How to Grow Kiwifruit? A Detailed Guide to the Key Techniques of Kiwifruit Cultivation, the "Stomach Helper"

Kiwifruit skin contains a large amount of pectinase and proteolytic enzymes, which can help cleanse the stomach and intestines, so it is also called the “stomach helper.” So what are the key points of kiwifruit cultivation techniques?

1. Site Selection

The kiwifruit root system is fleshy and particularly fragile, and it fears both waterlogging and high-temperature drought. Choose loam or sandy loam with convenient transportation, a wind-sheltered sunny aspect, fertile soil, and easy drainage and irrigation. When cultivated on such soil, the root system is well developed, the aboveground part grows vigorously, it bears many fruits, and the fruits are large with good color.

2. Planting Techniques

Use raised-mound cultivation to prevent waterlogging. On the basis of building the orchard to high standards with large planting holes and large seedlings, mix fertilizer and topsoil evenly and backfill them, and make the planting mounds at least 30-40 cm above the ground surface to ensure no water accumulates. Disinfect the seedlings before planting: spray the stems once with 5°Be lime sulfur mixture to eliminate pathogens, and soak the roots in 200-fold potassium permanganate solution for 20 minutes, which can effectively prevent root diseases at the seedling stage such as root rot.

The planting period should not be later than the end of February. Generally, the spacing between plants and rows is required to be 3 m×4 m, with 55 plants per mu. When planting, pollinizer trees must be arranged properly, with a female-to-male plant ratio of 8:1, and the supporting male varieties must have the same flowering period to avoid affecting pollination. When planting, spread the roots out in all directions, backfill soil and tread it firm and compact, water thoroughly to settle the roots, then reshape the planting mound, scatter quicklime, and cover with rice straw or weeds to retain moisture.

3. Fertilization Techniques

1. Fertilization techniques for young trees

On the basis of applying sufficient organic fertilizer, apply light fertilizer frequently in spring and summer, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer, combining broadcast application and watering application, to promote rapid growth of new shoots; supplement potassium fertilizer in autumn to promote lignification of the branches.

2. Fertilization techniques during the fruiting period

Control the amount of nitrogen fertilizer to ensure stable fertility. During the fruiting period, excessive nitrogen fertilizer on the trees causes excessive vegetative growth of new shoots, intensifies the conflict between shoots and fruits, and causes flower and fruit drop; at the same time, excessive nitrogen fertilizer aggravates the occurrence of pests and diseases.

4. Flower and Fruit Management

1. Protecting flowers and fruits

Under normal circumstances, if pollinizer male plants are evenly arranged, a normal fruit-setting rate can be achieved. If the weather is unfavorable, artificial pollination can be used: after the morning dew dries, dip a brush in pollen and lightly touch it onto the stigma of female flowers; you can also spray 0.3% borax + 0.3 potassium dihydrogen phosphate + 1% white sugar during the flowering period; you can also raise bees during the flowering period to increase the fruit-setting rate.

2. Thinning flowers and fruits

Kiwifruit has a high fruit-setting rate, and often produces many fruits that are small and of poor quality, and it easily forms alternate bearing, so flowers and fruits must be thinned. According to the load capacity, thin buds and flowers; keep 1 fruit per inflorescence, keep 3-5 on long fruiting branches, 2-3 on medium fruiting branches, and 1 on short fruiting branches, and try to make the retained fruits evenly distributed.

5. Pest and Disease Control

Kiwifruit has relatively few pests and diseases. At present, diseases found in production include anthracnose, brown spot disease, and root rot. The main insect pests include aphids, scale insects, and fruit-sucking noctuid moths. First, do a good job of winter orchard cleanup, sweeping up fallen leaves and fallen.