Kiwi Fruit Cultivation Techniques and Management Methods Explained in Detail
SummarySite selection: It is best to plant in mountainous areas with convenient transportation, ample sunlight, close to a water source, moderate rainfall and slightly higher humidity. Orchard establishment: plan roads, drainage and irrigation systems, fertilizer storage rooms, etc. Trellis building: mostly use flat-top large trellises. Fertilization: apply base fertilizer before planting, apply small amounts frequently to young trees, and apply top dressing after bud break and during the vigorous growth period. Management: plant and prune at the right time, and actively prevent and control pests and diseases.
1. Site selection
Kiwi fruit is best planted in mountainous areas with convenient transportation, ample sunlight, close to a water source, moderate rainfall and slightly higher humidity. Generally, loose sandy soil with good air permeability, or hilly and mountainous land of sandy soil or loose soil rich in humus, is chosen as the orchard site.
2. Orchard establishment
After choosing the site, first plan roads, drainage and irrigation systems, fertilizer storage rooms, etc., and then plan ventilation trenches in the planting area. Kiwi fruit is suitable for planting in hilly and mountainous areas at an altitude of 400-1200 m, and the orchard can be established on hilly and mountainous land with a slope of 10-15 degrees. During this period, large trellises can be built, heavy pruning can be carried out in winter, rejuvenating fertilizer can be applied in time, base fertilizer can be heavily applied and irrigation can be carried out in time. During this period, be sure to avoid alternating dry and wet conditions, so as to avoid fruit cracking in kiwi fruit.
3. Building large trellises
Kiwi fruit generally can use flat-top large trellises. Existing small-diameter trees can be used on site as living posts, plus a small number of replaceable bamboo and wooden posts. Concrete posts can be used at important positions. The on-site trellis height is 1.8 m, and No. 10-12 iron wire can be used to form a cross-hatched “well”-shaped grid, with a wire spacing of about 60 cm.
4. Base fertilizer
The amount of fertilizer applied is determined according to the variety characteristics of kiwi fruit, the expected yield and soil fertility. In the pits or trenches before planting, generally 2.5 kg of fruit tree fertilizer can be applied per plant. Young trees generally can be fertilized in small amounts many times, and then fertilized 3 times each year, with 2 top dressings. Base fertilizer, that is, winter fertilizer, can be applied after fruit harvest, with 20 kg of organic fertilizer per plant, mixed with 1.5 kg of phosphate fertilizer.
5. Top dressing
The first top dressing can be carried out after bud break, applying 2 kg of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer per plant to supply nutrients for spring shoots and fruiting trees. The second top dressing can be carried out during the vigorous growth period, applying an appropriate amount of fruit tree fertilizer or compound fertilizer. Because the roots of kiwi fruit are fleshy roots, a shallow trench should be dug slightly away from the roots, then fertilizer should be applied and the soil should be closed back over it to prevent root burn. After fertilizing in the dry season, irrigation must be carried out in time.
6. Later management of kiwi fruit
1. Young trees planted in the same year
First leave 3 plump buds at the base of the plant, and shorten all the others. Then keep the relatively thick branches as the main trunk. Generally, light pruning is adopted, which is conducive to rapidly expanding the tree canopy the following year.
2. Trees that have grown for one year and entered the juvenile stage
When carrying out winter pruning, try to make the fruiting mother canes growing from the main canes distributed evenly on the trellis. On the basis of promoting the growth of main canes, side canes and fruiting mother canes, then gradually increase the proportion of fruiting canes bearing fruit.
3. Adult trees
When pruning adult trees, the intensity should be light, and then the fruiting canes should be shortened. At the cut, 4-5 buds can be retained, and for vigorous canes, 4-5 buds can be retained to promote the sprouting of 2-4 new shoots. For robust vegetative canes, 1/3 or 1/2 of the total length of the vine can be cut off to promote their transformation into fruiting mother canes. For long and medium fruiting canes and overlapping and crossing canes, 8-10 buds can be retained, and then the others should be shortened. Medium fruiting mother canes can retain 5-6 buds, while weaker ones can retain 3-4 buds.
4. Plants with old tree age and weakened tree vigor
During this period, retain the well-developed fruiting canes growing at the base of the mother canes, and prune back to the robust part. For relatively weak mother canes, cut them off from the part with latent buds at the base, to promote the latent buds to sprout robust new shoots. Pruning is generally carried out 15 days after leaf fall in winter, to 15 days before sap flow in early spring.