Actinidia: growing an ornamental vine on the site. Planting, care and use in landscape design
The genus actinidia belongs to the actinidiaceae family and is a lignified deciduous vine. The foliage of the plant is main reason for growing it: it has an interesting variegated color. Flowers, usually white, form groups of 3, in most species they have no smell, but some actinidia have a pleasant smell.
Since actinidia is a dioecious flower, its propagation requires two plants of different sexes. You can understand what gender your flower is by examining it - females have a large pistil in the middle of the flower, but males do not. Actinidia bears fruits that are suitable for human consumption.
Varieties and types
Among the many species of this plant, three are cultivated. Stand alone interspecific actinidia , polygamous And hybrids .
In the wild it grows to enormous sizes of a couple of tens of meters. At home it is much smaller. It has oval, pointed foliage and white, pleasantly scented flowers. The fruits are edible, but have mild laxative properties.
The most popular varieties: Actinidia self-fertile , seaside , large-fruited .
Tolerates better than all other types winter cold. The foliage is round, variegated, and changes color as it develops. The flowers of males are united in inflorescences, while those of females are single.
Varieties: Pineapple , Doctor Szymanowski , Gourmand .
Reminds me of a type of kolomikta. The foliage is oval, oblong, covered with white spots. Sometimes there are hermaphrodite individuals with bisexual flowers.
Varieties: apricot , gorgeous , patterned .
Grows and develops well in the shade. Rarely grown here due to poor susceptibility to frost.
Appeared by crossing Actinidia arguta with Actinidia purpurea. Thanks to this process, varieties were created that bear fruit well and are resistant to cold.
Varieties: Kyiv large-fruited , candy , souvenir .
Actinidia planting and care in open ground
Actinidia should be planted at the beginning of spring or autumn. Since this plant lives for a very long time, it needs to choose right place growing. This vine grows well in the shade, but its fruits can only ripen when exposed to sunlight. Therefore, you need to select an area that will be illuminated until noon and be in the shade during the midday heat.
You cannot plant actinidia next to apple trees, since such proximity has a bad effect on it. This plant does not grow well clay soil. For it you need to select loose soil with good drainage, it is also impossible for it to be alkaline.
It is best to plant actinidia on a hill or slope, as otherwise the roots of the plant will rot due to stagnation of liquid.
Planting in the spring should be done before the sap begins to move. Individuals need to be planted at least a meter apart from each other. If planting is carried out near a wall, then specimens can be placed at a distance of 50 cm.
Before planting, the roots of the plant are inspected and cleaned of rot and dried parts. Next they are placed in a clay mash.
Planting actinidia
15 days before planting, you need to prepare the site. Half-meter holes are dug and drainage is placed in them (any kind, except for materials containing lime, since it extinguishes the soil). Next, the hole is filled with soil mixed with peat and mineral fertilizers (120 grams of ammonium nitrate, 250 grams of superphosphate and 35 grams of wood ash).
In this case, you cannot use fertilizers with chlorine. After two weeks, the soil will settle, and it will be necessary to pour soil on top without fertilizers. Now you can plant actinidia; it is placed so that the root collar is at the level of the top of the soil, and then the roots are filled in so that the hole becomes full.
After planting the plants, they are watered, and the area is covered with 4 cm of peat mulch. It is also advisable to make a fence so that cats do not get to the planting, since the smell of actinidia attracts them.
In autumn, the flower is planted 15-20 days before the arrival of frost. There is a condition for planting at this time - only young plants can be planted, no older than three years. Anemones can be safely planted near houses and gazebos, since they do not have aerial roots.
If you do not provide support for the vines, they will become tangled and difficult to look after, and the number of fruits will decrease. As the plant grows and develops, it will need to be tied to a support so that it can continue to curl.
Water actinidia better way spraying, doing this in the morning and evening. Around the plants you need to loosen the soil shallowly and destroy weeds.
Feeding actinidia
The vine should be fertilized minerals, which will help enhance the growth of stems, help endure the winter and increase the harvest. With the arrival of spring, you need to add 35 grams of nitrogen and 20 grams of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers per square meter of land.
The second time you will have to fertilize the flower during the formation of the ovaries. You should add 20 grams of nitrogen and 10 grams of potassium and phosphorus per square meter.
In the second half of September, the third fertilization is carried out. This time, apply 20 grams of potassium-phosphorus fertilizer per square meter. After fertilizing, plants should be watered well.
Actinidia pruning
To ensure that the stems do not produce unnecessary branches, and those that exist grow more actively, they should be subjected to formative pruning. Please note that only adult vines that have reached 4 years of age can be pruned in this way.
The procedure should be carried out throughout the summer, after which the stems are distributed over the support. Pinching the ends of the stems also has a good effect on the plant.
When the actinidia turn eight years old, it is worth giving them anti-aging pruning - this means that only a 40 cm stump will remain from the plant.
Do not prune in spring or early autumn. This is fraught with the death of the plant due to loss of juices.
After mid-September, trim the stems by half and trim off the branches. This is done for sanitary purposes. If the crown is too large, the plant does not tolerate winter well. Upon reaching 3-4 years of age, actinidia will begin to bear fruit.
Actinidia preparation for winter
For the winter, young plants need to be removed from their supports and insulated with foliage. Prepare an impressive ball of insulation - about 20 cm. It is also advisable to add mouse poison under it. Old actinidia do not need to be covered for the winter.
Reproduction of actinidia
It is not difficult to propagate actinidia. The main thing is to remember that vegetative methods transmit sexual characteristics hereditarily.
The seed method is bad because when it is used, varietal characteristics are lost, and it is also impossible to determine what gender the plant will be. But propagation by seeds has an advantage: plants obtained this way are much more hardy.
Fruits obtained from actinidia vegetative way appear in the third year, seed - in the fifth or seventh year.
Actinidia propagation by layering
Reproduction of actinidia by arc layering is probably the easiest and most reliable way getting a new plant. When the spring flow of juices ends and young leaves appear, take a strong stem and attach it to the ground.
Next, sprinkle the shoot with soil, forming a mound above it, but make sure that the tip of the stem remains open. Next, try to water the cuttings and clear the area around it of weeds, and by autumn the young plant will be ready for replanting.
Actinidia propagation by cuttings
Cuttings are the fastest way to propagate actinidia. The procedure is performed in early summer, when the stems turn brown.
To propagate actinidia by cuttings, cut off a couple of young branches, no older than one year, before noon. Next, they are divided into 10 cm parts so that each of them has 3 buds and 2 internodes. The bottom cut is made at an angle. The lower foliage is removed, and the upper foliage is made half as long.
After this, the material is planted in a greenhouse in soil with weak acidity (2 shares), mixed with humus (2 shares) and river sand (1 share), as well as complex mineral fertilizer without chlorine.
The cuttings are planted at an angle of 60°, maintaining 6 cm between individuals and 10 between rows. After this, the material is watered, the soil is pressed down a little and watered again, and then the seedlings are covered with double-folded gauze.
Until rooting is complete, the cuttings will need to be watered up to five times a day, by spraying, or you can do this simply through a shelter. After 15 days, the gauze is removed. The material is insulated for the winter, and in the spring it can be planted in a new area.
Actinidia propagation by stems
Actinidia can also be propagated from woody stems.
To do this, they need to be cut at the end autumn period, tie and hold vertically in sand at a maximum temperature of 5°C.
The material is planted in a greenhouse and watered every couple of days. And then caring for seedlings is no different from caring for green cuttings.
Actinidia from seeds
To take advantage seed propagation, you need to collect seeds from ripened fruits. They are placed in gauze, kneaded and washed. After this, the seeds are selected and dried on paper in the shade.
At the beginning of December, the seeds are placed in water for 4 days, so that the liquid covers them only a couple of centimeters. In this case, the water must be replaced every day.
After this, the material is wrapped in nylon fabric and stored in a container with damp sand at a temperature of 19°C. Every 7 days, the fabric needs to be taken out and ventilated for 5 minutes, after which the seeds are washed, wrapped again in fabric and placed in sand. The most important thing is that the material is always damp.
In the middle of winter, a container with sand and seeds can be placed in a snowdrift. If the winter is not snowy, then the box is placed in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment. After 60 days, the container with the seeds is placed in a room with a temperature around 11°C.
As before cooling, the seeds need to be washed every 7 days, and if germination is detected, they are sown in the soil from river sand And turf land. The landing is carried out at 5 mm.
The container with the planted plants is placed in partial shade; it also needs to be constantly sprayed. When the plants have three true leaves, they are planted in a greenhouse. The first flowering will not happen soon, and accordingly, you will not be able to determine the sex of the plant until then.
Diseases and pests
- From powdery mildew get rid of with a weak solution of soda ash. The rest of the diseases mentioned are combated by pruning the infected parts, as well as preventative treatment Bordeaux mixture after bud formation and another 15 days after the first time.
Among the pests, leaf beetles that destroy the buds most often stick to actinidia. Damage by bark beetles and lacewings is also common.
450 ₽
Actinidia kolomikta is a tree-like deciduous vine that wraps around the support counterclockwise. The trunk is smooth, the bark is chestnut. The height at which the support begins to wrap around is 30-100 cm. The total height rarely exceeds 2-5 meters. The skeletal branches are numerous, 2-6 cm thick at the base. The leaves are green, often variegated with spots, alternate, oval-pointed and sharply serrated at the edges, large, 10-15 cm long and 5-7 cm wide.
Available for pre-order
Description
Actinidia kolomikta grows better and faster on a support. The average annual growth of shoots is 1.5-2 m. The root system is densely branched. The bulk of the roots lies in the upper fertile layer at a depth of 20-35 cm from the soil surface. Individual roots go to a depth of 120 cm.
Actinidia blooms at the end of May. The flowers emit an amazing aroma reminiscent of lily of the valley and lemon. The number of petals is from 4 to 9 (usually 5). Occasionally there are decorative specimens with double flowers. Pollinate flowers small insects. Fruit set from free pollination is only 40-70%. The plant begins to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting.
Actinidia kolomikta for the Moscow region
For the conditions of the Moscow region and central Russia, Actinidia kolomikta is of greatest interest. Spring planting is preferable. Actinidia can be grown in one place for up to 50 years. Just do not plant the vine closer than 0.7–1.0 m from buildings. Optimal distance between plants 1.0-1.5 m.
Planting hole - 60 cm wide and at least 50 cm deep. Make drainage, for example, from broken bricks, pebbles, gravel or sand 10-15 cm thick. Add 8-10 kg of humus, 150-200 g of superphosphate, 70-80 g calcium chloride, 40-50 g of ammonium nitrate, 300-400 g of wood ash, and on heavy soils - 1-2 buckets of sand. Mix everything thoroughly with the top fertile layer.
Winter hardiness of actinidia
Actinidia kolomikta tolerates frosts down to -45ºC. But the greatest danger is posed by returnable spring frosts during shoot growth, budding and flowering. Only with short-term frosts down to -2ºC is slight wilting of the leaves observed, which soon goes away. Only frosts down to -4ºC cause darkening and death of leaves, wilting of shoots, and death of open flowers. Unfortunately, at -8ºC shoot death is observed.
Bad influence low temperatures can be mitigated if you choose the right place in the garden. In the North-Western and Central regions of Russia, preference should be given to the warmest places on the south or south-west side of buildings that protect the vines from cold winds. In the southern regions of the Non-Black Earth Region, actinidia can be grown in openwork partial shade, as long as it is protected from drying out in the summer. The best here will be the northern and northeastern sides of the site.
The flowers are creamy white with light yellow anthers, the smallest of all actinidia (1.2-1.5 cm), axillary, single or paired. Flowering in late May - early June.
Actinidia is a dioecious plant, therefore there should be male and female specimens in the plantings. It is possible to distinguish a male specimen from a female one only during flowering.
The flowers are collected in groups of 3 in an inflorescence-half-scutellum. In the center, a reduced ovary is barely noticeable, surrounded by numerous (up to 80 pieces per flower) stamens.
To obtain fruits, one male plant is planted for every 10 female plants. The maximum yield of 2-5 kg (rarely up to 12 kg) from the vine can be obtained 10-12 years after planting. High productivity lasts for a long time.
Flowers are solitary. In the center there is a large white superior ovary with a sessile ray-shaped stigma, surrounded by a few stamens on short filaments.
The anthers of female plants contain sterile pollen (more than 95%), so they do not self-pollinate. Single self-fertile and therefore culturally valuable forms were found in Actinidia kolomikta and arguta.
Reproduction of actinidia
Actinidia is propagated vegetatively. For example, semi-lignified, lignified cuttings, layering, leaves. The survival rate of semi-lignified cuttings is about 100%. Cuttings are cut 10-15 cm long with 2-3 leaves in early July (for central Russia). The green part of the shoot and lower leaves removed, but the upper ones are shortened by half. Prepared cuttings are planted obliquely to a depth of 5-6 cm according to a 5x5 cm pattern in a mixture of peat and river sand in a ratio of 1:2 or 1:3. The substrate layer must be at least 20 cm. Shading and high humidity soil. Roots appear 15-20 days after planting.
By autumn, a well-developed root system and shoots 15-30 cm long are formed. For the winter, young plants must be covered with a dry leaf or sawdust to prevent freezing. In the spring, in the second half of May, seedlings are planted in open ground.
When propagated by lignified cuttings, the survival rate is about 50%. With this method of propagation, root formation stimulants such as heteroauxin and similar are used.
Reproduction by layering
Reproduction by layering is reliable and simple, but the number of new plants produced is less than with cuttings. However, at the end of May, well-developed actinidia shoots are bent to the ground, pinned and sprinkled with fertile, loose soil. The apical part of the shoot remains free. The following spring, the cuttings are separated from mother plant and dropped off on permanent place.
Unfortunately, cats love to gnaw the bark of young actinidia. Therefore, if there is such a danger, mesh fences are made around the bushes.
Propagation by seeds
In order for actinidia seeds to germinate, stratification is necessary for two months at a temperature of +2-5ºC. Then they are germinated indoors at +20-25ºC. The emerging shoots must be shaded from direct sun rays. In May, boxes with young seedlings are taken out into the garden and placed in a shaded place. Next spring they are planted in a permanent place. Fruiting of actinidia seedlings grown from seeds occurs at 5-7 years of age. But vegetatively propagated plants begin to bear fruit at 3-4 years.
Actinidia pruning
Spring pruning is harmful, as it causes “crying” and drying out of the plant. Actinidia is pruned in the fall only after leaf fall. Branches that thicken the crown are cut out. Winter damage, if any, is removed in late May-early June, during the period of shoot regrowth. Only at this time the border between living tissue and dead tissue is clearly visible.
Anti-aging pruning of actinidia begins only when the plant is 7-10 years old. Replace one old branch with a young vegetative shoot.
Beneficial properties of actinidia fruits
Actinidia fruits resemble gooseberries in appearance. They only contain many small seeds, but full maturity occurs in August-September. Only the fruits are juicier, softer, and the aroma is stronger. The taste is very pleasant, sour-sweet, the consistency of the pulp is tender, melting.
Unfortunately, ripening does not occur simultaneously, and ripe fruits quickly fall off. In addition, ripe fruits are poorly transported. Therefore, the berries need to be picked when they are not fully ripe. By the way, they ripen during storage. Duration of the fruiting period different varieties ranges from 10 to 16 days. Actinidia fruits should be stored only in a dark, cool, completely clean, dry and ventilated room. Because actinidia is very susceptible to foreign odors.
Actinidia berries are valued not only for their wonderful dessert taste and aroma. And above all, for the high content of vitamin C, pectin and carotenoids. To satisfy a person’s daily need for ascorbic acid, one berry is enough. Because actinidia contains 10-15 times more of this essential vitamin than lemon. Only 700 g of actinidia fruits can meet the annual requirement of the human body for vitamin C. In addition, this vitamin is also preserved in berry processing products.
However, actinidia is a valuable raw material for vitamin extracts and soft drinks. Moreover, gelatinous pectin substances, in high doses actinidia contained in fruits bind well bacterial toxins and toxic substances such as mercury, lead, and copper salts. Moreover, they remove them from the body, help prevent mild radiation injuries associated with the entry of radioactive isotopes into the human body, Substantial part which are excreted precisely with pectin substances.
Actinidia blanks
- Actinidia juice. After harvesting, the fruits are left for a day in a cool place. Next, the juice is squeezed out, heated in an enamel container to 80 degrees, poured into sterile jars and sealed.
- Actinidia compote. The washed berries are placed in clean glass jars and poured sugar syrup, pasteurize at 80 degrees for 10-15 minutes, seal and store. (for 1 kg of berries, water 1 l, sugar 300 g)
- Actinidia jelly. The fruits are crushed with a wooden pestle, covered with sugar, mixed thoroughly and cooked over low heat until tender. Store in glass jars. (Actinidia 1 kg, sugar 1 kg.)
- Actinidia jam. The berries are covered with sugar, kept in a cool place for 2-4 days until the juice is released, and cooked until tender over low heat in one go. After cooling, the jam is placed in jars and covered with thick paper (1 kg of fruit, 1.2 kg of sugar). An original and tasty assorted jam is made from actinidia berries and other fruits: I made it with both pears and apples.
- Actinidia with sugar. Prepared ripe fruits are rubbed through a sieve and mixed with sugar. Place in jars, cover with parchment paper and store in a cool place. (Actinidia 1 kg, sugar 500 g)
References: M. Aleksandrova “My Garden”, V. Fatyanov “Your Garden”, A. Ya. Akinshin, L. A. Abramova “Gardener’s Workshop”, “Gardener’s Handbook”, “Popular Dietetics”.
The relict 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 the 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 fruit abundantly every summer.
The culture is dioecious. On some individuals she only has female flowers, and on others - only men's.
For fruit to form, pollen from male plants must be transferred to female plants.
Determine the sex of actinidia It’s not difficult, just look at the vine during the flowering period. Male flowers lack a pistil but have many stamens. Female flowers have a large pistil, while the stamens, on the contrary, are small.
These individuals are 95% sterile. Gender does not change throughout life.
Pollen is transferred from one plant to another by beneficial insects and wind. In autumn, male actinidia changes the color of its foliage from dark green to red.
Females do not have such properties.
For four female actinidia, it is necessary to plant one male actinidia of the same species.
To date, actinidia self-fertile has been bred.
However, its yield is significantly lower than that of dioecious vines.
Types and varieties of actinidia with photos and names
The most famous actinidia is kiwi. This species does not tolerate cold weather, therefore it is not grown in Russian garden plots.
Most winter-hardy plant is Actinidia kolomikta. This type is suitable for beginner gardeners.
The berries are valued for their delicate structure and high vitamin C content. Some varieties have a pineapple aroma.
Kolomikta is suitable for decorative vertical gardening. White spots form on the leaves of mature male plants in summer.
Varieties of this species have become widespread. Most actinidia are suitable for planting in the Moscow region.
The Argut species grows the fastest. Its fruits are much larger than those of other species. The height of plants can reach 20 m, so they need support.
Foliage does not have decorative properties. Hybrid forms retain green color fruits even after processing.
In actinidia arguta late date the end of the growing season, therefore top part The vines may freeze. 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 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 its supports.
It differs from other species of Actinidia polygamum. At home, Far East, it is called pepper. Yellow berries have a pungent taste.
The males have beautiful silvery foliage. The flowers are also valuable; they have a jasmine scent.
The height of the plant is 5 m. The harvest ripens at the end of September, unripe fruits are very bitter.
Actinidia hybrida and Actinidia purpurea are subspecies of Argut.
These are the most heat-loving species of actinidia, which can freeze without shelter.
Ripe berries hybrid actinidia have purple colour, their flesh is light. Most varieties are characterized by rapid growth.
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. Doctor of Sciences has bred more than thirty varieties based on the Argut and Kolomikta species.
At the moment, there are more than a hundred varieties and hybrid forms. High demands are placed on them.
The vines of the Far Eastern and Siberian selection are winter-hardy. European forms are less hardy.
The best varieties of actinidia:
- Yellow spindle. The plant belongs to the polygamous species. The fast-growing female vine is resistant to frost and disease. Fruiting begins in early September. Conical berries taste like Bell pepper. From one bush you can harvest 10 kg of crop.
- Gourmand. Actinidia spp. kolomikta. The liana has 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 sweet taste. The bushes are winter-hardy, the vines are not afraid of pest attacks.
- Doctor Szymanowski. Female self-pollinating variety of the Kolomikta species. The foliage changes color from green to pink in midsummer. The fruits ripen in August and have a sweet and sour taste reminiscent of strawberries. The variety is not susceptible to diseases and freezing.
- Kyiv hybrid. Actinidia species arguta reaches eight meters. In warm regions, the berries begin to ripen in the first ten days of September. The weight of one fruit is up to 18 g. From one bush you can harvest 10 kg of crop. The plant is cold-resistant and shade-tolerant.
- Colomikta 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, while the top remains green. The fruits ripen at the end of August.
- I have a sweet tooth. Actinidia is widely used to create green arbors. Liana gives good harvest, small berries are colored green. The first berries ripen at the end of August. The plant is resistant to cold and disease.
- 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 sweet taste. One bush gives 15 kg of harvest. The variety tolerates frosts down to -25˚C.
The fruits of all varietal plants contain vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
Actinidia propagation by 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 task.
Young vines grow slowly and begin to bear fruit several 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, top sheet cut in half.
The cuttings are planted in a nutrient mixture consisting of peat, turf and humus. The soil is sprinkled with river sand on top.
It is advisable to transfer the container to a greenhouse; the air humidity should be at least 80%. The 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 labor-intensive, but lignified cuttings take less root.
Shoots 70 cm long are cut in late autumn, after sap flow has stopped.
Sections of cuttings are dipped in paraffin and then placed in wooden box, lined with moss.
In winter, the 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 on a bed at an angle of 45˚.
The soil should remain moist. For winter, plants are covered with agrotex.
Reproduction by layering
In spring, the soil around the vine is fertilized, dug up and small grooves are made. For propagation, annual shoots with strong growth are used.
They are placed in the 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 cuttings are separated from the mother plant and transplanted to a permanent location.
Planting in open ground
Liana is difficult to name capricious plant. At correct landing and with care, actinidia will live more than forty years.
Modern gourmet varieties bear fruit annually in temperate zone conditions.
The type of kolomikt 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 timing of landing
The liana will give a high yield on open areas, illuminated by the sun 6 hours a day.
Young plants are planted in the spring, before sap flow begins, while the buds are dormant.
Actinidia dioica can be planted in the fall.
It is important that at least three weeks remain before the onset of frost.
The liana can die in a cold winter with little snow, 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 grows well on sandy and sandy loam soils.
Heavy soils are enriched with peat and sand.
If the soil on the site is acidic, it is necessary to add dolomite flour six months before planting.
The depth of the planting hole must be at least 50 cm. Crushed stone or broken brick 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 hole is filled with nutrient substrate, compacted and mulched.
Preparing the support
Actinidia vines grow quickly. For successful fruiting, it is necessary to prepare a support in the first year after planting. The simplest and convenient solution are wooden trellises.
It is important that the stems do not get tangled on the support, this will lead to a reduction in yield. The liana will entangle the picket fence, metal mesh and wire frame.
Liana can live 40 years, so it needs strong support, preferably made of metal pipes.
How to care for actinidia in open ground
Actinidia seedlings begin to bear fruit in the fifth year after planting. For active growth young plant shading is necessary.
An adult liana feels great in the sun. Moist soil, fertilizer and proper pruning are the main components of healthy growth.
Watering and loosening
In the first year of life, the vines are periodically watered from a sprinkler. The soil itself must be constantly moist.
However, excess water will cause the roots to rot. Mature bushes need watering only during dry periods. Once a week, add a bucket of water under the plant.
Only young plants need loosening; earthen crust and weeds inhibit their development. The crop has shallow roots: drought and intensive loosening can damage them.
The danger is that the roots do not recover in the year of damage. In females, the root system grows faster.
Feeding
It is impossible to grow actinidia without fertilizers. To activate life processes The vine needs organic matter.
At the beginning of April, when the buds open, a thin layer of rotted manure is spread under the bushes.
Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied twice during the summer.
The first time the vine is fed is during the budding period. After the fruits appear, the bushes are watered again.
Trimming
Pruning actinidia serves several purposes. It eliminates excessive crown density, activates the growth of new shoots, increases harvest volumes and gives the bush the desired shape.
You cannot prune in March, otherwise the branches will “cry”.
It is convenient to form bushes during flowering.
The best option is to prune actinidia in the fall. Dried, diseased and sagging branches must be removed.
Branches that bear fruit for several years are replaced by young shoots. Arguta is thinned out more intensively than other species, since it bears fruit on shortened shoots. After autumn pruning Actinidia is covered for the winter.
Wintering
The most widespread species in Russia is kolomikta. These plants do not need shelter. Moreover, vines wrapped for the winter can resist.
Kolomikta is not removed from the trellis. Other types are covered in the same way as grapes.
Before frost, the branches are removed from the supports and wrapped in spunbond folded in two layers. With the onset of stable frosts, additionally cover with plastic wrap.
Diseases and pests
Plants are rarely susceptible to disease. Most often the vine is affected gray mold, whose spores are transferred from infected annual crops.
Warm and humid weather contributes to the spread of infection.
Plantings must be sprayed with copper-containing preparations:
- "Ordan"
- "Hom"
- Bordeaux mixture.
A dangerous enemy is the leaf beetle, which eats leaves and buds. The moth caterpillar leaves huge holes in the leaves.
It is necessary to promptly remove insects and spray the plantings with Karate, Decis or Actellik insecticides.
Actinidia is easy to grow. Choice suitable type and plant varieties, proper care and compliance agrotechnical techniques will provide you with a guaranteed result. You will collect the fruits annually, and the decorative climbing vines will delight summer residents all summer. Protect young shoots from cats, don’t forget about support, water and feed them on time - and enjoy the vitamin-rich berries.
Actinidia arguta or kolomikta
First of all, you need to deal with . If you don’t want to annually cut out dead shoots that couldn’t withstand frost and harsh weather, plant actinidia on your plot kolomikta
. If you have the opportunity to find a secluded place for the plant, which is well warmed up by the rays of the sun, then you can try planting actinidia arguta
– it is less winter-hardy, but still endures most winters without loss. Other types and varieties of actinidia are more difficult to obtain, and you don’t need them - they are more capricious to care for and less winter-hardy.
In general actinidia kolomikta more attractive for many reasons: winter hardiness, monoecy, and appearance more interesting. Actinidia leaf tips kolomikta about five days before flowering they look as if they were dipped in a can of paint - white. Then they begin to turn pink, turning crimson. During this period, the leaf consists of three colors and looks decorative in autumn.
How to choose actinidia seedlings
Nurseries usually sell two-year-old seedlings. They are 45-50 cm long and have signs of a vine - elongated and rather thin shoots. The roots are usually well developed - choose those seedlings on which they are not torn or trimmed.
Actinidia male and female
When choosing a variety in a nursery, be sure to buy both male and female specimens for, because this vine is a typical dioecious plant, like sea buckthorn, for example. On one plant, only flowers with stamens, that is, male, are formed, and on the other, only with pistils, that is, female. Both of them, planted separately, will only bloom, but will not bear fruit.
You can plant 5 female plants for one male plant, no need to worry, there will be enough pollen for all the flowers. They will be pollinated by the wind and insects, such as bees and bumblebees, which happily fly to the actinidia for nectar.
Actinidia self-fertile
In their work, breeders are trying to obtain bisexual and monoecious varieties. For example, monoecy is characteristic of actinidia kolomikta
. She has male flowers The vines are often located at the bottom, and the female ones at the top. They are quite capable of being pollinated by their own pollen. However, the yields from such pollination are not very large, and I would still advise planting male plants too.
Actinidia propagation by cuttings
Actinidia is usually propagated by rooting green cuttings. It's pretty simple and extremely efficient process propagation of this plant. Cuttings are harvested in late May - early June. Shoots that have not yet become lignified are cut 12-15 cm long and immersed in the nutrient soil of the greenhouse, consisting of river sand, peat and humus in equal parts. The greenhouse is covered with film, the soil is constantly moistened, and the temperature in the greenhouse is maintained at a high temperature.
Under such conditions, more than 80% of the cuttings take root, but these are not yet ready-made seedlings. To plant a rooted cutting in a permanent place, it needs to be grown for another season in a bed with loose and nutritious soil. You can plant cuttings after digging them out of the greenhouse in September in the same fall. In the spring you need to apply fertilizer - nitroammophoska in the amount of 1 tbsp. l. per 1 sq. m of planted cuttings.
Preparing the planting hole
I advise planting actinidia seedlings in a permanent place in the spring, when the soil is rich in moisture, and there is a long season ahead, so that actinidia gains strength before wintering. Place root system The seedlings need to be placed in holes, but first you need to prepare the soil well - dig it up with a shovel full, break up the clods, and level it.
In areas where the soil is poor, before digging, it is advisable to scatter rotted manure (3-5 kg per 1 sq. m) or wood ash (500-600 g per 1 sq. m) over the surface, and then dig up the soil. If you decide to do this, then it is better to apply fertilizers in the fall. In the spring, the soil will need to be dug up and leveled again.
It is recommended to make the holes 50 by 50 cm in size, but in general they should correspond to the size of the roots, so they can be larger if the roots are strong, and smaller if the roots are weak. It is advisable to pour a layer of drainage (2-3 cm) at the bottom of the hole, then approx. 2 kg (peat and humus in equal parts). Water the prepared area (half a bucket of water) and place the seedling, straightening the roots and covering them with nutritious soil.
Immediately after planting, be sure to water the plants (half a bucket of water) and mulch the surface with peat or humus.
Actinidia planting scheme
When planting seedlings, maintain a distance of 30 cm between plants and 50 cm between rows. If you plant actinidia in a row, then leave at least 3 m between the plants, because they grow actively, they can become very intertwined, and the yield will decrease.
Advice - when planting, try to deepen the root collar by 2-3 cm.
They say that this way plants develop faster and are more resistant to freezing of the root system.
Support for actinidia
About a month after planting, you will need to install the first supports - pegs on which to attach the vine, and on next year a full-fledged trellis. A simple trellis structure with a pair of pillars on the sides and three rows of wire in the center can be used as a support.
The vine is often planted near the gazebo, veranda and arch, along a hedge or fence. Well, if you build a frame in the form of some kind of figure, actinidia will cover the entire structure, and a bizarre green creature will grow on your site.
Further care for actinidia consists of regular fertilizing, watering, loosening the soil, pruning and covering for the winter.
Feeding actinidia
In spring, nitroammophoska will be a suitable fertilizer. For plants 3-4 years old, 1/2 tbsp is enough. l. of this fertilizer, diluted in water, for older vines - a whole tablespoon. I pour the solution directly under the bush.
During the flowering period I use superphosphate - 1/2 tbsp. l. under a bush. In autumn - potassium salt in the same dosage.
Watering and loosening the soil
Watering actinidia is recommended only in severe drought - if, for example, there is no rain for 3 days and it is really hot. One bucket of water in the evening will be enough.
When loosening the soil, do not forget about the weeds - they must be removed. It has long been noticed that with a clean bite area and loose soil, plants develop better.
Actinidia pruning
Only those vines that become impudent and extend far beyond the boundaries of the plant, often creeping right along the ground, will need to be trimmed regularly. Sanitary pruning is usually carried out at the end of February, when it is necessary to remove all broken, poorly developed or thickening shoots growing deep into the crown. Annual shoots that grow more than a meter can be shortened by half.
Actinidia shelter for the winter
IN Middle lane I don’t cover the actinidia, but I add sawdust around the root collar for the winter to a height of 10-15 cm. In early spring I remove them as soon as they have recovered from the frost.
Actinidia harvests in September. The fruits may fall off, so you shouldn’t delay harvesting - they have become soft, which means you need to pick them. It is quite possible to collect it by shaking it onto burlap. If you need to pick earlier, then place the slightly unripe berries on a newspaper in a dark place in the living room - they will arrive in 5-7 days.
Growing vines on garden plot designed for a long period - actinidia can bloom and bear fruit stably for about 30 years. But this plant needs long-term and reliable support. It is not advisable to plant vines under large trees, as they will take away moisture and light from the vine. Scientists have found, for example, that an actinidia seedling does not tolerate close-growing apple trees, but grows well with currants. Also, you can’t plant it in the place where actinidia grew; you shouldn’t dig the soil around the vines deeply; only shallow loosening is permissible. For this reason, this plant is not planted close to fruit trees, around which the soil is dug up in the trunk circle every year. In the garden, it is necessary to allocate a special place for the vines - next to the house or near a hedge, giving it the opportunity to weave along a suitable support - trellises or ladders from which there is no need to even remove the actinidia for the winter.
Soil for planting actinidia
Any soil is suitable for this plant, except clayey and waterlogged soils. The main thing that is necessary for this crop is natural and reliable drainage, and for this, vines are best planted in elevated places, on gentle slopes with good water drainage. Actinidia seedlings grow very well and for this reason it requires slightly acidic soil rich in organic matter. The liana does not tolerate lime; for this reason, the soil should not be limed before planting. The roots of the plant are in top layer soils and in nature are located directly under the lush forest floor, under which for a long time moisture is retained. In addition to lime, potassium chloride cannot be added under actinidia.
Planting vines
Actinidia must be planted in early spring, plants in the garden are planted at 2-3 years of age. In a trench or hole prepared for planting, a drainage layer is first laid - small stones, broken bricks, pebbles. You cannot use crushed stone for this, because it contains lime. 8-10 kg of organic fertilizers and a mixture of mineral fertilizers are added to the pit; chlorine-containing fertilizers cannot be used to fertilize actinidia seedlings. First of all, soil is poured onto the drainage, then a mixture of soil, sand and fertilizers. A seedling is planted on the resulting mound without covering the root collar with soil. After this, the plant must be well watered and the soil mulched with compost, peat or humus. There should be a distance of at least 2 m between planted plants.
Plant care
Caring for actinidia consists of finely loosening the soil, periodically fertilizing with fertilizer, watering and weeding. Liana loves airborne moisture, for this reason in hot and dry weather it will be excellent to spray it in the morning and evening hours clean water. The plant is formed starting from the age of two years, best in the form of a standard-free, multi-sleeved fan. There is no need to remove actinidia from the trellis and cover it for the winter; you must remember that the plant cannot be pruned in the spring; even minor damage during sap flow significantly weakens the vine and can even destroy it. Young actinidia seedlings must be protected from cats, they eat the buds and bark on them, often for this purpose, a metal mesh is installed around the bush. Each plant has its own disadvantages, actinidia has only three: instability to frost late spring, which damage flowers and young shoots, non-simultaneous ripening and rapid shedding of the crop.