Kiwifruit vines are vigorous growers that reward gardeners with shade in summer and fruit in autumn – if you plant the right mix of male and female vines, writes gardening columnist JACKIE WARBURTON.
Kiwifruit are beginning to ripen now and are ready to eat once the birds discover them.
Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) is a vigorous climbing vine that needs plenty of space. It can grow up to five metres in a single season.
The plants are dioecious, which means both male and female vines are required for pollination and fruit production. One male vine will pollinate five to six female vines, although most suburban gardens will produce more than enough fruit from just one or two vines.
Kiwifruit are versatile garden plants. In summer they provide welcome shade, while in winter they are deciduous and can be pruned.
Male vines can also be grown purely as ornamental climbers. I have successfully used them to shade sunny areas without the need to manage fruit.
Plant kiwifruit vines in winter while they are dormant. Flowering occurs in September and October, so it helps to have other flowers nearby to attract bees for pollination.
Male vines can be trained up a pillar and pruned hard after flowering, allowing female vines space and sunlight to produce fruit.
Training the fruiting canes horizontally improves yield, produces better-quality fruit, and makes vines easier to net if needed.
Pruning should be carried out several times during the year to keep growth under control. Remove damaged or crossing branches as they appear. In winter, prune back to the main framework branches, leaving sturdy stubs with six to eight buds.
When cut, kiwifruit vines exude a white latex. The fruit are also slightly prickly and may irritate the skin, so gloves are recommended when handling the vines.
If space is limited, try the self-fertile kiwi berry, Actinidia arguta ‘Issai’. Kiwi berries are closely related to traditional kiwifruit but have smooth skin and smaller fruit. They can be trained in the same way, and only one vine is required for fruit production.
AUTUMN colour is now appearing in foliage, along with the fruit and berries of many trees.
Some autumn-fruiting trees make excellent seasonal feature plants in the garden. Hawthorns (Crataegus species) are well suited to our region, and C. smithiana is commonly used as a long-lived street tree.
However, some hawthorns are considered weeds, including C. monogyna. These should be removed immediately. For correct identification, refer to canberra.naturemapr.
Collectors may wish to look for a more unusual species: Crataegus tanacetifolia, the Tansy-leaved hawthorn. This thornless tree can be grown as a small to medium shade tree.
In autumn it produces striking orange-yellow fruit that often remains on the tree through winter.
The tree is extremely hardy and is not affected by pear and cherry slug. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked, and is suitable for jams and jellies. It would also make a welcome addition to an edible forest planting.
THE first frost is about a month away. If the vegetable garden is not to be planted with winter crops, consider sowing a green manure now.
Green manure crops are mixtures of grains and legumes grown in fallow vegetable beds. They replenish nitrogen and increase organic matter in the soil over winter. Good options include fava beans, lupins, millet and barley.
Sow the seed over lightly tilled soil and water in. Once the plants begin to flower, chop them down with a spade and dig the material into the soil. If timed well, this should occur about six weeks before planting spring crops later in the year. Green manure crops are also useful where crop rotation is not possible.
Jottings
- Fertilise roses for autumn growth.
- Divide herbs while the soil is still warm.
- Take semi hardwood cutting from camellias.
Leave a Reply