| I keep hearing how aggresive the hardy Kiwi is but I am having a diffacult time getting cuttings to root. Is there a trick. |
| Yes you can propagate kiwi by cuttings. Take new green growth about 6-8 inches long and cut with a sharp knife where a leaf meets the stem. Strip off all of the leaves except the last 2 or 3. Dip the cutting in a root hormone available at nurseries and garden centers and plant two inches deep in a soilless mix which is damp but not soggy. Seal inside a clear plastic baggie and keep the bottom warm (70-80 degrees F). Rooting should occur within 8 weeks. You can check by using a pencil and gently digging around the cutting after 8 weeks. If you see white threads, you have rooting. If you've already followed these procedures and still are not having any luck, you might try layering instead of taking cuttings. With layering you simply bend a vining stem down so it makes contact with the earth. Make a small wound in the stem and prop it open with a toothpick. Bury the wounded part of the vine in the soil (I mound 3-4" of soil over the top) and keep the soil moist. New roots will grow from the wounded area. When it has developed roots (in 6-8 weeks), cut the rooted stem from the plant and plant it in the ground or in a container. |
