Actinidia pruning. Cuttings with green shoots

Actinidia is not very common in vegetable gardens, orchards and household plots Russians. But its unique decorative qualities, unpretentiousness in care and resistance to various pests cause an increase in popularity in landscape design. But in order for the vine to grow properly, it must be cut regularly.

Actinidia grows mainly in China and Japan, the Volga region, Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, and also in the Far East. Its habitat is broad-leaved, cedar, fir and spruce forests, but there are also cultivated forms. They are mainly used in decorative purposes and for fruit.

Liana, in the presence of a support with a diameter of not more than 10 cm, can easily wrap around and twist it, while it has good growth and grows very fast. In the wild, the vine can reach, with a suitable support, up to 14 meters in height. But when planting in a garden, vegetable garden or in a personal plot, it is usually a smaller value.

The recommended height is no more than 3.5 meters. Differing not only in good growth, but also in power, unpretentiousness and longevity, subject to the rules of care and regular pruning of shoots and tops, actinidia can produce crops for more than 50 years.

The plant blooms for a short time, after which ovaries form on its shoots. They ripen from August to September. In my own way appearance they are very similar to kiwi. They are no more than 3 cm in diameter, they are distinguished by brightly saturated in green pulp and have numerous black seeds inside.

Actinidia, like others ornamental shrubs, has a variety of varieties. It has about 75 varieties, the care and pruning of which differ from each other. Among them, it is especially worth highlighting:

1. Waffle.
2. Doctor Shimanovsky.
3. Gourmand.
4. Magpie.
5. Garden queen.
6. Large-fruited.
7. Commander.
8. Folk.
9. Adam.

1. Waffle

3. Lakomka

4. Magpie

5. Queen of the Garden

6. Large-fruited

7. Commander

8. Folk

During planting, the seedling is located next to a support or trellis, which ensures its proper growth and development. Upon reaching the adult state, woody vines are divided into three different types shoot, which has a different purpose and differs from each other in parameters and type of growth. These include:

• growth;
• mixed;
• fruit.

Mouth shoots and twigs are supporting and form the skeleton of actinidia. Their growth is activated from dormant buds on wood that is over two years old. During the growing season, they increase in size up to two or three meters in length. They end with a sharp tip, which dies in the winter.

A characteristic feature of growth shoots is a significant amount of core inside, they have large leaves and fairly large internodes. Such twigs and shoots are not used as cuttings for propagating vines, since they do not give roots well and are characterized by low survival rate.

Mixed shoots are formed from buds localized on the growth of shoots of the previous year. They reach a length of about 50-85 cm, curl well and end with a blunt top. These branches are not only supporting (skeletal), but also give a harvest. The fruits mostly grow at the base of the shoots. Mixed shoots can be used for propagation by cuttings.

Fruit shoots are formed on the annual wood of woody vines. They belong to the shoots of the third order, which, after fruiting, dry out in shaded conditions.

In the sunny area of ​​​​growing culture, they retain their growth and vitality and give branches of the fourth order.

Such branches begin to bear fruit in the second year with small fruits. At the same time, they do not have the ability to wrap around the support, therefore they do not have decorative value. Their length is usually no more than 10 cm, and they end with a blunt apex and have short internodes. The main function of such shoots is to bear fruit; they are not suitable for propagation by cuttings.

Actinidia pruning is necessary for the formation of viable plants, improving their appearance and decorative function. Very often this culture is used to decorate the landscape of the site, but in order to hedge looked attractive, she needs careful care.

When planting, the seedlings pinch the top, which is necessary in order for the lateral buds to wake up. But pruning is not carried out for all varieties of woody vines, but only for some of their species. Before this procedure, it is important to perform all the steps correctly, as this can lead to weakening and death of the plant.

When pruning an adult crop, shoots are removed:

• broken;
• thin;
• weak;
• thickening.

This allows for stimulation of growth and the formation of a beautiful crown. In the liana, mainly branches are cut, which do not bear fruit for a three-year period. It is imperative to cut a whole vine to the very surface of the earth or to a powerful liana, which is located below.

When pruning, the gardener can visually determine the age of the branches by the shade of the bark and the thickness of the shoots. Growth twigs can be cut to a certain length. Mixed shoots are shortened only to 30 cm, and all remaining shoots are evenly distributed over a support or wooden trellis. This will provide them with spacious free growth and uniform illumination.

If the plant is grown on a wooden trellis, then it is advisable to place the branches along the supports, so that if there is foliage on them, it passes well through them. sunlight. With a strong shadow, actinidia can shed foliage, so you need to distribute the shoots as evenly as possible.

When pruning, it is important to follow certain recommendations:

1. It is necessary to carry out all actions only in the fall after the complete fall of all foliage. IN spring period this procedure is not recommended, because when pruning this season, the shoots release a large amount of juice, which can lead to the death of the entire plant. At the end of summer, it is also not necessary to shorten the branches, since this is an unfavorable period, since any damage can cause activation of the buds on young branches.
2. First of all, dry, drying, thin, thickening crown and weak twigs are subject to removal. Tops of branches frozen during the previous wintering are subject to liquidation.
3. In the first year, the seedling is shortened to a length where only two or three buds remain. In the second year, 2-3 vertically growing shoots are selected, which form the basis of the fan branch. The rest are cut to the surface of the earth. After the leaves fall, the top is removed to the level of the ripened bark.
4. In the third year, side branches appear from the main branches. In summer, only the most powerful and strongest of them are selected, after which they are tied to the horizontal elements of the trellis. They need to be straightened in different directions, which allows you to form a bush.
5. In the fourth year, short fruit-bearing shoots are tied vertically, and in the fifth year only the most powerful and strong ones are selected from the entire bush, tied up and straightened horizontally to the wire. Unfruitful branches are subject to shortening.

Pruning should only be done in autumn.

We make a support

Bush formation options

The bush must be tied up

After pruning in the fall, the vines leave a large number of shoots that can be used for cuttings and propagation. But only mixed ones are suitable for this, since others are not able to give a good degree of engraftment. For propagation of actinidia, the method of kilching is ideal.

Pruning different varieties and preparing for wintering

When cutting, consider different features and varieties of actinidia:

1. Kolomikta and polygama have fruiting buds that form on short and long branches. If you cut them, you can significantly increase the yield of the vine for the next year.
2. Arguta bears fruit only on short shoots, therefore, for varieties of this plant, it is necessary to thin out this culture intensively in combination with short pruning and careful pinching. Creepers of this variety bear fruit throughout the life of the crop, so they do not need to be replaced.
3. Actinidia kolomikta requires shortening of shoots only from 7-10 summer age, earlier, even young seedlings of the culture are not pinched. To do this, one of the old vines is changed to a new and stronger one.

After shortening the shoots in the fall, a shelter is required for the plant, which prevents the crown from freezing and the death of the vine. To do this, you need to cover it with special lightweight fabrics, and trunk circle- lapnik.

Actinidia can act as a beautiful hedge or be used to create other decorative landscape compositions. But to form a spectacular appearance of this plant, regular pruning is necessary, which should be carried out in accordance with the recommendations of gardeners.

IN Lately gardeners are increasingly growing actinidia plants in their backyards. Its popularity is due to the fact that it is relatively unpretentious, practically not susceptible to diseases, lives on average up to 40 years, and the fruits are tasty and healthy. The birthplace of actinidia is China, but in the Far East you can often find a wild variety of actinidia. It was on the basis of the latter that many cold-resistant varieties were bred. The most famous variety of this tree-like vine is kiwi.

General description of the plant

Actinidia is valued by gardeners in Russia and Ukraine not only for delicious fruits but also for a great garden decoration. On the basis of the liana they create vertical gardening verandas, arbors, houses and fences. The plant blooms in early June, with the formation of a large number of buds. Harvested from August to September. The fruits are suitable for consumption both fresh and processed. From actinidia, delicious compotes, jams, marshmallows are obtained, the fruits can be dried and dried.

The plant can be propagated at home or in the country by cuttings. Actinidia grown from seeds completely loses its varietal characteristics.

When buying actinidia, you need to consider the following tips. For example, seedlings need to choose those in which the root system is covered. Otherwise, the plant will not take root and will die. It is recommended to buy a flower whose age is more than 3 years.

It is necessary to purchase both female seedlings and male seedlings for transplantation. For 5 female plants, you need to plant 1-2 male ones. This is due to the fact that the plant is dioecious and can only pollinate within its own species. Belonging to the male or female gender is determined in the appearance of the flower.

At the male fruit bush there is no pistil, but there are many stamens, and inflorescences consist of more than 6 flowers. The leaves of such a plant have a dark green color on the upper side, by the end of summer the color changes to white, and then becomes pink-red. Inflorescences of female flowers consist of one flower. As fall approaches, their leaves turn Brown color. When planting actinidia in the Urals, care for it may differ.

• in early spring, before the start of sap flow;
• after the end of flowering (end of April - beginning of June);
• autumn - a few weeks before the onset of frost.

Before planting, the flower is preliminarily prepared - dry or damaged shoots are cut off, the roots are placed in a clay mash.

Since actinidia belongs to vines, it is recommended to plant it near fences, arbors, walls of houses and other buildings. It is advisable to protect the plant from open sunlight. Also, actinidia should not be planted in near-stem circles of trees and in places of stagnant water.

The soil for planting should be slightly acidic or acidic and well drained. At good fertilizer actinidia can grow on neutral soils. Clay and alkaline soils are least suitable for planting.

The plant is planted in pre-prepared pits measuring 60 by 60 cm. A drainage layer is laid out at the bottom (about 15 cm). To improve the soil, ash, humus and superphosphate are added to it. It is strongly not recommended to fertilize the soil with manure or lime. The distance between adjacent plants should be from 1.5 to 2.5 m. Seedlings are watered at the rate of 2-3 buckets per seedling.

Proper care

To grow and care for actinidia, it must be cut and watered in time; on hot days, it is recommended to spray the plant. The soil is properly mulched and fertilized. The plant needs to be loosened frequently and weeds removed. This should be done carefully so as not to damage the roots.

Top dressing of actinidia is carried out as follows:

Pruning of the plant is carried out after flowering. In the spring, during the beginning of sap flow, pruning is strictly not recommended, this can lead to damage and subsequent death of actinidia. Care for actinidia in the fall should be especially thorough.

Having planted an exotic perennial Actinidia vine for the first time on their site, closer to the arrival of winter, gardeners begin to worry about its safety. Their experiences are quite justified: the plant migrated to our region from Southeast Asia, where the climate differs significantly from the conditions of the middle zone. Therefore, in order for the vine to bloom in the spring, autumn care and preparation for winter must be made especially carefully.

Features of preparing actinidia for winter - general tips and tricks

Whether the autumn care for actinidia is correctly carried out depends on whether the site will be decorated with openwork weaving of thin stems. To protect actinidia from its inherent diseases and prepare the plant for the onset of cold weather, the following steps must be taken.

Watering. It is necessary to moisten a climbing plant only in case of prolonged absence rain. About 6-8 buckets of water are poured under the root of one plant.

Top dressing. autumn under exotic liana organic matter or phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied, and then the trunk circle is shallowly dug up. For fertilizer per 1 sq.m, it will be enough to plant 2-3 kg of rotted mullein or horse manure, 50 g of superphosphate, 15 g of potassium salt into the soil.

Instead of phosphate and salt, you can use multicomponent mineral fertilizers, which contain phosphorus and potassium and no nitrogen. Actinidia can be fed with compost based on the calculation of 2-3 buckets per plant.

Important! The roots of the creeper are located close to the surface, therefore, in order not to damage them, the turning depth should be less than 30 cm.

Pruning. During pruning, it is important not only to follow the technology of manipulation, but also to take into account the characteristics of the cultivated variety. For example, actinidia arguta sets fruits exclusively on short branches, therefore, to increase the yield of the vine, you need to regularly shorten the shoots and thin out the crown more intensively.

You can pinch the twigs of kolomikta only when the plant reaches the age of 7-10 years. Instead of pruning, the old vine is replaced by a young one.

Polygama ties berries on shortened branches, so even a small cut off of them entails a decrease in yield.

Mulching. Because the roots climbing plant located shallow, the soil along the perimeter of the rhizome is covered with a layer of dry organic materials. It is necessary to start laying out peat or dry leaves immediately after the onset of constant cold weather.

Shelter. On the territory of our country, three varieties of actinidia have gained popularity: kolomikta, acute, polygamous. If the first grade is able to withstand temperatures down to -35C and winters well without shelter, then the other two need careful warming.

Video: preparing actinidia for winter in the fall.

pruning in autumn

The peculiarity of pruning actinidia lies in the structure of the vine. The plant consists of 3 types of branches:

1. Growth or vegetative. Fruits are not tied on such branches.
2. Vegetative-generative. Fruits are formed only at the top and bottom of the branch.
3. Generative. side shoots on which the bulk of the fruit is formed.

When determining which species the shoot belongs to, one must take into account the fact that the vine forms fruits only on the branches of the flow year.

Why trim

As the cold weather approaches, gardeners are thinking about the advisability of removing branches. Due to ignorance of the intricacies of growing actinidia, many summer residents do not cut the plant, which has a very detrimental effect on the vine.

Pruning should be done in order to:

• prevent excessive crown density;
• increase disease resistance;
• activate the growth of new branches;
• increase the volume of the crop and its quality;
• give the vine the desired shape.

Judging by the number of positive properties that the autumn pruning of actinidia carries, manipulation is necessary. exotic plant for further development.

When is the best time to prune - in spring or autumn

The optimal time for pruning actinidia is coming in early spring when the plant has not yet woken up and late autumn after shedding leaves.

It is impossible to delay the spring shearing: if the manipulation is carried out in April, when the sap flow began, the plant will secrete juice at the cut points for a long time. Poorly healed wounds can cause the death of the vine.

Pruning time in autumn

As soon as stable nights are established sub-zero temperatures, and the vine will shed all the leaves, you can start autumn pruning. depending on the weather climate zone where actinidia is grown, the branches are removed in October-November.

Important! It is impossible to cut the vine before the specified time - due to the removal of branches, when the sap flow has not yet ended, the plant will sap for a long time, as a result of which it will greatly weaken and die.

How to prune actinidia in the fall - instructions and diagram

Due to the fact that actinidia grows shoots very quickly, in order to prevent a strong thickening of the crown, the vine must be cut regularly. Proper shearing not only increases immunity to diseases and improves yields, but also makes actinidia more resistant to cold, which is very important when growing relatively heat-loving specimens.

The sequence of autumn pruning of actinidia is as follows:

1. Dried, diseased, mechanically damaged or too sagging branches are removed to the second living kidney.
2. One or two fruiting branches for 3 years are replaced by young ones. The age of the branch is determined by the color of the bark and its thickness.
3. Growth branches are shortened, leaving at the base a shoot no less than 50 cm long.
4. Mixed shoots are shortened to a length of 30-40 cm.
5. Old, poorly fruiting branches are cut off under the ring.
6. Pruning in subsequent years comes down to thinning the crown and cutting off dried branches.

As a result of carefully following the instructions for autumn pruning of actinidia, which even beginners in gardening can handle, you can achieve abundant fruiting and maximum decorative effect.

Video: pruning actinidia in the fall for beginners.

Care after pruning

After finishing work on the territory where actinidia grows, they rake fallen leaves and cut off shoots, put them in heaps, and then take them out of the site and burn them.

Top dressing after pruning under the vine is not made. After all unnecessary branches have been removed and productive ones have been shortened, they begin to prepare actinidia for shelter.

Shelter for the winter

The vast majority of species have very low cold resistance - when the temperature drops to -10C, the plant freezes completely. The remaining varieties, among which the most popular kolomikta and Geneva, are able to endure a drop in temperature from -23 to -35 C.

Video: features of actinidia shelter for the winter.

Do I need to cover actinidia for the winter

Whether or not to cover the vine for the winter depends on the variety and age of the plant. Species that do not have high frost resistance must be covered, otherwise heat-loving vines will freeze out in the middle of winter. Even if actinidia manages to endure extreme wintering, it will bear fruit poorly.

Regardless of the cultivar, vines planted in the current autumn need warming. Representatives of cold-resistant species can winter without shelter at all.

How to properly cover for the winter

To protect the actinidia from the cold, the trunk circle is mulched with a layer of peat, straw, sawdust or spruce branches 5-10 cm thick. Then the plant is untied from the supports and carefully laid on the litter. From above, the shoots are covered with a thick layer of mulch, and so that it is not blown away by gusty winter winds, they apply spruce branches. If the winter turned out to be little snowy, snow is regularly poured over the shelter during the winter.

Less frost-resistant varieties, such as polygamous actinidia and acute actinidia, are prepared for winter in the same way as grapes. Depending on weather conditions, the vine is covered partially or completely. In the first case, the lower part of the vine is spudded, and the upper part is wrapped with dense material. Complete shelter of actinidia for the winter is carried out as follows:

• The branches of the liana are collected in a loose bundle, and then bent to the ground.
• A layer of rags is laid on top, which is covered with polyethylene.
• Shelter is sprinkled with a 20 cm layer of soil.

Attention! If a prolonged thaw occurs in winter, the shelter must be slightly opened so that the vine does not rot.

The shelter clause would be incomplete without mentioning the threat of spring frosts. In most cases winter shelter they are removed in April, but often the weather presents unpleasant surprises in the form of May frosts, which can destroy awakened buds. To prevent freezing, the vine is wrapped in lutrasil or spunbond.

Video: actinidia shelter for the winter.

What are the features of preparation for winter in the regions

Depending on the variety and weather of the growing region, "kiwi" (as actinidia is popularly called) is covered in different ways. In order for the plant to overwinter well, it is necessary to correctly determine the method of shelter by comparing the characteristics of the variety and environmental conditions.

In the middle lane

Grown in this region, adult actinidia kolomikta (garden), hibernates without shelter. Acute and polygamous actinidia in the Moscow region is covered for the winter with mulch, which is applied with branches.

In the Volga region

Heat-loving varieties of actinidia are insulated from below and above with a layer of mulch, which is covered with building materials. To prevent mice from settling inside the shelter, poison for rodents is laid out near the branches.

In the Urals and Siberia

Due to the harsh climate in Siberia and the Urals, actinidia is insulated for the winter using the full shelter method, which is described in detail above.

Typical mistakes of leaving in the fall and preparing for winter

To avoid illness and death of the plant caused by improper actions during winter preparation, the following are the most common mistakes in the care of actinidia in the fall.

• All varieties are cut according to the same pattern. During the removal of branches, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the cultivated variety, since their representatives may react differently to the same action.
• Shelter deadlines are not respected. Too early warming ends with the death of the vine.
• Liana is cut during active sap flow. Wounds after untimely pruning do not heal, and the vine slowly expires with juice and dies.

To keep actinidia in your area until the next season, you need to properly care for it in the fall - cut it off in a timely manner and properly cover it for the winter. The care rendered will be rewarded with a wonderful decoration of the site throughout the summer and a plentiful harvest of useful fruits.

In contact with

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 (region Far East) in natural conditions, there are only four types of actinidia. 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: planting and care, 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 are painted in white shade, and after a while - in raspberry. 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 most best hybrids created on the basis of actinidia kolomikta, the Waffle variety is considered. 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 eggshell(50-70 g), as well as about 10 kg of humus. All fertilizers and humus must be mixed with good soil.

best time spring is for planting actinidia (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 cultures, for good harvest plant male and female plants side by side. 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 periods. In the spring (end of April) for top dressing use complex fertilizers with nitrogen. 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 a large number 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. Along them on the south side are planted biennial seedlings.

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 large amount 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 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

Different kinds 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 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 on 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. Separate and plant bushes on permanent place next year in the spring.

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

When the first frosts and leaf fall have come, actinidia must be cut off. Experienced gardeners it is recommended to prune this fruit-bearing garden vine in October. SuperDom will tell you everything about pruning actinidia in the fall.

When is the best time to prune Actinidia in the fall?

Actinidia pruning times may vary depending on weather conditions. Caring for actinidia in the fall involves pruning the vine in October.

You should be guided by temperature. It is necessary to trim the vine after the first frost.

How to prune actinidia in autumn: 5 simple rules

To properly prune actinidia, you must adhere to the following rules:

• Pruning of actinidia should be carried out only after the end of the period of sap flow and leaf fall. In the spring it is better to refrain from trimming the vines. In summer, pruning is also undesirable. It can cause the formation of new young kidneys.
• It is recommended to trim thin and broken shoots, as well as a thickened crown of the plant. It is also necessary to replace several vines (1-2 pieces) that have been bearing fruit for three years.
• It is not necessary to cut the vine to the very ground. Pruning is carried out to a powerful young vine.
• It is necessary to thin out vegetative and generative shoots, leaving 30 cm of their length. The remaining shoots are evenly distributed along the trellis.
• If after planting actinidia passed less than a year, then it is cut off to no more than three buds. In the second year, 2-3 skeletal vines must be left. Underdeveloped branches are cut off.

Actinidia is pruned for the purpose of rejuvenation and thinning of shoots. That is why such pruning is recommended in the autumn.