How to Grow a Kiwi Tree

Find a good spot in the garden to plant kiwis. Make sure to choose a location that has favorable conditions for the plant.

• Remember to leave enough space for the plant to grow.
• Most kiwi plants grow best in full sun or partial shade. ^[12]
• Kiwi plants generally prefer slightly acidic soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5. If the soil is highly alkaline, you can increase the acidity to create favorable conditions for kiwi plants.
• The soil for the kiwi should be moist but well-drained.

Build a sturdy perch for plants.. Kiwi is a climbing plant that can grow up to 10 meters long and is quite heavy. ^[13] Like other vines, kiwis grow best on trellises with upright columns for support and better light access.

• The kiwi vines can grow on most types of trellises, arches or fences.
• Kiwi growers often use a 2-meter-high steel wire truss with T-shaped stakes 3-4 meters apart. ^[14]

Plant seedlings. Growing kiwi is similar to other plants. The main difference is that you have to plant so that each stump grows right next to its stake. Dig each hole for one plant so that it is slightly wider than the pot it is growing in. Carefully lift each seedling with its roots and surrounding potting soil out of the pot and place it in the hole you just dug. Finish by filling the hole with loose soil.

• Try not to touch the roots too much to avoid shock to the plant. ^[15]
• If you plan to grow fruit trees, make the most of the space to plant as many trees as possible. When the plants flower – which can take up to 5 years – you can identify male and female plants to remove excess plants.

Protect kiwi plants from pests. Even if all other conditions are perfect, your kiwi tree can still be infested with a variety of pests. Kiwi plants are especially vulnerable when they are not fully mature.

• The leaves of the kiwi tree are sometimes very attractive to deer. Prevent deer from entering your garden by erecting a fence around the garden or a trellis fence around the trees.
• Cats love kiwi leaves just as much as catnip. If you’ve ever grown catnip, you probably know how the cats around you destroy the plant. If there are a lot of cats roaming around your house, you need to take steps to keep them out of your garden. These measures may include erecting fences, installing trellis around individual trees, and spraying cat repellents.
• Unlike many other fruit trees, the kiwi tree does not have many pests and diseases, so spraying with pesticides is usually not necessary. ^[16]

Tie the tree tops to poles. As the kiwi plant grows, the treetops will stretch out. You need to shape the shoots so that they grow on the trellis by tying the vines to the trellis. This step ensures that the plant will develop a strong “stem”. ^[17]

Prune the tree periodically. You should prune your kiwi tree once a year. Prune excess branches (vines that have a bark like bark) and all side shoots that are not leaning on the trellis. Lateral shoots are branches that grow sideways. The kiwi vines will not be able to support the weight of these shoots until they reach the top of the truss (when using a T-pillar system). Once reached the top of the truss, vines can grow across the trellis.

• The best time to prune female kiwi is late winter, when the tree is in dormancy.
• You can prune male plants earlier, right after they bloom. ^[18]

Remove male plants. Kiwi plants usually bloom 4-5 years after planting. When the plants are in bloom, you can identify the male plants by their bright yellow flowers with the central anthers covered with pollen. Female kiwi plants have sticky stalks (stamens) in the center of the flower, and a white ovary at the base of the flower. ^[19] Since only female kiwis bear fruit, you will only need one male plant to pollinate 8-9 female plants instead of planting an equal number of male and female plants. Remove the male plants and space the remaining plants equally. ^[20]