How/when should I prune and feed my kiwi vine to incourage it to produce fruit? |
I treat my kiwi much the same as I do grapes. Winter pruning should take place the last week in January or the first week of February. Kiwis form fruit on one year old wood just like grapes. Prune yours back to 3-4 buds on each lateral stem. You can thin the plant out if you have an abundance of stems emerging from the main stem of your kiwi plant. Because kiwis grow so rapidly, summer maintenance pruning after flowering is also necessary. Some kiwi's are self-fertile and some kiwi plants needs a male kiwi in the general vicinity in order to produce fruit so make sure you have either a self-fertile variety or both a male and a female kiwi plant. Kiwi plants typically do not need to be fertilized. If you decide you'd like to feed yours, choose a fertilizer low in nitrogen (which encourages lush, green growth) but high in phosphorous and potassium (last 2 numbers in the fertilizer formula). A 5-10-10 general purpose fertilizer sprinkled beneath your kiwi should be just fine. Apply in amounts as recommended on the fertilizer label. Enjoy your kiwi! |