Planting and caring for actinidia at their summer cottage: recommendations of gardeners
Content
Features of actinidia
Actinidia is a close relative of the kiwi, a perennial dioecious plant of the woody lianas genus. Grows up to 1.5–2 m without support. Flexible smooth stems are covered with brownish bark. Large cordate leaves with a serrated edge, green, without stipules. When the shrub blooms, the tips of the leaf blades turn white, then pink, and finally crimson.
During the flowering period, which lasts from May to June, the plant is covered with cupped flowers with a diameter of 1 to 3 cm.Their color depends on the variety and can be from white to purple. Most actinidia species are odorless, but some varieties have a slight pleasant aroma. Fruit ripening begins in early autumn. The oblong edible berries are yellow-green or light orange in color, growing from 1 to 8 cm in size.
Video "Planting and caring for actinidia"
In this video, an expert will tell you how to properly plant actinidia and care for the plant.
What is the difference between female actinidia and male actinidia
It is possible to distinguish female actinidia from male actinidia only during the flowering period. When planting seeds, it is impossible to determine the outcome in advance. If you want beautiful flowers and tasty fruits, both plants must be planted in the garden.
The female specimen blooms with single flowers, which contain pistils and embryos. The male shrub is easily recognizable by the inflorescences of 3-4 flowers with many long stamens. Pollination transfers pollen from one plant to another.
Popular varieties for cultivation
In total, actinidia has more than 70 species, which include fruit and ornamental varieties. The most common are:
- Kolomikt. Frost-resistant species, withstands temperatures down to -42 ° C. Popular in the Urals and Siberia. It grows up to 5-10 m, covered by green berries 2-2.5 cm in size by the beginning of autumn. The serrated leaves are green, with a reddish pile. Since September, the foliage is repainted in yellow-red and pink-purple tones. The best varieties: Lakomka, Pineapple, Doctor Shimanovsky.
- Arguta. The largest of the actinidia, the stems of which reach 36 m in length. The leaf plates are serrated, smooth, dark green in color. The shrub is unpretentious and bears fruit abundantly in any conditions. The berries begin to appear in early September. Fruits up to 3 cm in size can be green or purple tinged. The best varieties: Large-fruited, Self-fertile, Primorskaya.
- Polygamum. Weakly branching liana with shoots no more than 5 m. It is the only species in which, in addition to fruits, leaves are also edible. Leaf plates with pointed tips are green, only partially change their shade.Orange berries are rich in beta-carotene and taste like figs. The best varieties: Beauty, Patterned, Apricot.
Landing in open ground
Experienced gardeners recommend planting seedlings in open ground, the age of which does not exceed 3 years. It is better to buy a plant whose root system is closed. Direct sunlight, high temperatures and lack of moisture can damage young actinidia.
When purchasing seedlings, you must take into account the gender of the plant. Since it is determined only by flowers, shoots of a faded shrub are better suited. The way the cutting is grown is also important.Actinidia grown from seed loses its characteristics as a cultivar.
Optimal timing
You can plant actinidia at any time of the year, except for the winter months. Gardeners do not have a consensus about the timing, so they plant seedlings at different periods:
- in early spring (before the start of the movement of juices);
- in the third decade of April (when the shrub will bloom);
- in the fall (before the first frosts).
Choosing the location and composition of the soil
The ideal medium for growing actinidia should be acidic or slightly acidic. If the soil is neutral, it is well fertilized for comfortable growth. It is not recommended to plant a plant on loams, as well as in places where there is a high level of groundwater. The shrub will grow comfortably on elevations in well-drained soil.
Good predecessors and neighbors
The shrub will feel good next to plants that do not deplete the soil (black currant, hazel). Legumes improve the soil, and also maintain an optimal moisture level. You can also plant garden flowers nearby.
It is not recommended to grow liana near fruit trees. They take on a lot of moisture, and hilling the underbarrel circle can harm the root system of actinidia. Also, the shoots of the bush, braiding the trunks, often "choke" young trees.
Correct fit
Planting holes are prepared 2 weeks before planting. They are made at a distance of 50 cm from each other, 50x50x50 cm in size. A drainage layer is placed on the bottom, a soil mixture is poured on top: humus, charcoal, superphosphate.
Before planting, the plant is carefully examined and dry or damaged parts are removed. The roots are placed in a clay mash, and the planting recess is moistened with 1 bucket of water. Having lowered the plant into the hole, the root collar is left flush with the surface. The soil is tamped and mulched. Finish the procedure with abundant watering (2-3 buckets). Cover the young stalk with gauze or paper to protect it from direct sunlight.
Growing features
Regardless of the climatic zone, the decorative liana requires special care and growing conditions. It is not difficult to create a comfortable environment for actinidia - it is enough to know certain agrotechnical rules.
Watering and soil care
Without proper watering, the shrub will not be able to exist normally. If the moisture level in the soil is lower than required, the plant will shed its leaves, stop growing, and will not endure the winter well. Excessive humidity is also bad for actinidia. Gardeners recommend watering once a week. In this case, one bush requires 2–4 buckets of water, and in dry periods the volume is doubled. After moistening, the soil is loosened, weeds are removed and covered with an additional mulch layer.
You can water actinidia on a leaf only in the morning or in the evening.
Fertilization
Mineral fertilizers promote growth, branching, yield, and also strengthen the plant before wintering. Top dressing of vines is carried out three times per season:
- in early spring: nitrogen (35 g), phosphorus and potassium (20 g each) compositions;
- during the formation of ovaries: nitrogen (15–20 g), phosphorus and potassium (10–12 g each);
- in mid-September, after harvest: only phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (20 g each).
The preparations are distributed over the surface of the under-barrel circle and deepened into the soil by 10–12 cm. At the end of the procedure, the soil must be abundantly moistened.
Crown formation
Gardeners recommend pruning immediately after flowering. It is necessary to remove excess shoots, as well as shorten them by a third, annually. Anti-aging pruning is carried out only for plants over 8 years old. The procedure, in which the vine is cut to a stump 30-40 cm high, is carried out every 3-4 years.
For a certain type of shrub, they use their own pruning method. So, argut must often be thinned out, shortening the stems, but do not touch the main powerful branch. In an adult kolomikt, one old shoot is replaced with a young one every year, and the crown is formed in a fan-like manner.
Pest and disease control
Actinidia is almost immune to infections and parasites. Proper care of the shrub is enough to keep it healthy. However, sometimes the plant can be infected with fungal diseases or leaf beetles. Removal of dry or damaged shoots, as well as fruits, will save from rot and powdery mildew. You can destroy fungi and scare away insects using Bordeaux mixture (1%) or soda ash solution (0.5%).
How to propagate actinidia
Reproduction of actinidia is a simple process. It is best to do this with cuttings, since the plant will retain its belonging to the variety, sex, and it will begin to bear fruit as early as 3-4 years. More hardy shrubs grow from seeds, but they will yield a harvest only after 7 years.
Seeds
The planting material is washed, dried and soaked for 4 days. The soaked seeds are buried in a container with sand, regularly watering and airing them for 2 months. Then, for the same period, the container, covered with rags, is taken out into the cold. The next step is to put the box with seeds in a cool place, where the first shoots appear after 20-25 days. They are seated in containers with soil in half with perlite, and when the third leaf appears, they are transplanted into the ground.
Cuttings
Gardeners use two methods:
- Green cuttings. After flowering, a 10-15 cm long shoot with three buds is cut from the bush. The shoot is planted in a hole filled with a drainage layer and a mixture of humus and sand. Cover with foil, spray twice a day and ventilate regularly. Actinidia is transplanted into open ground in the spring.
- Lignified cuttings. Pruning branches for planting is carried out in the fall. Their length should be 20 cm. The shoots are placed vertically in the sand and kept until the beginning of March, then planted in a greenhouse. When the roots appear, the cutting is transplanted into open ground.
Arc layering
The method consists in dropping green shoots. Small grooves with a depth of 7–10 cm are made under the bush, a layer of soil mixture (sawdust, peat, humus) is covered and the lower young stem is laid, leaving the top above the surface. Having covered it with earth and fixing it from the wind, it is regularly watered to form an independent root system. Separate the shoot from the adult plant in the spring.
Collection, storage and use of the crop
Actinidia begins to bear fruit for 3-4 years, and from the age of 7 it does it regularly. One shrub can produce from 12 to 60 kg of fruit. Harvested from late summer until late autumn. Ripe berries are pounded from the vine onto a spread canvas. The storage room must be cool and well ventilated. Also, the fruits can be frozen, dried or dried.
Due to the high content of vitamin C and minerals, actinidium is very useful:
- strengthens the immune system;
- stabilizes the work of the heart, blood composition and elasticity of blood vessels;
- has a beneficial effect on the organs of the respiratory system;
- fights diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- removes slags;
- improves skin tone and elasticity.
An ornamental plant that not only looks aesthetically pleasing, but also bears a harvest is the dream of any gardener. It is hardy and relatively unpretentious, and therefore even beginners can grow actinidia.