flowering, the bleached edges of the leaves take on a pink hue and then turn to a bright crimson color, but some leaves may be silvery-purple. The variegation and elegance of the painted parts of the vine depends directly on the degree of illumination - the location in the shade makes the color not so pronounced.

With the advent of autumn, the plant becomes even more attractive - on the same bush there are raspberry, pink, yellow, purple, bright brown colors at once.

Fruiting

But not only for beautiful foliage, our flower growers cultivate this magnificent plant. The medium-sized fruits of actinidia are also quite valuable - a storehouse of vitamins, especially vitamin C, its amount is 4 times more compared to currants. Actinidia is also called northern lemon for a reason.. The fruits of this plant are soft and oblong, weighing 5–7 grams, several centimeters long, during ripening they change color to a bright green, red, pink hue. There are up to 15 dark stripes along. There are quite a lot of small seeds - about 100 pcs. in a berry.

Fruiting occurs 7–8 years after planting this plant in a permanent place (but flowering sometimes occurs as early as 4 years of age), approximately 7–9 kg of healthy and tasty berries can be obtained from one plant.

It produces fruits stably for 32-37 years, with proper care and if the landing was carried out in the right place. Fruits do not ripen at the same time- first those that are in the sun. Ripening continues, as well as flowering itself, up to one month. On some branches, the ripened fruits crumble, so it is advisable to lay paper (or cloth).

Growing actinidia at home

In order for the cultivation and care of actinidia to be properly organized, you need to know certain features of its germination.

Germination conditions

First you need to choose the right place for landing. The shoots of the plant stretch towards the sun, but here the root system absolutely does not perceive the drying of the soil, since they are not deep - the main part is at a depth of up to 35 cm. Therefore, the landing site must be darkened in hot weather, and actinidia itself likes partial and slight shading more.

Actinidia soil is more like light (not clay or sandy), carefully loosened, you can add hardwood to the landing hole. This the plant does not tolerate strong moisture, therefore, it should not be located at the landing site of a high location of groundwater. You also do not need to plant a vine near water bodies - the plant will die quickly.

Impact on other trees

Actinidia is a very aggressive shrub and significantly suppresses other plants in its sphere of influence. In addition, the roots of the creeper actively diverge to the sides and violate the root system of nearby trees. That's why, planting this plant is obliged to provide her with approximately 7-9 square meters of "personal" space for food, which must be blocked with dug sheets of slate or thick film.

To neighboring trees must be at least three meters of space. The best landing place is near the fence of the house, on the trellis near the path, near the arch. This has several advantages:

convenient to harvest;
the vine will not interfere with other plants;
actinidia will be a great separate decoration.

The most common mistake is that most people think that Actinidia is a dioecious flower, like other varieties of vines in this group. Yes, wild varieties that are grown from seeds are actually dioecious and need to be planted side by side with several plants. Planting one male bush is enough for 7-9 female. But today's garden hybrids have bisexual inflorescences, and a separate planting of a male plant is not considered an optional condition.

How to grow actinidia from seeds?

This is quite easy to do, but still not necessary, since it is not clear before the first fruiting what inflorescences will turn out - female or male. And you can plant up to 10 years, from which then there will be no use. In addition, even when fruiting appears, the berries will turn out tasteless and rather small. That's why it is best to choose a hybrid variety- you can buy it in garden stores or propagate it with your own hands - shoots from a high-quality mother plant (bury a branch in spring and the shoot will take root until autumn). Or cuttings - in a small greenhouse.

When to plant actinidia?

The pit for planting must be quite large - at least 75x75x75 cm. Drainage is laid out at the bottom - approximately 15 cm (gravel, expanded clay, gravel), then the pit is filled with soil of the following composition (in equal parts):

humus or compost (you can not add fresh manure);
forest or coniferous land.

If the soil is heavy, then you need to add a layer of sand to the bottom of the pit. Add about 1.2–1.6 kg of ash to the ground (per hole), 220 gr. superphosphate, 120 gr. potassium. In addition to fresh manure, it is forbidden to use lime and nitrogen-containing additives.

The landing of actinidia occurs in this way: in the middle of the recess, you need to make a small hill, put into it seedling, its roots must be processed in advance- dip in a mixture of clay with a root growth activator (fumar, humate, epin, charkor). Sprinkle the pit halfway, water it (a bucket for one plant), then fill it with earth and tamp it down. You need to insert the seedling in such a way that the neck of the root is 3 cm in the ground. Then you need to build a temporary support and mulch the planting site by 6 cm with dry leaves or grass.

The planting of actinidia is best done at such a time: in September (before the arrival of frost, the plant will take root) or in May.

Actinidia Care

A clear sign that the plant has taken root is actively sprouting branches in the first year after planting up to 2 meters. All care consists in regular watering, especially in the dry season and light loosening.

Main feature! Young shoots of this creeper are very fond of nibbling cats (just like they love valerian). Because p After planting, the seedling must be protected for several years - wrap it with a thin mesh of metal or plastic.

When actinidia is planted near a fence or other fence, you just need to let it braid on its own. Or by yourself install support, but not higher than 4 meters, since the height greatly complicates the care. The wire is attached from below at a distance of about half a meter above the ground, then every 80 centimeters.

Rows are best created from north to south - thus, the vine is better illuminated.

The creation of a bush is different - according to the type of vine:

a fan formation of 6–7 seedlings evenly spaced over the entire surface, no more than 7–8 m long. In this case, in early August, you need to pinch the plant up to 60–80 cm. These sleeves are operated for no more than 4 years, and for 3 they need to be prepared replacement;
two-arm formation in two directions, where vertical shoots are created. These sleeves bear great fruit for about 20 years, and then they need to be renewed.

pruning actinidia

Pruning is done at the end of autumn or with the onset of spring before the juice begins to move. Moreover, it is necessary to remove thick, frozen or damaged branches, as well as all small branches. The tops are also cut off. The cut must be made 3 cm above the kidney.

Proper care certainly implies periodic bait - about three times a season, otherwise the harvest will be much less. For an adult liana at one time, approximately 120 g of nitroammophoska (in spring), 160 grams of sodium sulfate (in July), and approximately 180 grams of superphosphate (in September) will be required. In addition, a couple of times in the summer you can dilute the manure with water (about 120 grams per bucket) and water it to the very root.

Fruit processing

The readiness of berries is judged by the softness of the fruit. You need to collect them every 4 days. The freshness of the fruit lasts only a few days. Ripe ones are the most delicious, they are processed in this way:

make “raw” jam - crush the fruits with a rolling pin and mix with sugar 1 to 2 (can be stored in a cold place for up to 4 years);
make wine: crush the overripe fruits of actinidia and pour water in the same volume (it is impossible to make juice from berries). For a kilogram of fruit, you need to add 2 kg of sugar and set to ferment, then - according to the traditional method of making wine from grapes;
dry - remove the stalks and dry at 60C for several days, the dried fruit looks like raisins;
preserve compotes: a 3-liter bottle is filled with washed fruits by a third and poured with syrup - 360 grams of sugar per liter of water, sterilized with a water bath for half an hour;
make jams - proportions 1:1, bring to a boil three times, then place in hot bottles and roll up.

Actinidia is a very valuable raw material for non-alcoholic and vitamin drinks and extracts. Healing pectin elements, found in high doses in actinidia berries, perfectly bind toxins and other toxic elements, as deposits of salts of copper, lead, mercury, remove them from the body, contribute to the treatment of minor radiation injuries, which are associated with the intake of harmful isotopes into the body, the main amount of which comes out only with pectin elements.

Although actinidia is not yet very popular among domestic gardeners, every year it finds more and more fans who cannot but pay attention to this attractive exotic plant. Firstly, its fruits contain a record content of vitamin C, which is ten times more than in lemon or blackcurrant, and secondly, one cannot fail to note the variety of tastes and aromas in various varieties of actinidia, as well as the decorativeness of the plant itself.

That is why we decided to collect some tips on what an actinidia plant is - reproduction, disease, planting and care, as well as other nuances about it, so that every gardener can successfully decorate his site with a new copy.

How does actinidia reproduce?

This plant is very easy to propagate, besides, it will not be difficult to grow both male and female individuals, because the sex and characteristics of the actinidia species are inherited. True, this applies only to the variant with vegetative propagation, with seed, the seedlings have no visible sexual differences, and the traits of the variety are not always transmitted. However, the indisputable advantage of seed propagation is that with it the plants grow stronger and more resilient. But in terms of fruiting, it is better to look at the vegetative method, in which the first crop can be harvested already in the 4th year, while planting with seeds means waiting at least 7 years.

The easiest and most reliable way to propagate actinidia is to use arc layers. In order for the procedure to be successful, you need to select a sufficiently developed shoot and pin it upside down to the ground. The place of attachment is covered with soil and watered, after which the shoot must be mulched with humus and sawdust. With the advent of autumn, the layering is separated from the mother plant for transplantation.

And in order to propagate actinidia as quickly as possible, you need to pay attention to the grafting option. He is not only the fastest, but gives a lot of seedlings. The procedure should be carried out at the beginning of summer, when the fruits begin to actively develop, and the shoots change from green to brown. For reproduction, you need to cut off meter-long annual branches and lower them with their ends into a vessel with water.

After that, divide the shoots into several segments with buds and internodes and plant them in a greenhouse on a pre-moistened bed. Before wintering, it is better to cover them with dry foliage to avoid freezing, and with the advent of spring they need to be carefully dug up and transplanted to a permanent place in the garden.

Planting and caring for the plant.

Actinidia is best planted in early spring or autumn. It must be immediately taken into account that this is a perennial plant that will live in the place allotted to it for several decades, so the preliminary choice of the place must be thoughtful. Despite the fact that actinidia tolerates the shade quite well, it will still bear fruit better in the sun, so the ideal place for it would be a well-lit area, but with shading during the afternoon heat.

No need to plant a vine next to an apple tree and clay or alkaline soil. This plant loves loose, well-drained and moist soil. It is also better to plant actinidia on a relative ground elevation in order to avoid accumulation of moisture and rotting of the roots. Be sure to provide support - it can be a wall of the house or a fence.

How to care

Actinidia care involves regular weeding and watering. Don't forget to trim and fertilize. In case of diseases or pest attacks, actinidia will need treatment. Regardless of the choice of plant variety, there is no difference in caring for it. Watering is best done by spraying; in hot weather, the procedure is required twice a day, in the morning and evening. If the soil is dry, the plant may begin to lose foliage, so every week you need to carry out abundant soil moisture around the vine. Frequent shallow loosening of the soil and removal of weeds are also welcome. To stimulate the growth of young shoots, increase winter hardiness and yield, it is better to use mineral fertilizers as top dressing.

Diseases and pests.

One of the indisputable advantages of actinidia is its relative resistance to diseases and pests. If you provide the plant with good care, then you can protect it from unpleasant threats for many years. It is especially worth taking steps to prevent vines from being exposed to powdery mildew and other fungal infections, which can be fraught with spots on the foliage. To do this, regularly remove dried and damaged fruits and branches.

Of the pests, the most dangerous for actinidia are leaf beetles, they can eat away swollen buds and leave larvae that subsequently damage the flesh of the leaves.

Relic liana grows in Southeast Asia.

On the territory of Russia, its habitat is the Far East.

The actinidia plant has recently become a popular garden crop.

It is not surprising, because green fruits resemble kiwi in taste and shape.

Most varieties have perfectly adapted to the cold of central Russia.

With proper care, the vine bears abundant fruit every summer.

The culture is dioecious. On some specimens, she has only female flowers, and on others, only male ones.

For the formation of fruits, it is required that pollen from male plants falls on female ones.

Determine the sex of actinidia easy, just look at the vine during the flowering period. The male flowers lack a pistil, but have many stamens. The female flowers have a large pistil, while the stamens, on the contrary, are small.

These individuals are 95% sterile. Sex does not change throughout life.

Pollen is carried from one plant to another by beneficial insects and the wind. In autumn, the male actinidia changes the color of the foliage from dark green to red.

Female individuals do not have such properties.

For four female actinidia, it is necessary to plant one male of the same species.

To date, actinidia self-fertile has been bred.

However, its yield is significantly lower than dioecious vines.

Types and varieties of actinidia with photos and names

The most famous actinidia is the kiwi. This species does not tolerate cold weather, therefore it is not grown in Russian household plots.

The most winter-hardy plant is actinidia kolomikta. This species is suitable for beginner gardeners.

Berries are valued for their delicate structure and high content of vitamin C. Some varieties have a pineapple flavor.

Kolomikta is suitable for decorative vertical gardening. White spots form on the leaves of adult male plants in summer.

Varieties of this species have received the widest distribution. Most actinidia are suitable for planting in the Moscow region.

Argut species grows fastest of all. Its fruits are much larger than those of other species. Plant height can reach 20 m, so it needs support.

The leaves are not decorative. Hybrid forms retain the green color of the fruit even after processing.

Actinidia arguta has a late growing season, so the upper part of the vine may freeze slightly. For this reason, the species is poorly distributed in Russia.

Actinidia Giralda is considered a subspecies of argut. It is listed in the Red Book as an endangered species.

The plant is famous for its winter hardiness and high quality of berries. The weight of one can be 25 g.

Fruiting occurs in mid-September. From one plant you can harvest 5 kg of crop. For the winter, actinidia is not removed from the supports.

It differs from other types of actinidia polygamum. At home, the Far East, it is called pepper. Yellow berries have a pungent taste.

The males have beautiful silvery foliage. Flowers are also valuable, they have a jasmine aroma.

The height of the plant is 5 m. The crop ripens at the end of September, the unripe fruits are very bitter.

Actinidia hybrida and actinidia purpurea are subspecies of argut.

These are the most heat-loving types of actinidia, which can freeze without shelter.

Ripe berries of hybrid actinidia are lilac in color, their flesh is light. Most varieties are fast growing.

Liana cultivation began at the beginning of the last century. Modern breeders have created varieties with fruits that have apple, banana, fig and grape flavors.

Ella Ioganovna Kolbasina played a special role in popularizing the fruitful vine. The Doctor of Science has bred more than thirty varieties based on the types of argut and kolomikt.

To date, there are more than a hundred varieties and hybrid forms. They are subject to high demands.

Winter hardiness is possessed by vines of the Far Eastern and Siberian selection. European forms are less hardy.

The best varieties of actinidia:

Yellow spindle. The plant is a polygamous species. Fast growing female vine resistant to frost and disease. Fruiting begins in early September. Berries of a conical shape resemble sweet peppers in taste. From one bush you can harvest 10 kg of crop.
Gourmand. Actinidia species kolomikta. Liana has a decorative value: its foliage changes color several times during the summer. Large green berries are harvested in mid-September. They have a soft texture and a sweet taste. The bushes are winter-hardy, the vines are not afraid of pest attacks.
Doctor Shimanovsky. Female self-pollinating cultivar of the kolomikta species. Foliage changes color from green to pink in mid-summer. The fruits ripen in August, they have a sweet and sour taste reminiscent of strawberries. The variety is not susceptible to diseases and freezing.
Kiev hybrid. Argut actinidia reaches eight meters. In warm regions, berries begin to sing in the first decade of September. The weight of one fruit is up to 18 g. 10 kg of crop can be harvested from one bush. The plant is cold-resistant and shade-tolerant.
Kolomikta pineapple. Actinidia belongs to the old varieties that were actively bred in the thirties of the last century. In June, the foliage gradually turns white from the bottom, the upper part remains green. The fruits ripen at the end of August.
Sweet. Actinidia is widely used to create green arbors. Liana gives a good harvest, small berries are painted green. The first berries ripen at the end of August. The plant is cold and disease resistant.
Issai. Self-fertile actinidia of Japanese selection. The height of the bush reaches 9 m. The berries are 4 cm in diameter, they have a delicate texture and a sweet taste. One bush gives 15 kg of crop. The variety tolerates frosts down to -25˚C.

The fruits of all varietal plants contain vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

Reproduction of actinidia cuttings

With the help of reproduction, you can get new female and male individuals that will retain all the characteristics of the variety.

Growing actinidia from seeds is a troublesome business.

Young creepers grow slowly and begin to bear fruit a few years later than plants obtained by vegetative methods.

Green cuttings

Annual cuttings are cut in June. The shoot should have 2 buds and 3 internodes.

The lower petioles and leaves are cut off, the upper leaf is cut in half.

Cuttings are planted in a nutrient mixture consisting of peat, sod and humus. From above, the earth is sprinkled with river sand.

It is advisable to transfer the container to a greenhouse, the humidity of the air should be at least 80%. Roots appear by the end of the third week.

Actinidia can be transplanted to a permanent place from the second year of life. Females have a higher survival rate.

lignified cuttings

This method is less laborious, but lignified cuttings take root worse.

Shoots 70 cm long are cut in late autumn, after the sap flow has stopped.

Sections of the cuttings are dipped in paraffin, and then placed in a wooden box lined with moss.

In winter, boxes are stored in a dark and cool room.

With the onset of warm weather, the shoots are cut, kept in a growth stimulator and planted in a garden bed at an angle of 45˚.

The soil must remain moist. For the winter, the plants are covered with agrotex.

Reproduction by layering

In spring, the soil near the liana is fertilized, dug up and small grooves are made. For reproduction, annual shoots with strong growth are used.

They are laid in grooves and carefully pinned. Soil is poured on top so that only the top of the shoot remains above the surface.

Throughout the summer, the soil around the bush should remain moist. In mid-September, the layers are separated from the mother plant and transplanted to a permanent place.

Landing in open ground

Liana can hardly be called a capricious plant. With proper planting and care, actinidia will live for more than forty years.

Modern delicacy varieties bear fruit annually in the temperate zone.

The type of kolomikta and its varieties are considered a win-win option. They bear fruit abundantly both in the European part and in Siberia and the Far East.

Place and dates of landing

Liana will give a high yield in open areas, illuminated by the sun for 6 hours a day.

Young plants are planted in the spring, before the start of sap flow, while the buds are sleeping.

Actinidia dioecious can be planted in autumn.

It is important that at least three weeks remain before the onset of frost.

Liana can die in a cold and snowy winter, so autumn planting should be practiced exclusively in the southern regions.

Good predecessors and neighbors

It is better to plant actinidia in the place where currants, linden and hazel used to grow. Annual flowers are also planted next to the liana.

Priming

The plant develops well on sandy and sandy soils.

Heavy lands are enriched with peat and sand.

If the soil in the area is acidic, it is necessary to add dolomite flour six months before planting.

The depth of the landing pit should be at least 50 cm. Crushed stone or broken bricks are poured into its bottom, which will act as drainage.

Planting actinidia is impossible without a layer of nutrient soil mixed with mineral fertilizers.

After placing the seedling, the planting pit is covered with a nutrient substrate, rammed and mulched.

Support preparation

Actinidia vines grow rapidly. For successful fruiting, it is necessary to prepare a support in the first year after planting. The simplest and most convenient solution is wooden trellises.

It is important that the stems do not get tangled on the support, this will lead to a reduction in yield. Liana will entangle the picket fence, metal mesh and wire frame.

Liana can live 40 years, so she needs a strong support, preferably from metal pipes.

How to care for Actinidia outdoors

Actinidia seedlings begin to bear fruit in the fifth year after planting. For the active growth of a young plant, shading is necessary.

An adult liana feels great under the rays of the sun. Moist soil, fertilizer, and proper pruning are key to healthy growth.

Watering and loosening

In the first year of life, vines are periodically shed from a sprinkler. The soil itself must be constantly moist.

However, excess water will cause root rot. Mature bushes need watering only during dry periods. Once a week, a bucket of water is brought under the plant.

Only young plants need loosening, earth crust and weeds inhibit their development. The culture has a superficial location of the roots: drought, intensive loosening can damage them.

The danger lies in the fact that the roots do not recover in the year of damage. In females, the root system grows faster.

top dressing

It is impossible to grow actinidia without fertilizers. To activate the vital processes, the liana needs organic substances.

In early April, when the buds open, rotted manure is laid out under the bushes in a thin layer.

Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied twice during the summer.

The first time the vine is fed during the budding period. After the appearance of fruits, the bushes are shed again.

pruning

Pruning actinidia has several goals at once. It eliminates the excessive density of the crown, activates the growth of new shoots, increases the volume of the crop and gives the bush the desired shape.

You can not prune in March, otherwise the branches will "cry".

Bushes are convenient to form during flowering.

The best option is to prune actinidia in the fall. Dried, diseased and sagging branches are subject to removal.

Fruiting branches for several years are replaced by young shoots. Argutu is thinned out more intensively than other species, as it bears fruit on shortened shoots. After autumn pruning, actinidia is covered for the winter.

Wintering

The kolomikta type is the most widespread on the territory of Russia. These plants do not need shelter. Moreover, the vines wrapped up for the winter can get wet.

Kolomikta is not removed from the trellis. Other species are covered in the same way as grapes.

Before frost, the branches are removed from the supports and wrapped with spunbond, folded in two layers. With the onset of persistent frosts, they are additionally covered with plastic wrap.

Diseases and pests

Plants rarely get sick. Most often, the liana is affected by gray rot, the spores of which are transferred from infected annual crops.

The spread of the infection is facilitated by warm and humid weather.

Landings must be sprayed with copper-containing preparations:

"Ordan"
"Khomom"
Bordeaux liquid.

A dangerous enemy is the leaf beetle, which eats leaves and buds. The caterpillars of the raisin moth leaves huge holes in the leaves.

It is necessary to remove insects in a timely manner and spray plantings with Karate, Decis or Aktellik insecticides.

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Today we will talk in more detail about such a plant as actinidia kolomikta, planting and caring for which are most interesting to summer residents. In our country (the region of the Far East), only four species of actinidia are found in natural conditions. But Russian varieties of this plant are created only using actinidia kolomikta, which is a climbing liana with a rather thin and branched trunk with a diameter of 2 to 4-5 cm.

Actinidia kolomikta: growing features, popular varieties

This species stands out among others for its high winter hardiness. It quite easily withstands up to 45 degrees of frost without any shelter. The length of actinidia kolomikta usually varies from 8 to 10 meters.

On the trunk there is a large number of medium-sized thin light green leaves (8-10 cm) with double sparse teeth along the edges. They are oval in shape with a small pointed end and are covered on both sides with short down.

This species, as mentioned earlier, attracts attention with the original color of the leaves, which changes several times per season. At the very beginning of the growing season, the leaves are painted in a bronze hue, and in the summer they turn green. In addition, with the blooming of flowers, the ends of the leaves turn white, and after a while - crimson. With the advent of autumn, the leaves turn either pink or purple.

The fibrous roots of this culture are located at a depth of 30 to 45 cm. The width of the root system is from half a meter to 0.8 meters. Spectacular white flowers with a diameter of about one and a half centimeters have a pleasant aroma. The stamens with yellow anthers, located evenly around the pistil, look especially beautiful in the center of the flower.

Interestingly, on male plants, flowers bloom in loose flowering inflorescences of 2-5 pieces, and on female plants - one at a time. The greenish actinidia fruits with an attractive aroma and sweet taste are about 2 cm long and just over one centimeter (1.2 cm) wide. They ripen on slightly inclined and elongated stalks. Thin darkish stripes stretch along the entire length of the fruit. Their weight varies from one and a half to five grams.

Description of varieties

Currently, there are a little more than three dozen varieties of actinidia. Let's get acquainted with several popular hybrids.

Variety	Description
	Variety Fantasy gardens ripens early and can be used both fresh and for canning. Medium-sized bushes are formed by rather long brown shoots, which are covered with leaves of a dense olive shade with a serrate-toothed edge. Strongly elongated green fruits are covered with green-gray stripes. The weight of one berry reaches 2.3 grams. A pleasant sweet and sour taste complements the powerful pineapple aroma. Almost undamaged by pests and diseases. Grown on trellises.
	Berries on Izobilnaya bushes ripen early. Medium-sized bushes consist of brownish-red curly shoots with a slight sheen. They are covered with lots of medium sized green leaves. The berries are shaped like a cylinder slightly compressed on both sides, painted in a yellowish green or dirty green tint. The weight of one fruit reaches 4 grams. The taste is sweet and sour. It is distinguished by good winter hardiness.
	Fruits of the Grape variety are intended for fresh use. The variety is early and is famous for its resistance to pests and diseases. It also attracts attention with its winter hardiness. Medium-sized olive fruits with longitudinal stripes have an attractive aroma of strawberries and a sour-sweet taste.
	Small fruits weighing from 2 to 2.5 grams of the Slastena variety ripen in early August. They attract attention with a sweet taste and aroma of marmalade. The color of the berries can vary from yellowish green to green-olive.
	One of the best hybrids created on the basis of actinidia kolomikta is the Waffle variety. It ripens in the Moscow area in early August (early). The shoots of the plant can reach 7-8 meters, and the width of the trunk varies from 3-4 to 10 cm. The optimal planting site is light partial shade. Fruits of a greenish-olive hue with a rather strong apple or pineapple aroma, from one and a half to 2.5 cm long, have a weight of 3 to 4 grams. Good crops require pollinators.
	Also among the varieties of this crop, it is worth noting the hybrid Holiday, the fruits of which are liked for their sweetish-sour taste and apple aroma. Medium-sized fruits about 3 cm long can weigh from 3 to 3.5 grams. The color of the berries can vary from greenish yellow to dirty green. This variety is early (beginning of August).

Seat selection and landing

For growing actinidia, well-lit and warm areas are selected. This crop works best on slightly acidic or neutral soils with a lot of nutrients. The length and width of the landing pit is about 0.6 meters, and the depth is from half a meter to 0.8 meters, depending on the composition of the soil. A layer of fine gravel or a mixture of sand and gravel with a height of 10 to 15 centimeters must be poured at the bottom.

Also, before planting, microelements or ash, ground eggshells (50-70 g), as well as about 10 kg of humus, are introduced into the pit. All fertilizers and humus must be mixed with good soil.

The best time for planting actinidia is spring (the first two weeks of May), but this culture also takes root well in the autumn. In dachas, plants are placed in a row planting, and between the bushes there should be from 2 to 2.5 meters.

Since actinidia belongs to dioecious crops, male and female plants are planted side by side for a good harvest. It is worth knowing that one male specimen is enough to pollinate 5-6 female bushes.

Care

Caring for various types and varieties of actinidia consists of regular fertilizing, watering, weeding, and weed removal. This culture responds well to the introduction of both organomineral and organic fertilizers.

Organo-mineral fertilizers are usually applied in spring and autumn. In the spring (end of April), complex fertilizers with nitrogen are used for top dressing. In autumn (the second decade of September), actinidia is fed with fertilizers with phosphorus and potassium. Fertilizers are scattered at the location of the root system before loosening.

Shaping and pruning actinidia kolomikta

Since this culture is distinguished by a rather powerful growth of shoots and the presence of a large number of lateral buds, and this causes a rapid thickening of the bush. Therefore, throughout the growing season, actinidia requires proper and regular pruning.

The best time to carry it out is autumn, since spring pruning can lead to depletion of the bush. But if it is still required to be carried out in the spring, then it is carried out at the very end of spring or early summer (during the intensive growth of shoots).

Pruning and formation of actinidia directly depends on the method of cultivation. With the vertical method of cultivating bushes, they are placed on trellises about 2 meters high, between which 3 or 4 rows of wire are stretched. They can be either wood or concrete. Usually trellises are installed from east to west. Two-year-old seedlings are planted along them on the south side.

There are two options for shaping the shape of a bush with this method of cultivation, which make it possible to obtain regular and plentiful harvests: fan and comb-shaped:

With a fan-shaped bush, the shoots are placed at an angle to the trellis. Usually, from 5 to 8 main branches are formed on the plant, which are replaced by young shoots after 5-6 years. It is worth noting that the crown in the form of a fan does not require a lot of manual labor.
The comb-like shape of the plant is created in several stages. Formation begins a year after planting, when the two most powerful shoots are selected on the bush, which are placed in different directions on the trellis on the lower wire row. All other shoots are pruned.

The next year in spring, horizontally arranged branches give rise to vertical shoots. Of these, from 4 to 6 are left (2-3 on each of the main skeletal branch) and tied to the upper rows of wire. They should be well developed and arranged fairly symmetrically with respect to each other. The remaining shoots must be removed.

Vertically growing branches most often grow and develop unequally. The most powerful appear from the buds located at the beginning of the skeletal horizontal shoots. It is worth knowing that the berry crop ripens on lateral branches extending from vertical shoots. The main horizontal branches are replaced with new ones every 5 or 6 years.

Actinidia is also grown as a bush. The formation of bushes begins at the age of two. From 3 to 4 best shoots are left on the plant, which are shortened to 30-40 cm, and all other branches are completely cut out. In subsequent years, during the annual pruning, shoots without flowers are shortened by half or one third, and thickening branches are also removed.

To rejuvenate the plant, after 7-9 years, the main shoots are replaced by new ones and at the same time, branches that give little fruit are cut off at the very base of the bush. This gives impetus to the emergence of new shoots from dormant buds.

Reproduction of actinidia kolomikta

Various types and varieties of actinidia kolomikta are quite easily propagated by cuttings (lignified and green), leaves and layering. But reproduction with the help of seeds is used only when breeding new hybrids at special experimental stations and during selection tests.

The main method of obtaining plants is considered green cuttings. Shoots for cuttings begin to be harvested at the very beginning of the lignification process. In the middle lane, this happens in the first decade of July. The length of the cuttings can vary from 10 to 15 cm, and the green tip is not used.

Each cutting should have 2-4 leaves. To reduce the evaporation of water during rooting, the upper leaves are cut off completely, and the lower ones are cut in half.

The rooting soil is made up of river sand and peat in a ratio of 2 to 1 and 3 to 1. The finished mixture is poured into low boxes or other containers with a layer of at least 20-25 cm.

Prepared cuttings are planted to a depth of 5 to 6 cm. The distance between them should be 5 cm, both in a row and between rows. The first roots begin to appear 15-20 days after planting. Actinidia rooting is carried out in beds covered with foil, as well as in greenhouses with artificial fog installations. For fast and high-quality rooting, high soil moisture is required for 2-3 weeks and shading in the first 4-6 days.

By the beginning of the autumn months, young plants already develop an excellent root system from 10 to 25 cm long. The percentage of rooted actinidia cuttings reaches almost 100 percent.

With the onset of winter, young actinidia are covered with dry sawdust or leaves with a layer of 8-10 cm. The next spring (after May 15), the plants are planted on the beds in the garden or vegetable garden for growing.

For cuttings, fully matured shoots of this year are chosen from 0.4 to 0.6 meters long. They are harvested either after the end of sap flow (November - December), or before it begins (March). The optimal length of the cutting is 15-20 cm. When planting cuttings, you should definitely remember one thing, the scars from the leaves should look down.

Lignified cuttings take root in beds with loose nutrient soil or in greenhouses and cold greenhouses.

The simplest and most reliable way to obtain young actinidia is. With this method of propagation, the yield of plants is good, so it is more suitable for amateur gardeners.

Rooting layering is carried out during the intensive growth of shoots (end of May). For this, annual shoots are used. They are placed in small recesses. And they are attached in places where the shoots of this year grow. Then they are covered with earth, but be sure to leave the end of the branch free. During the entire warm time, the layers are spudded and watered several times, especially if the weather is hot. By the beginning of autumn, well-developed roots form on the shoots. The bushes are separated and planted in a permanent place next year in the spring.

As you can see, this is a very nutrient-rich culture and a beautiful liana at the same time. So we are pleased to recommend that you grow such a garden plant as actinidia kolomikta, planting and caring for it is quite within the power of any enthusiastic summer resident.