The Latest Technical Method Tutorial for Winter Pruning of Kiwifruit

Kiwifruit, also known as the Chinese gooseberry, is a fruit welcomed by many people. It also has a relatively large planting area in our country. When growing kiwifruit, we need to pay attention to doing a good job of pruning. It should be adjusted appropriately according to seasonal changes, especially in winter, when winter pruning work is very important. So how should kiwifruit be pruned in winter? Below, the editor brings you kiwifruit winter pruning techniques. Let's take a look together!

1. Pruning of vigorous water sprouts

When winter pruning kiwifruit, the first thing we need to do well is the pruning of vigorous water sprouts. For kiwifruit trees, vigorous upright branches growing from the base of the main vine trunk or from the back side are generally called vigorous water sprouts. If vigorous water sprouts are not managed in time, they can grow to about two meters at most. This is very unfavorable to the development of buds. If not pruned, then in the second year at most only about three branches can sprout, causing the base to easily become empty. Therefore, we should promptly cut off the vigorous water sprouts at the base. If there is enough space, then about six buds can be retained for heading back. Cultivate them as renewal branches, and in the second year they can form fruiting branches.

2. Pruning of empty branches

Although some branches grow relatively normally, they cannot bear fruit in the second year. These branches are called empty branches. When pruning empty branches, usually about three plump buds are retained for heading back, so that they form fruiting mother branches in the second year. For some robustly growing long branches, light pruning should be carried out at the one-meter position. This pruning method is called long-cane pruning. If long-cane pruning is carried out, then the formation of fruiting branches can be promoted and the fruiting rate can be increased. Pruning empty branches can also moderate the branch vigor and promote the formation of fruiting branch groups as soon as possible.

3. Pruning of fruiting mother branches

Kiwifruit has a very strong production performance, and fruiting branches can basically bear fruit every year. As long as they have reached fruiting age, regardless of whether they have borne fruit or not, most fruiting branches can basically form mixed buds. Then in the second year they become fruiting mother branches. For the pruning of fruiting mother branches, we should control the degree of pruning according to factors such as branch growth vigor and the number of seedlings and buds. For vegetative fruiting branches, about 4 buds should be retained at the fruiting position, while for medium fruit branches about 3 buds should be retained, and finally for short fruit branches 1-2 buds should be retained, or no pruning should be done.

4. Renewal pruning of branches and vines

For fruiting mother branches that have already grown continuously for more than two years or are gradually aging, we should promptly carry out renewal pruning work. At the node of the mother branch, robustly growing fruiting mother branches should be promptly retracted to vigorous ones for heading back, to avoid the fruiting position moving outward. If the fruiting mother branch is relatively weak or the branching growth is too high, then starting from the position of the latent buds at the base, all parts above should be cut off. Keeping a distance of about three centimeters from the buds can promote the sprouting of new branches and vines, and this mainly still depends on the position of aging.

The above is a brief introduction to kiwifruit winter pruning techniques. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and we hope it can be helpful to everyone!