Actinidia amateur. Actinidia

Actinidia is a promising berry liana for amateur gardening. Its berries are valued for great taste and high content of vitamins, primarily ascorbic acid. This unpretentious original plant adorns the site, especially variegated varieties. Some types of actinidia are very winter-hardy, others succeed only in the subtropics.

Actinidia - vitamin vine

All types of actinidia are woody perennial lianas, found naturally in the shady, humid forests of East Asia. In the Russian Far East, 4 species of actinidia grow wildly: kolomikta, polygama, arguta and Giraldi.

The history of cultivation of actinidia

In Russia, the cultivation of local Far Eastern species of actinidia began in the second half of the 19th century. The famous breeder Ivan Vladimirovich Michurin was the creator of the first domestic varieties.

Actinidia sinensis has long been grown in the gardens of China, but remained a purely local culture. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was brought to New Zealand, where the first large-fruited varieties were created, which received the commercial name "kiwi".

Kiwi fruits can be seen in any supermarket

Types and varieties of actinidia

There are several types of actinidia with edible fruits.

The subtropical Chinese actinidia (kiwi) has the most large-fruited varieties, and of the more winter-hardy species, its variety is purple actinidia.

Actinidia kolomikta and arguta (video)

The most frost-resistant varieties are in actinidia kolomikta. Argut and polygam actinidia easily withstand frosts only in the Far East, where deep snow lies all winter and even temperatures are maintained without winter thaws. European winters with sharp temperature changes cause them to prematurely leave the state of dormancy and subsequent freezing when the cold weather returns.

Actinidia chinensis (actinidia gourmet, kiwi)

Homeland - mountain forests of subtropical China. In nature, reaches 10-20 meters in length. The leaves are broadly ovate, very large, depending on the variety, they can be with a notch at the end or with a pointed tip. The flowers are white or cream when they bloom, then gradually turn yellow. Stamens are yellow. The fruits are oval in shape, with dense brown pubescence, inside remain green even when fully ripe. Fruit weight from 30 g wild plants up to 100–150 g in cultivars. Unripe fruits are well stored and very transportable, then in a warm room they are easily ripened to full maturity.

Kiwi - actinidia chinensis (photo gallery)

There are Russian varieties of kiwi, zoned for the subtropical zone North Caucasus. They are all self-fertile and require a pollinator. Outside the subtropics, it is not winter hardy.

Description and characteristics of kiwi varieties (table)

Actinidia arguta (acute actinidia), purple and Giraldi

These three species are very close and easily interbreed, so some botanists combine them into one species - actinidia arguta (sharp actinidia).

Creepers up to 15–30 meters long. The leaves are rhomboid-oval with a sharp tip. The flowers are white, the stamens are black. Blossoming in June, ripening of berries in September - October. The berries are oval, sometimes with a small spout. The skin is smooth, without pubescence. In actinidia purpurea and hybrids with its participation, the fruits become purple when ripe, in actinidia arguta and Giraldi remain green. Productivity from 1 to 20 kg per bush.

Actinidia arguta (photo gallery)

Sprinkler irrigation increases air humidity

The Black Sea coast of Russia and Ukraine is suitable for heat-loving Chinese actinidia (kiwi). It grows especially well in the humid subtropics of the Krasnodar Territory. In the zone of colder winters, its vines are removed from supports for the winter and covered with reed mats, earth or agrofibre.

Self-pollinating actinidia: truth and fiction

All types of actinidia are dioecious in nature, female and male flowers are located on different specimens. The flowers are honey-bearing and pollinated by bees. The stamens present in female flowers have a low quality of pollen, insufficient for full pollination. There are varieties partially self-pollinated, in which individual female flowers tie single berries from their own pollen. But under normal cross pollination their yield will be several times higher, and the berries will be larger. Some seedling sellers are silent about these features, deliberately or unknowingly omitting the word "partially" in the description of such partially self-pollinating varieties.

In hobby gardens, the illusion of self-pollination sometimes occurs if a single female actinidia plant is pollinated by a male specimen of the same species growing in an adjacent area.

How to distinguish a male plant from a female

It is possible to distinguish between male and female specimens of actinidia only during flowering. In the center of the female flowers among the stamens, the ovary of the future berry with a star-shaped pistil at the top is immediately noticeable.

In a single female actinidia flower, the ovary of the future berry is clearly visible.

Actinidia male flowers have only stamens, they do not have an ovary.

The male flowers of actinidia collected in a brush do not have ovaries.

In actinidia kolomikta and polygamum, female flowers are arranged singly or in pairs, while male flowers are collected in small brushes, usually 3 flowers together. In actinidia arguta (purple, Giraldi) and kiwi (Chinese actinidia), both male and female flowers are arranged in medium-sized brushes.

Variegated leaf color occurs in both male and female plants. It is believed that male plants are colored more often and brighter, but this feature is not accurate enough to determine the sex.

Planting Actinidia

Actinidia is planted in spring. The ideal option is to plant in such a place that the young plants are in the shade, and as they grow, the top of the vines is well lit in the morning and evening hours. The distance between plants is at least 2 meters. Before planting, strong supports for vines are installed, made of metal or wood thoroughly impregnated with an antiseptic. The most convenient tapestries are about 2–2.5 meters high.

For normal growth and fruiting, Actinidia needs a reliable support.

Different types of actinidia do not cross-pollinate with each other (except for the closely related purple, Giraldi and argut, these 3 species are mutually pollinated). The optimal ratio when planting is 2 male plants to 10 female plants. Male and female specimens of each species are placed side by side.

Actinidia needs light loose soils, acidity from slightly acidic to neutral. Does not tolerate calcareous soils with excess lime and wetlands with stagnant moisture. On heavy clays, drainage from broken bricks must be laid at the bottom of the planting pits. After planting, the plants are watered abundantly. Seedlings planted in an open area are sure to shade throughout the season. For the winter, it is advisable to cover young plants with spruce branches.

For planting, it is better to use seedlings with a closed root system, they take root easier.

Actinidia Care

Actinidia is very demanding on air and soil moisture. In hot, dry weather, she needs watering at least 1-2 times a week, approximately 1-3 buckets of water per plant, depending on its size. It is advisable to mulch the soil under the vines with wood chips, sawdust or last year's foliage to retain moisture and prevent weed growth.

pruning actinidia

The main pruning of actinidia is carried out in the fall, after harvest. At the same time, all extra thickening shoots are cut out. Too long shoots are shortened. In the spring, before the start of bud break, actinidia has a very strong sap flow, at this time it is impossible to cut off, the plant may die. Branches frozen over the winter are cut out later, when the leaves begin to bloom.

Top dressing actinidia

In spring, the ground under actinidia is fertilized with leaf humus at the rate of 1 bucket per square meter. It is impossible to dig under actinidia, its roots are not deep, so the humus is simply scattered over the surface of the soil and covered with mulch.

You can not bring fresh manure or lime under actinidia, the plant will die.

Problems and damage to actinidia

Actinidia is not damaged by diseases and pests, so no chemical treatments are required.

The only enemy of actinidia is cats. The roots, shoots and leaves of this plant contain chemicals that affect most cats like valerian and catnip. Young actinidia plants are especially affected by cats. Therefore, immediately after planting, it is necessary to fence the seedlings with a sufficiently high metal mesh.

To protect against cats, actinidia plants are fenced with a strong mesh.

Possible problems of actinidia (table)

What does it look like	What is it	What to do with it
White or white-pink spots on the leaves	Natural coloration, species trait of actinidia polygamus and kolomikta	Do nothing, it's alright
In spring, young leaves and buds suddenly turn black and wither, as if burnt.	Freeze damage	After a while, new leaves will grow from dormant buds. Plants planted near the southwestern walls of buildings suffer the least from frost. Young vines can be covered with a film or agrofiber in case of a threat of frost. On flowering plants during the day, the shelter must be removed for pollination.
In summer, in hot, dry weather, the leaves wither and dry.	lack of moisture	It is best to plant actinidia in partial shade, and when planting in an open place, be sure to shade, especially young plants. Sprinkler irrigation will help to increase the humidity of the air in evening time or early morning. It is impossible to rain during the day in the sun; sunburns are possible on wet leaves
Leaves and shoots are gnawed or eaten completely, grass is crushed around the plants, the ground is trampled down or excavated	Cats ruled here	Immediately after planting, enclose actinidia with a strong protective net.

The variegated coloration of the leaves of actinidia kolomikta is a normal natural phenomenon.

Reproduction of actinidia

Actinidia can be propagated vegetatively (by cuttings and layering) or by seeds. Varietal qualities are fully transmitted only during vegetative propagation.

Propagation of actinidia by layering

This is the easiest way for those who already have a copy of the desired variety growing on the site.

Actinidia is easily propagated by layering (by dropping the tops of the shoots)

• In the spring, when the buds wake up and the plants begin to grow, you just need to pin one of the shoots to the ground and dig a little so that its top is pointing up.
• During the summer, rooted cuttings should be watered regularly so that the ground near it is always slightly damp.
• In the spring of next year, formed young plant can be transplanted to permanent place, carefully cutting off the mother shoot at the beginning of leafing
• If small plant looks too weak, it is better to leave it for another 1 year, especially in regions with a harsh climate.

Reproduction of actinidia cuttings

Actinidia breeds well green cuttings at the end of June, when the young shoots of the current year finish their growth and begin to wood.

Actinidia can be propagated by green cuttings in a simple greenhouse

Procedure for cuttings:

• Choose a weed-free area in partial shade, closed from the midday sun. If the soil is heavy clay, the top 10 centimeters of soil in the cutting should be replaced with a mixture of sand and leaf humus.
• From thick young shoots of actinidia, cut cuttings 10–15 centimeters long. Cuttings thinner than a pencil do not root. Place the cut cuttings immediately in a bucket of water so that they do not wither.
• Carefully cut the lower leaves on the cuttings with a razor closer to the base of the leaf petiole. At the upper leaves, cut off half of the leaf blade to reduce the evaporation of moisture.
• Place the prepared cuttings obliquely into the ground of the cuttings, leaving 1–2 buds above the ground. Pour abundantly from a watering can with a spray bottle.
• Install arcs above the cuttings and stretch the white breathable agrofiber so that there is a free space of about 15–20 centimeters between the tops of the leaves on the cuttings and the shelter.
• During the season, the cuttings should be regularly watered 2-3 times a week (in extreme heat without rain - daily in the evenings or early mornings) so that the soil is always moist.
• For the first wintering, young plants in the cuttings should be covered with leaves or spruce branches.
• With the onset of spring, it is already possible to transplant the resulting seedlings to the final place. It is better to leave the smallest and weakest ones for another year in the same place for growing.

Reproduction of actinidia seeds

Seed propagation of actinidia is not of practical value for amateur gardening, since varietal qualities are lost in this case, and among the seedlings, male and female plants will be approximately equally divided. It will be possible to distinguish them only during flowering, which will have to wait for several years. But if you want to experiment, you can try winter sowing to the garden. Attempts to stratify seeds in a household refrigerator or on a balcony are extremely rarely successful due to the inability to provide the necessary temperature and humidity levels.

Only the seeds of the current year harvest, extracted from fully ripened soft berries, are suitable for sowing. Last year's seeds lose their germination. The procedure is as follows:

Actinidia - exotic plant, which is famous for its tasty, healthy fruits and is a close relative of the well-known kiwi. Thanks to the breeding of varieties that are unpretentious and adaptable to various climatic conditions, actinidia can be grown without much effort on garden plot next to the usual fruit trees and shrubs.

What is actinidia

Actinidia in appearance resembles a kiwi without villi

Actinidia is a deciduous perennial plant (lignified liana) with a superficial fibrous rhizome and branched lateral shoots, reaching up to one and a half to two meters in length. Its stems are quite flexible and covered with a smooth brownish bark. The leaves of the plant are oval or ovate, the color of which varies depending on the species and can be green, red-green, with a yellowish border or a bright pink tip.

Actinidia is a dioecious plant. There are "individuals" with only male flowers or only with female ones. The flowers are small, odorless, may be single or collected in inflorescences. Actinidia begins to bloom at the age of five to seven years in June-July. Pollination occurs with the help of wind, bumblebees and bees, due to which, already in September, fruits begin to ripen on female plants - oblong, tasty and very healthy berries ranging in size from 1 to 8 cm, depending on the type of plant.

Breeders have bred many varieties of actinidia, and it can be not only green. Pictured variety Kens Red

The cultivation of actinidia in Russia began at the beginning of the 20th century in St. Petersburg in the Imperial Botanical Garden. A huge contribution to the development of culture was made by I. V. Michurin, who in the 1930s was actively engaged in the breeding of new varieties (especially winter-hardy ones), which are distinguished not only by valuable taste qualities, but also by high yields.

Actinidia fruits have many useful properties:

• are a source of vitamins and minerals (especially vitamin C);
• strengthen the immune system, making it more resistant to various infections;
• stabilize the work of the cardiovascular system (reduce pressure, improve vascular tone and blood composition);
• normalize work gastrointestinal tract(eliminate heaviness and heartburn);
• contribute to the removal of toxins and radionuclides from tissues;
• favorably affect the functioning of the lungs and bronchi;
• improve skin condition (increase elasticity, tone, saturate with vitamins).

Views from photo

In total, there are more than 70 types of actinidia, including varieties with both pronounced fruit and decorative properties. But the main species that are most often found in gardens are three.

Kolomikta is popularly called the Amur gooseberry.

This species is the most frost-resistant and can withstand winter colds down to -42 degrees without shelter. It reaches a length of up to 5-10 m. The leaflets are ovate, serrate, covered along the veins with a red pile and “attached” to reddish petioles. During flowering, the tip of the leaf becomes whitish-pink, acquiring a bright crimson hue over time. In autumn, the foliage turns incredibly beautiful yellow-pink and red-violet tones. Elongated green fruits 2–2.5 cm in size ripen by early September and have a thin skin, fragrant aroma and sweet and sour taste.

About 15–20 kg of berries are removed from an adult plant

This is a larger plant, the length of the vines of which reaches 36 m. Rounded oval leaves have a "satin" texture with small teeth along the edge. At good care quickly forms beautiful "walls" of a dark green hue. This species is distinguished by abundant fruiting and good preservation of the ovary even under adverse conditions. The fruits ripen by September, reach a diameter of 3 cm, have a delicate taste and, depending on the variety, can be either green or purple.

This species has weakly branching shoots, reaching a length of up to 5 m. Oval pointed leaves partially change their color during growth. Young leaves are considered edible and taste like watercress. The orange-colored fruits contain beta-carotene and have a special, fig-like taste.

Actinidia polygamum does not have high frost resistance

Is it successfully cultivated in the regions

The listed varieties are prone to certain requirements, so not every one of them will grow equally well, for example, in the north or in the southern regions.

Moscow and Moscow region

Subject to planting conditions and sufficient care, actinidia in this region takes root well and brings stable yields. Feel the best here various varieties species of kolomikta, which can do without shelter, as they are adapted to average daily winter temperatures down to -20 ° C.

Leningrad region

Actinidia kolomikta, which is resistant to low temperatures, is also widespread here. The most popular varieties are Lakomka, Sugar, Fantasia, Sweet Tooth, Fairy.

In the middle lane

For this region, varieties are suitable that tolerate a changeable climate well with a characteristic not very warm summer and frosty, with frequent thaws, in winter. The low-maintenance actinidia kolomikta, and argut, which should be covered in winter to prevent freezing, are successfully cultivated here.

On South

Private farms in Crimea have entire plantations of Actinidia

The southern climate is especially favorable for the cultivation of all types of actinidia. Here they have chic foliage and bring rich harvests. In addition to fruit purposes, actinidia is also grown here as an ornamental plant.

In Siberia

In this region, actinidia is the least susceptible to frost due to the late emergence of foliage and the formation of new shoots instead of branches that have frozen. For good yields, the plant must be planted in shady areas, providing painstaking care. A suitable species for Siberia is kolomikta, in particular, its varieties: Sakhalinskaya, Universitetskaya, Priusadebnaya, etc.

In the Urals

Hot summers and snowy winters in the Urals make it possible to grow actinidia kolomikta here. Winter-hardy varieties of this species, the growing season (from the beginning of May to the end of October) is excellent and brings a good harvest, especially: Waffle, Maritsa, Uslada, Robinson, etc.

In the Far East

In this region, two types of actinidia are cultivated - kolomikta and arguta. Moreover, gardeners prefer kolomikta more for its unpretentiousness in care and endurance, especially noting the incredibly sweet varieties (Sweet Tooth, Sugar, Honey).

Role in landscape design

Actinidia is a wonderful ornamental plant. At the time of flowering, it decorates the garden with flowers with a delicate aroma, and by autumn it adds bright colors with its variegated leaves of incredible shades. IN landscape design it can be used for:

Using a vertical support will help set right direction the growth of the vine, and landing near the walls will allow her to feel most comfortable, provide maximum growth and branching.

What conditions must be provided before landing

When selecting seedlings, take an interest in their "gender": males will not bear fruit

Before proceeding with the landing of actinidia, you need to take care of some important points:

1. Selection of seedlings. Buy only those who have root system covered, which means it is protected from damage. She is very vulnerable, and therefore even a short stay of bare roots in the wind or heat can cause significant harm. In addition, the age of seedlings should be no more than three years.
2. The correct selection of male and female "individuals". For full fruiting on 5-10 "ladies" it is necessary to plant one "cavalier", and the same type as them;
3. Choice of location. Since actinidia is a climbing plant, already before planting it is necessary to choose a support that will ensure its growth in a vertical plane. To do this, you can use trellises placed around the perimeter of the site, or plant actinidia along the wall (houses, gazebos, hedges), which will protect it from freezing in severe winter. Do not plant a vine under a drain and in places where water stagnates, as well as under direct sunlight. The ideal location for her is openwork penumbra.
4. The soil. Actinidia is unpretentious and grows normally on the ground, where nitrogen and phosphorus are contained in small quantities. At the same time, slightly acidic and neutral soil is considered optimal for it, and alkaline, clayey, with close groundwater is unacceptable. Under such conditions, the plant will stop developing and may even die.
5. Plant protection. During the first three years, all types of actinidia are quite vulnerable and often suffer from cat claws. To protect the plant, if cats have access to it, you can protect it from all sides with a net.

Landing

Give your plant a strong base

The optimal time for planting actinidia is spring or autumn (a couple of weeks before the first frost). The landing process consists of several stages:

1. Prepare landing pits measuring 60 by 60 cm at a distance of one and a half - two and a half meters from each other;
2. At the bottom of the pit, a ten-centimeter layer of drainage is laid (expanded clay, broken red brick, crushed stone or pebbles);
3. Rich soil, humus (10 kg), superphosphate (150 g), wood ash (2 cups), and a layer of earth without fertilizers are added to each pit;
4. They make a small mound from the top layer of the earth and set a seedling on it without destroying the earthen coma around the rhizome;
5. Carefully fall asleep and lightly tamp the hole so that the root collar is at ground level. At the same time, it is not necessary to make a hole around the seedling in order to prevent rainwater from stagnating;
6. Water each plant with two or three buckets of water;
7. Mulch by pouring about 5-7 cm of large pine bark, rotted sawdust, compost or peat;
8. The first time (5–10 days) after planting, the plants are shaded from the direct sun with paper or cloth.

What kind of care to provide

Actinidia, regardless of the region of growth, requires certain conditions that are easy to create with proper care.

Watering

The plant must be both watered and loosened

Proper watering plays an important role in the care of actinidia. If the soil is not sufficiently moist, the plant may shed its foliage, slow down in growth and not prepare for the winter period. It also has a negative effect on excessive moisture.

The optimal irrigation regime for the vine is two to four buckets per plant at least once a week, after which the ground around should be weeded, loosened and a new layer of mulch added. During a particularly hot summer, you can increase the amount of water to six to eight buckets.

pruning

Plants that have reached four or five years of age begin to prune in order to prevent the growth of dense thickets that cease to bloom and bear fruit. The shoots that drown out the crown are cut off, and the tips are pinched to increase branching.

Actinidia is pruned in the fall after the leaves have fallen. It is highly undesirable to do this in the spring, because at this time the cut branches begin to secrete abundant juice, which leads to the drying of the plant. If damage has appeared during the winter, they are cut off at the end of spring - at the beginning of summer, when, after the intensive growth of young shoots, the line between living and dried areas is clearly visible.

At the age of seven to ten years, the plant needs rejuvenation: replacing one old branch with a young vegetative shoot.

Trellis

Like any liana, actinidia needs a strong support.

In the second year after planting for actinidia, it is imperative to install a trellis - a kind of support for the plant, which must be at least 2.5 m high. To form a plant on a bush, only a couple of main shoots are left, and the rest are cut off. A year later, one of the old shoots is removed again, replacing it with another, carrying out the procedure every three to four years in the future.

top dressing

For the season, it is desirable to carry out three dressings of actinidia:

• spring (late April-early May), with the addition of nitrogen-potassium fertilizers to stimulate the growth of new shoots;
• summer (June-July), with the addition of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, which have a positive effect on flowering and fruit set;
• autumn (September - October, after harvest), for which you should purchase a special fertilizer "For autumn application”, providing the plant with a good wintering and energy for the next growing season.

Pest and disease control

Actinidia is quite resistant to diseases and pests. In order to protect the plant from adverse effects for a long time, it is only necessary to provide it with the right full care.

To protect the plant from spots on the leaves caused by various fungal infections, it is important to regularly cut off damaged or dried branches and fruits.

To prevent the appearance of leaf beetles on plants that eat buds and damage leaves, actinidia should be treated every spring with Bordeaux liquid, a solution of soda ash (0.5%).

Reproduction of actinidia

Males have almost no stamens in flowers.

To successfully propagate actinidia, you need to know several important conditions.

How to distinguish female from male

The ability to distinguish between a male and a female plant appears only during the flowering period of actinidia, which begins in June. You can do this by carefully examining the flowers:

• in a male plant the inflorescence consists of three flowers, in the center of which there is no embryo of the fetus, but there are many stamens. During flowering, fallen flowers are visible under the bush;
• in a female plant the flowers are located on the stalk one at a time, and in the center of each it is easy to notice the ovary of the fruit with a ray-shaped stigma. The flowers have few stamens and are short.

How to distinguish female actinidia flowers from male: video

Propagation by cuttings and seeds

Vegetative propagation using cuttings allows you to determine the sex of the resulting seedling without waiting for flowering, as well as preserve all the characteristics of a particular variety.

There are two main ways of such reproduction:

• Green cuttings, which are carried out at the beginning of summer by cutting one-year-old shoots up to 50-100 cm long. Pruning should be done in the morning, putting the shoots in a jar of water. Later, each branch is cut into cuttings (10-15 cm each) with three leaves. The lower cut is made under the leaf (the leaf itself is removed), and the upper one is 4 cm higher than the leaf. It is necessary to root such cuttings in a greenhouse where moist sandy-humus soil has been prepared. Holding at an angle of 60 °, the cuttings are deepened to the middle bud at a distance of about 5–10 cm from each other and moistened by watering and spraying. IN autumn period the cuttings are sprinkled with fallen leaves, and they are planted in open ground before the movement of the juice begins.
• Rooting of lignified cuttings, carried out in late autumn. The shoots are cut and tied in bunches, stored in a vertical position in a box with sand at a temperature not exceeding 1–5 ° C. In early spring, the cuttings are planted in a greenhouse. They are cared for in the same way as the green ones.

For seed propagation, seeds can be purchased at a store or collected on their own by mashing the pulp of a ripe fruit through cheesecloth, washing and drying the seeds in a cool, dark place.

Before sowing, the seeds are prepared:

1. soak in warm water for 4 days with daily replacement;
2. put into a stocking and kept for three weeks in moist sand at a temperature of 18–20 ° C, removing and washing weekly;
3. in the first days of January, the container with sand is placed in the refrigerator for two months, continuing weekly washings;
4. in early March, the seeds are sown in containers with mixed soddy soil and sand to a depth of 0.5 cm, kept at room temperature and diffused bright light, waiting for seedlings to appear after a few days. Be sure to spray and water the crops, and after sprouts with three leaves appear in the summer, transplant them into a greenhouse, where they will be for several years until the first flowering. And only after it will be possible to determine the sex of the plants, they are planted in open ground in a permanent place.

Actinidia

There is probably no greater joy for a gardener than to grow some new plant. One of such welcome guests in the garden plots of Russia has become a berry crop - actinidia. If someone else does not know what it is about, then just remember the kiwi. Kiwi is one of the southern varieties of actinidia.

In the 2000s, varieties of Polish selection, such as Adam, Dr. Szymanowski and others, became pioneers in the market of actinidia seedlings in our country. For some time, these varieties of imported selection were the only ones in our region, and therefore good. We acquired these varieties, not knowing about the huge and successful work of our scientists. However, domestic breeders have worked for decades and continue to work to improve the varieties of this berry crop, making them more suitable for our cold regions.

Judge for yourself: varieties of imported breeding are not winter-hardy enough for northern regions Russia, but the new varieties of actinidia, bred by our breeders, feel good even during severe frosts. It should also be noted that the activities of domestic scientists also affected the quality of the fruits themselves: the berries turned out to be large and sugary (all gardeners appreciate this). What taste qualities they acquired! Now actinidia with apple, strawberry, pineapple, balsam, banana, fig, grape, date flavors grow in the gardens; there are even those berries that have candy, actinidia (unlike anything and very pleasant) and pepper flavors. One of the most prominent breeders, thanks to which such diversity became possible, is Ella Ioganovna Kolbasina.

E.I. Kolbasina began to actively study actinidia on about. Sakhalin since 1953, and already 30 years later, in the 1980s, successfully introduced it into culture in the Moscow region. It is thanks to her active and many years of work that domestic gardeners received 27 new varieties that successfully passed the test and were entered in the State Register of the Russian Federation as plants adapted for growing in our country. What else can be said about the novelties of domestic actinidia breeding? Each variety has stood the test of time, as many plants from 5 species (more than 200 varieties) have been studied and grown for 30 years in the Moscow region. And, as practice shows, all these varieties of domestic selection feel great in open fields with a northern slope (moreover: without supports, without irrigation, without fertilizer, without weeding). As practice has shown, if in unfavorable breeding conditions they survive and give a good harvest, then, subject to agricultural technology, the harvest, fruit quality and appearance of plants exceed all expectations.

Speaking about the origin of actinidia, it is important to note that they are found in nature in a wild form in the Far East. Although their range used to cover most of Russia, glaciations narrowed their habitat to the Far Eastern taiga. And the fact that actinidia survived in those difficult conditions suggests that it is a hardy plant. And even now the Far East does not please the liana with good weather - cold winters and cool summers. Therefore, planting this berry crop today on the territory of the middle zone, we simply return it to its native habitats and most often transfer it even to better conditions than in our modern homeland.

According to frost resistance, types of actinidia can be arranged in the following order:

Actinidia kolomikta (up to -45 -50 C);

Actinidia arguta, a. hybrid a. giraldi (up to -28 -40 C);

Actinidia polygamum (up to -28 -35 C);

Actinidia purpurea (up to - 25 C);

Actinidia Chinese (kiwi) (up to -8 -15C).

It is worth emphasizing that for the Moscow region, and indeed the central strip of Russia, the type a is not at all suitable. Chinese (kiwi), but a. kolomikta will be able to adapt to a much more severe climate than the middle lane.

All actinidia suffer from late spring and early autumn frosts on a par with northern grape varieties. However, the trend towards a reduction in the period of frosts and their intensity (due to global climate change) that has been outlined in recent decades has very sharply increased the prospects of actinidia for the middle zone. Actinidia has become almost invulnerable and confidently marches north!

The taste qualities of this berry culture are worthy of special attention. Many novelties of actinidia breeding are similar in taste to kiwi, and to be more precise, to the fruits of a. sweet (kiwi is the commercial name). Breeders from New Zealand have been creating this hybrid for 80 years, trying to improve wild-growing a. Chinese. Well done, they did it successfully, but, unfortunately, their plant is not suitable for our cold regions. However, again returning to our domestic breeders, new varieties of actinidia have appeared. And they surpassed kiwi in many ways, especially in flavor and aroma. First, unlike kiwi, the skin is very thin, hairless and tender. The taste of the fruit is balanced, harmonious and it can be sweet, sweet and sour and even peppery. Also, breeders "decorated" some types of actinidia: the skin and pulp can be not only green, but also olive, purple and orange. The basis of the excellent taste of these fruits is their consistently high sugar content. In the best modern varieties offered to you, the sugar content of fruit pulp does not fall below 10%, sometimes reaching 17% - this is comparable to melon and grapes, and overlaps most of the fruits traditional for the middle lane. berry crops.

Further in this article, many varieties of actinidia of domestic selection are listed by species. All of these plants can be purchased at online store Zilli-on.

Actinidia Kolomikta

This type of actinidia is quite famous and popular. The most frost-resistant type. It is often called small raisins, raisins and arctic beauty. This species got its name "kolomikta" because of the variegated color of the leaves (in translation, it means "burning, blinding"). A. kolomikta is recognized by scientists as the most cold-hardy species (recall that it is not afraid of 50-degree frosts). That is why she is sometimes called the Arctic beauty. Differs in precociousness: two-year-olds give the first crop on next year after planting in the spring. Lives for over 50 years. The fruits are showered (except for the Moma variety).

Liana can grow up to seven meters in height. Most of the plants are self-fertile. In this regard, several male varieties should be planted next to the female varieties (usually two or three pollinators are enough for eight female plants, it is better that the pollinator varieties are different - the harvest will be more abundant and tastier). This species has one distinctive feature that makes it interesting not only as a berry crop, but also as an ornamental plant. This is about variegated leaves plants. By the beginning of summer, their color changes: they become white-pink-green. It is male plants that change color to a greater extent. This is worth considering if you decide to buy actinidia seedlings. Berries have a different aroma: most often it depends on the plant variety. Considering the varieties of this species listed below, you can see that there is a pineapple, strawberry, date, fig aroma (it can be from several combinations at the same time).

Kolomikta is the champion among all known berries in terms of the content of ascorbic acid, second only to some types of wild rose. In 2 berries - as a rule, the daily requirement of an adult.

Varieties of actinidia kolomikta:

Variety name		Weight/berry size (mm)
Waffle (new variety)	Strongly elongated, cylindrical shape. The color of the skin is olive green, dark olive. Sometimes there is a blush. Medium SS.	3.0 g (up to 6.0 g), 30x12x11	Sweet and sour, strong actinidia aroma. Ascorbic acid - 1544 mg, sugar - 11.2%, acidity - 1.2%
Grape	The berry is oval. Color matte, olive green, dark olive. Sometimes there is a blush. Early SS.	2.3 g., 23x14x10	Sour-sweet/sweet, marmalade-apple aroma. Ascorbic acid - 1562 mg, sugar - 15.4%, acidity - 2.2%
Lakomka (new variety)	The fruit is large, cylindrical. The color of the skin is olive green, with longitudinal light stripes. Medium SS.	4.2 g (up to 5.3 g), 32x18x14	Sweet and sour, pineapple flavor. Ascorbic acid - 1600 mg, acidity - 2.5%, sugar - 12.3%
Moma	Cylindrical berry. The skin is green, dirty green. There are longitudinal stripes. Late SS.	2.7 g., 21x15x14	Very sweet, pineapple flavor. Ascorbic acid - 1224 mg, sugar - 13.0%, acidity - 1.5%
Folk	Oval, slightly flattened fruits. The color is yellowish-green, olive-green, uniform. Medium SS.	3.8 g (up to 4.4 g), 22x19x15	Sweet and sour, apple flavor. Ascorbic acid - 1700 mg, sugar - 12.7%, acidity - 1.18%
Festive	Strongly elongated, cylindrical shape. The color of the skin is uniform, yellowish-green, dirty green. Early SS.	3.0 g (up to 3.5 g), 29x14x13	Sweet/slightly sour-sweet, apple aroma. Ascorbic acid - 1900 mg, acidity - 1.4%, sugar - 12.7%
Homestead	Berries are cylindrical, elongated. The color is dark olive, olive green. Early SS.	4.5 g (up to 4.9 g), 34x17x15	Sour-sweet, apple-pineapple aroma. Ascorbic acid - 1568 mg, acidity - 1.4%, sugar - 10%
Sweetheart	The shape is cylindrical, elongated. The color of the berry is yellowish green or olive green. Early SS.	2.0 g (up to 2.5 g), 24x11x10	Sweet, with marmalade flavor. Ascorbic acid - 1618 mg, sugar - 12.2%
Magpie	The fruits are cylindrical, strongly elongated. The skin is olive green. Early SS.	2.5 g (up to 2.7 g), 28x12x10	Sweet, actinidia aroma. Ascorbic acid - 2200 mg
Fantasy Gardens (new variety)	Strongly elongated, cylindrical berry, colored yellowish green. There is a blush and longitudinal light stripes. Early SS.	3.0 g (up to 3.9 g), 33x14x13	Sweet and sour, pineapple flavor. Ascorbic acid - 1900 mg, acidity - 1.1%, sugar - 14.5%

Actinidia Arguta

Actinidia of this species can grow up to seven meters. They are considered one of the most vigorous, durable and powerful plants in the Actinidia family from the Far East. Loves the sun. The plant, including the novelties of actinidia breeding, cannot boast of the same decorative leaves as a. kolomikta. But this species has another advantage - larger fruits, their almost complete non-shattering, a more abundant harvest and often maximum sugar content. Also, new varieties of actinidia arguta have different flavors: melon, banana, grape and many others. It is less fruitful than kolomikta and polygamum: two-year-olds give the first crop in 2-3 years after planting in the spring. More durable: lives up to 100 years.

Listed below are some of the most popular varieties of this species.

Varieties of actinidia argut:

Variety name	Description / Ripening time (SS)	Weight/berry size (mm)	Taste/aroma/content of useful elements (100g)
Balsam (promising variety)	An oval fruit with a dirty green, dark olive color. The color is uniform. Late SS	5.3 g (up to 8.1 g), 24x22x18	Sour-sweet, balsamic aroma
Dachnaya	Large cylindrical, barrel-shaped berries. Color yellowish green. Medium SS.	5g (up to 6g), 26x21x19	sweet and sour
Geneva	Barrel-shaped, cylindrical shape. Color red-green. Late SS.	5 g (up to 8 g), 27x25x23	Sweet, light honey aroma
Zvezdnaya (new variety)	Cylindrical berry. The color is olive green with a reddish blush. Middle SS.	4 g (up to 6 g), berry length - 25-35 mm	Sweet and sour, pineapple flavor
Green balm	Oval fruit with an olive green color. Middle late SS	8 g (up to 10 g)	Unusual, pleasant taste, sweet with a slight sourness
Golden Spit (promising variety)	The shape of the fruit is cylindrical. The skin is green, yellowish-green. Late SS.	6 g (up to 9.8 g), 27x19x16	Sweet, with apple flavor
Ilona (new variety)	Cylindrical, laterally compressed fruits. Color olive green. Late SS.	4 g (up to 8 g), 35x28x25	Sour-sweet, fruity aroma
Lunar	The berries are large, cylindrical. The skin is olive green. Middle SS.	4 g (up to 6 g), 29x25x23	Sweet and sour
Mikhnevskaya (promising variety)	The fruits are cylindrical, olive-green in color. Middle SS.	Up to 10 g	Sour-sweet, pineapple flavor, one of the most delicious
Primorskaya	Elongated oval shape. The skin is shiny, green, yellowish-green. Late SS.	6.6 g (up to 8.3 g), 24x21x18	Sweet and sour, apple flavor
September	Elliptical shape. The berries are dark green. Medium SS.	7 g (up to 10 g), diameter 26 mm.	Sweet/sweet, pineapple flavor. Ascorbic acid - 183 mg, acidity - 1.1%, sugar - 17.5%
Taiga emerald	Shortened, cylindrical shape. The color is matte, uniform, dark green. Medium SS.	3.6 g, 21x17x15	Sour-sweet, strawberry aroma. Ascorbic acid - 70.4 mg, sugar - 12.7%, acidity 1.6%
Relay (promising variety)	The berries are oval in shape, the sides are compressed. Color green, dirty green. Middle SS.	Up to 17.2 g (one of the largest fruits)	Sweet with sourness, apple-pineapple flavor.

actinidia polygama

Perhaps one of the features of this plant is that ripe berries have a beautiful orange color. In addition to this advantage, new varieties of actinidia are rich in biologically active substances - carotenoids (competes with sea buckthorn and carrots). At the same time, organic acids are found in small quantities in the berries, which makes this species especially interesting for those who need dietary nutrition. It is impossible not to mention the unusual and wonderful palatability ah actinidia polygama - the taste resembles a little Bell pepper and figs! Delicious and unusual. High palatability and fig-like taste are provided by excellent sugar content in modern varieties - 12% or more. Slightly unripe fruits have a strong - burning taste - be careful! With full ripening and softening, the burning sensation disappears. There are varieties whose fruits, when ripe, have the taste of hot pepper - they make excellent sauces, adjika, etc. - like from hot pepper. It is also worth noting that nutritional value possess not only the fruits of the plant. Very often, young shoots with leaves are added to spring salads (you can also use it simply with soy sauce, it tastes like watercress). This species has very fragrant flowers, they smell like jasmine. Interestingly, not only gardeners appreciate actinidia polygamum, but also our smaller brothers - cats. They like to gnaw on these plants more than other types of actinidia, so you should initially think about how to protect them from these pests.

Polygama, like kolomikta, is characterized by early fertility: two-year-olds give the first crop the next year - a year after planting in the spring. Lives for over 50 years.

Varieties of actinidia polygamum:

Variety name	Description / Ripening time (SS)	Weight/berry size (mm)	Taste/aroma/content of useful elements (100g)
Beta	Cylindrical berry, orange-red skin. Late SS.	3.7 g (up to 4.0 g), 28x15x14	Figs - sweet pepper, pepper-fig aroma. Ascorbic acid - 162 mg, carotenoids - 6.4 mg%
Firebird	Elongated, cylindrical fruit. The skin of the berries is dark orange. Late SS.	5.0 g (up to 5.6 g), 28x17x14	Hot pepper, slight pepper aroma. Ascorbic acid - 139.4 mg, sugar - 11.5%, acidity - 0.4%
Yellow spindle (promising variety)	Elongated, oval berry. Reddish to orange coloration. Late SS.	5.3 g (up to 6.4 g), 26x17x17	Figs - sweet pepper, pepper-fig aroma. Ascorbic acid - 89 mg, sugar - 12.6%, acid - 0.6%
Zlata (promising variety)	The berries are cylindrical-elongated. Fruit color is orange. Middle SS.	Up to 6.5 g (one of the most productive varieties)
Lesnaya (promising variety)	Elongated, cylindrical fruits. The color is orange. Middle SS.	Up to 7.8 g (one of the largest varieties)	Sweet, pleasant taste, figs - sweet peppers, peppery fig aroma.
spark	Elongated, conical shape. The skin is shiny, orange. Late SS.	3.2 g (up to 4.0 g), 27x14x13	Figs - sweet pepper, pepper-fig aroma.
Autumn (promising variety)	Oval fruit with dark orange color. Late SS.	3.3 g, 23x16x15	Figs - sweet pepper, pepper-fig aroma. Ascorbic acid -172.4 mg, sugar - 15.4%, acidity - 0.58%
spicy	Wide oval fruit shape. Dark orange glossy skin. Late SS.	3.5 g, 23x17x16	Hot pepper, pepper flavor. Ascorbic acid - 151 mg, sugar - 14.2%, acidity - 0.56%
Pepper (promising variety)	The berry is cylindrical, elongated. The skin is reddish, matte. Late SS.	4.7 g (up to 5.6 g), 28x16x15	Figs - sweet pepper, pepper-fig aroma. Ascorbic acid - 214 mg, sugar - 13.8%, acidity - 0.64%
Sweet number plate	Elongated cylindrical shape. Berry orange-green color. Late SS.	4 g (up to 5 g)	Delicate, sweet, figs - sweet pepper, peppery fig aroma.
patterned	The shape of the fruit is elongated, cylindrical. Orange color, there are longitudinal, barely distinguishable stripes. Late SS.	5.4 g (up to 6.6 g), 3.0x17x15	Figs - sweet pepper, pepper-fig aroma. Ascorbic acid - 89 mg, sugar - 5.2%, acidity - 0.9%, carotenoids - 2.7 mg%
Healing	Cylindrical shape. The skin is orange to dark orange in color. Late SS.	3.9 g (up to 4.2 g), 3.2x14x11	Figs - sweet pepper, pepper-fig aroma. Ascorbic acid - 184 mg

Actinidia hybrida

As for this new subspecies, it appeared thanks to the breeder I. M. Shaitan from Kyiv. The scientist and his group crossed a. arguta and a. purple. The purpose of this hybridization is a new improved species. As a result, new varieties of actinidia should have received high winter hardiness and large fruit from a. arguta, but from a. purple - aroma, taste and bouquet type of flowering and fruiting. Here it is worth mentioning such varieties as Kyiv hybrid, Figured, September. New varieties had the intended qualities, but were not winter hardy enough for the Moscow region. Then work on actinidia hybrida was continued by E.M. Sausage. Frost-resistant "children" from Kiev varieties were obtained by the method of selecting senets. As a result of the work of this outstanding breeder, varieties appeared that not only had high rates of large-fruited, palatable qualities and bouquet (bouquet is a multiplicity, when not 1-3 fruits develop from one flower bud, but a whole cluster), but were well suited for central Russia . One of the new varieties of actinidia was even given the name a. hybrid Kolbasina (in honor of the breeder). Hybrid varieties, compared with a. argut, had an interesting, both the color of both the skin and the pulp: the skin turned out to be pinkish or purple, and the flesh has a red color around the core (sometimes the core itself is colored like that). It is these new varieties of actinidia, "kids" and seedlings, which have shown high winter hardiness, that the Zilli-on online store is actively introducing to the market of the central zone of the Russian Federation.

Varieties of actinidia hybrid:

Variety name	Description / Ripening time (SS)	Weight/berry size (mm)	Taste/aroma/content of useful elements (100g)
Kyiv hybrid-10	Large, oval berries. The coloring is green. Late SS.	Up to 9.7 g	Delicate, sweet taste. Ascorbic acid - 140 mg, sugar - 16%, acidity - 0.8%
Kyiv large-fruited	The berries are large, broadly oval. The skin is green, there are light subcutaneous specks. Late SS.	Up to 9.0 g	Sweet taste, delicate aroma. Ascorbic acid - 146.4 mg, sugar - 10.8%, acidity - 0.8%
Candy	The fruits are oval. The coloring is green. Late SS.	Up to 8.2 g	Taste sweet, fruity-caramel aroma
Souvenir		Up to 8 g	The taste is sweet, fig-candy-fruity aroma
Hybrid Sausage	The fruits are oval. Color greenish red. Late SS.	Up to 16 g - a record holder among hybrid actinidia near Moscow	The taste is sweet, surprisingly harmonious. Candy-fruity aroma.

actinidia giraldi

Agronomists and breeders refer this type of actinidia to variety a. Arguta, or at least consider them to be close relatives among themselves. But still, the new varieties of actinidia giraldi differ from their “girlfriend” in larger and sweeter fruits. Actinidia giraldi in its wild form is a very rare plant and is listed in the Red Book. Therefore, planting this species on his site, the gardener, sometimes without realizing it, contributes to the preservation of this valuable plant. The fruits of this species can vary in shape and size, as with all actinidia, the size of the fruit can greatly increase after proper shaping and rationing of the crop. For example, after pruning, the Tuzemka variety bore fruit with 26-gram berries. Its fruits are round, similar to heavenly apples, surprisingly harmonious and tasty, they want to eat more and more ...

Varieties of actinidia giraldi:

Variety name	Description / Ripening time (SS)	Weight/berry size (mm)	Taste/aroma/content of useful elements (100g)
Juliania		10 g (up to 15.1 g) (one of the largest varieties)	Sweet, with pineapple-apple flavor
Native	The shape is barrel-shaped, compressed, shortened. Dirty green matte skin color. Late SS.	7.5 g (up to 10.4 g), 22x30x18	Sweet, with a strong pineapple flavor
Alevtina	Compressed, barrel-shaped. The color is green. Late SS.	12 g (up to 20 g) (one of the largest varieties)	Sweet, with pineapple-apple-strawberry flavor

Actinidia is a perennial woody vine from the Actinidia family. Its homeland is Southeast Asia and the Himalayas. Branched shoots are covered with beautiful leaves, so actinidia can be used for gardening, especially varieties with variegated foliage. But most of all it is famous for its tasty and healthy fruits. Not everyone knows yet that the same kiwi is the fruit of one of the plant species. Of course, most actinidia varieties are small-fruited and not so pubescent, but they are all very tasty. Even an ordinary gardener is quite capable of starting this crop on the site along with the usual currants and gooseberries.

plant description

Actinidia is a deciduous perennial with branched shoots. It is fed by a fibrous superficial rhizome, capable of producing lateral shoots up to 1.5-2 m long. The stems remain flexible for a long time and are covered with gray-brown smooth bark. Young shoots are slightly pubescent. Liana braids tree trunks, poles or other supports. In the natural environment, its length reaches 30-50 m, and its thickness is only 2-3 cm.

Whole petiole leaves grow alternately. Egg-shaped or oval leaf plates with serrated edges are painted in red-green color. The length of the leaf is 8-15 cm. Species with variegated foliage are very decorative. It can be a yellowish border around the edge or a contrasting pink tip.

Actinidia is a dioecious liana, that is, there are plants with exclusively male flowers or only with female ones. Small flowers bloom singly or are collected in small groups in corymbose inflorescences. They are almost odorless. Buds open in June-July, starting at the age of 5-7 years. Male flowers are devoid of ovary and have only a bunch of stamens in the center. Female flowers except stamens with sterile pollen have an ovary. All corollas with a diameter of 1-3 cm are bell-shaped calyx with white or golden petals.

Actinidia is pollinated by wind, bumblebees and bees, after which fruits ripen on female plants - oblong juicy berries with a thin brown-green skin. This happens in September for three weeks. The surface of the fruit may be smooth or pubescent. Closer to the center in several rows are small black seeds. The size of the fetus varies greatly. It can be only 1-1.5 cm or almost 8 cm.

Types and varieties of actinidia

In total, there are 75 main species in the actinidia genus. In addition to them, there are varieties with pronounced decorative or fruit properties. In Russia, frost-resistant varieties are used, adapted to growth in open field.

Actinidia arguta (acute). The largest variety. The length of its vines reaches 36 m, and the diameter of the base of the stem is 15 cm. The shoots are covered with light brown bark with vertical cracks. Rounded or oval leaves up to 16 cm long grow alternately. They have a bare dark green surface and fine teeth along the edge. Fragrant white-green flowers with a diameter of 1.5-2 cm bloom in July. By September, green oval berries with a diameter of 1.5-3 cm ripen. They have a sugary-sweet taste reminiscent of figs. Varieties:

• Actinidia is self fertile. A frost-resistant plant already in mid-September gives the first fruits - juicy cylindrical berries weighing up to 18 g. Plant yield - up to 12 kg.
• Large-fruited. Drought-resistant and frost-resistant liana gives oval fruits weighing 10-18 g. Under the smooth dark green skin with a ruddy side, fragrant honey pulp is hidden.

A winding branched liana up to 9 m long is covered with ovate petiolate leaves 7-13 cm long. On young leaves there is a reddish pile. The plant is monoecious, bisexual fragrant flowers bloom on it. Buds grow 1-3 pieces in the axils of the leaves. Oblong fruits with a diameter of 5-6 cm are covered with a fleecy brown skin. Beneath it lies a sweet and sour greenish flesh with small black seeds.

The frost-resistant liana grows 5-10 m long. At the base, the thickness of the stem is about 2 cm. Male plants are variegated. In summer, when flowering, the tip of the leaf acquires a whitish-pink color, and later becomes bright crimson. In late autumn, the foliage turns yellow-pink or red-violet. Fragrant flowers bloom in July, and green fruits 20-25 mm long ripen in early September. Varieties:

• Adam is an ornamental deciduous male plant;
• Doctor Shimanovsky is a dioecious plant with pinkish leaves and tasty juicy fruits;
• Clara Zetkin - a female plant produces fragrant, sweet fruits weighing about 3.5 g;
• Vitakola - gives sweet and sour fruits up to 4.5 cm long;
• Lakomka - the plant produces sweet and sour fruits with the aroma of pineapple weighing 4-5.5 g.

A rather rare plant, similar to acute actinidia. Its very sweet and rather large fruits are covered with dense emerald skin. Varieties:

• Juliania - cylindrical berries with an apple-pineapple aroma and sweet taste weigh 10-15 g;
• Alevtina - barrel-shaped emerald fruits weighing 12-20 g smell like apple, pineapple and strawberries at the same time.

Actinidia is polygamous. A flexible liana 4-5 m high is covered with oval leaves with a pointed edge. The plant blooms white small flowers, and later gives edible sweet and sour fruits weighing about 3 g.

Actinidia polygamous

Growing from seed

For seed propagation, fresh seeds should be used. They can be bought at the store or obtained from a ripe fruit yourself. The pulp is kneaded through gauze, then the seeds are washed and dried in a cool, shaded place. Before sowing, it is necessary to prepare. First, the seeds are soaked in warm water for 4 days. Water is changed daily. Then they are placed in a stocking and immersed for 3 weeks in wet sand with a temperature of +18…+20°C. The stocking is removed and washed weekly. In early January, a container of sand and seeds is buried in a snowdrift or placed in a refrigerator for 2 months. Continue to remove and wash the seeds in the stocking weekly.

After such a long preparation, the seeds are sown in boxes with a mixture of soddy soil and sand to a depth of 0.5 cm. Already when planting, some seeds will hatch. Seedlings will appear within a few days. They are kept at room temperature and bright diffused light. It is important to spray daily and water the crops regularly. In summer, plants with 3-4 leaves are transplanted into a greenhouse, where they are grown for several years before flowering. When the sex of the seedlings is determined, they can be planted in the garden in a permanent place.

Vegetative propagation

Gardeners like vegetative propagation because you can immediately determine the sex of the resulting seedling and not wait for flowering. Also, with this method, all varietal characteristics are preserved. The main methods of vegetative propagation:

• Green cuttings. At the beginning of summer, one-year-old shoots 50-100 cm long are cut from the tops of the vine. Pruning is carried out in the morning and the sprouts are placed in a jar of water. Then each long branch is cut into cuttings of 10-15 cm with 3 leaves. The lower cut is made under the sheet, and the sheet itself is removed. The upper cut is located 4-5 cm above the leaf. Rooting is carried out in a greenhouse with moist sandy-humus soil. The cuttings are placed at an angle of 60 ° with a distance of 5-10 cm. They are deepened to the middle kidney. Seedlings are regularly watered and sprayed 5 times a day. In autumn, the cuttings are sprinkled with fallen leaves. Until next spring, they remain in their original place. The transplant is carried out before the start of sap flow.
• Rooting woody cuttings. In late autumn, lignified shoots are cut, tied in small bunches and stored vertically in a box of sand. The temperature must not exceed +1…+5°C. In early spring, they are planted in a greenhouse and begin to water. Care is similar to the treatment of green cuttings.
• Arc outlets. When the leaves bloom, the large shoot is tilted and pinned to the ground. A layer of soil 10-15 cm high is poured on top and watered. You can fix the stem anywhere, but leave the top on the surface. By autumn, the shoot will grow its own roots. It is cut off and planted separately. You can postpone the transplant until next spring.

Landing and care

Actinidia is planted in early spring or late autumn. Plants prefer loose fertile soils. For each, they dig a hole 50 cm deep. Gravel or crushed stone is poured into the bottom. The root neck is deepened by 2 cm. The soil should be slightly acidic or neutral, the presence of lime is unacceptable. Peat and compost are added to the soil. After planting, the plants are fertilized ammonium nitrate, wood ash and superphosphate. The distance between seedlings should be 1-1.5 m.

For actinidia to bear fruit, one male plant is planted for every 6-7 female plants. All of them should be close to each other so that insects can move freely between plants.

Actinidia does not have mustaches and aerial roots, so from the moment of landing, you need to immediately take care of the support. It can be a fence, a wicker wall of an arbor, an arch or another structure.

The plant needs regular watering. It is advisable to water the vine by sprinkling at least once a week. In case of drought, 6-8 buckets of water are poured weekly under the root. The soil at the roots is regularly loosened and weeds are removed.

Plants are fed twice a month with mineral complexes with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Fertilizer in the form of granules is scattered on the surface of the earth at the roots.

Pruning is carried out from 4-5 years. It is necessary to regularly thin out the crown and straighten the shoots along the support. Too dense thickets cease to bloom and bear fruit. The tips are pinched to increase branching. At the age of 8-10 years, the plant is rejuvenated. In late autumn, the entire ground part is cut to stumps 40 cm in height.

For the winter, the vine is removed from the support and laid on the ground. From above it is sprinkled with fallen leaves and spruce branches to a height of 20 cm. Poison from mice must be put on the ground itself so that they do not damage the plant. In the spring, the shelter is removed, carried out sanitary pruning and straighten the shoots along the support.

Medicinal properties and contraindications

Actinidia has great benefit. Its berries contain a large amount of ascorbic acid, fatty oils, micro and macro elements. Using them, you can improve the body and strengthen the immune system. Fragrant berries relieve whooping cough, scurvy, anemia, bronchitis, tuberculosis, rheumatism, constipation, dizziness, hypertension and fever.

Fruits are eaten fresh and jams, preserves, kissels, compotes, marmalade are prepared. Useful properties bark, leaves and flowers also possess. Decoctions and oils are prepared from them for internal use, body wraps and therapeutic massage.

Due to the large number of active substances, actinidia is contraindicated in people prone to allergic reactions, suffering from thrombophlebitis, varicose veins veins, high blood clotting.

Actinidia berry remains exotic for many gardeners. It is believed that you need to know the secrets of its cultivation in order to obtain at least some decent harvest. Actually it is not. The proposed description of actinidia will dispel all fears and doubts, since the culture is quite simple in everyday care. Numerous varieties allow you to choose suitable species for any climate zone. See the description of actinidia and photos, choose, learn new things and experiment on your backyard.

Liana actinidia kolomikta plant: leaves and how it blooms, fruits and fruiting (with photo)

Sem. actinidiae

Motherland - countries of East Asia, Russia (forests of the Far East)

Genus Actinidia (Actinidia Lindl.) belongs to the Actinidiaceae family (Actinidiaceae Van Tieghem), has from 36 to 40 species. The name of the genus was given because of the ovary columns arranged in the shape of an asterisk. Translated from Latin "actis" means "star". According to another version, the name was given from the Greek word activiziov, which means "ray".

The actinidia liana plant grows well in mixed cedar-broad-leaved and fir-broad-leaved forests, as well as birch and alder forests, in thickets of shrubs and bamboo, along the banks of streams and rivers, along the northern slopes of mountains, rising to a height of 800 m above sea level. The actinidia kolomikta plant prefers to grow in groups of 5-10 vines. Chooses soils that are well-drained, stony, with a sufficient degree of moisture so that there are groundwater outlets. On sand dunes, the plant has the form of a low-growing shrub, up to 50 cm high, with short non-curly shoots.

This Far Eastern liana came to us quite recently and our gardeners fell in love with its taste of "kiwi". But some difficulty in cultivating it baffles many and sometimes forces them to abandon its cultivation. Although, having some knowledge of the basics of cultivation, you can successfully cultivate it in our gardens and enjoy the amazing fruits of actinidia creepers, which diversify your daily diet.

In nature, the largest species diversity actinidium is noted in Southeast Asia, the Himalayas.

In Russia, actinidia grow in natural conditions in the Far East, mainly in sparse forests, distributed up to an altitude of 1300 m above sea level. Actinidia is also common in the south of Primorsky Krai, in the south of Sakhalin Island and in the southern Kuril Islands. Actinidia need support for normal growth and development. In the forests, trees serve as such a support, along which they rise to a decent height, grow widely, bloom and bear fruit.

The most common are two types of actinidia: but. kolomikta (A. kolomikta) and but. acute (A. arguta). Also found but. Chinese (A.chinensis).

Actinidia - climbing liana, sometimes climbs trees to a height of 10 m, and on open places it is a small climbing shrub. The trunk and branches are smooth or slightly pubescent, 2 - 3 cm thick, reddish-brown. The roots have a fibrous appearance, they do not go deep into the ground, but in the plane they can spread within a radius of up to 1.5–2 meters. Actinidia leaves alternate ovate, red-green, 8-15 cm long. Shoots are dark brown or red. It is interesting how actinidia blooms: the flowers are white or slightly pink, with a pleasant delicate aroma, they form on the shoots of the current year. The plant is dioecious. Female flowers are solitary, male flowers are 2-3 collected in an inflorescence. Blooms in June - July. When fruiting actinidia, a berry is formed with numerous seeds, round or cylindrical in shape. Fruit weight 4-12 g, color brown or green. Berries ripen in September. Naturally, fruits are formed only on female plants. An adult liana at the age of 10 years gives up to 5 kg of berries. The seeds are small, dark brown or yellowish, located in the seed chambers in the center of the berry. The weight of 1000 pieces is from 0.8 to 1.0 g (one berry contains more than 100 seeds, 1 kg contains 600 ... 700 thousand seeds). The seeds give the fruit a peculiar nutty flavor. Seed germination persists throughout the year. The following is an actinidia kolomikta in a photo illustrating the grace of this vine:

The plant easily tolerates low temperatures. For central Russia, a is especially suitable. acute. Actinidia arguta and kolomikta are also cultivated in the gardens. The berries of the first are 1.5 times larger and practically do not crumble when ripe, and its bushes are more productive. Fruiting of actinidia kolomikta begins at 3–4 years of plant life, arguta - at 5 years. Although it sometimes drops the first flowering. Kolomikta berries hang on the vine for another 5–7 days, and then fall off. Therefore, eating berries should be timely and controversial. When the first scree appears, it is necessary to collect all the berries and scatter on a tray, where it quickly ripens. Arguta berries hang on the vine quite firmly and longer. The taste of berries resembles the taste of kiwi fruits, but even more tender and soft.

Types and varieties of actinidia: description and photo

Of all the species diversity, the following species and varieties have become widespread as a berry crop: Actinidia kolomikta (A. kolomikta Maxim.); Actinidia arguta (A. arguta Planch. ex Mig.); actinidia giralda (A. giraldii Diels.);actinidia polygama (A. poligama Maxim.); Actinidia purpurea (A. purpurea Rehd.); Actinidia sinensis (A.chinensis), a synonym Actinidia gourmet (A. deliciosa) - known to all kiwi. Let's look at the description of the actinidia variety in a brief summary in order to form an initial impression.

The first four species are successfully grown on the territory of Russia, and the last two - Actinidia purpurea and Actinidia chinensis can grow in Russia only in the south, in a subtropical climate. The most winter-hardy, and therefore the most common in the conditions of central Russia, turned out to be Actinidia kolomikta. Description of the actinidia variety with a photo allows you to carefully study the culture and make the right choice of seedlings or seeds:

Kolomikta is a dioecious plant, that is, there are male specimens of this plant and female ones. They can be distinguished only when they enter the fruiting phase, at the time of flowering. Female flowers are white bells, not very large, singly located 5-7 cm along the entire length of the vine. Men's are exactly the same, but they bloom in a group, from 3 to 15 at once in one bunch. Without male, female creepers will naturally be barren, and you will not get any harvest from them.

Flowering of actinidia kolomikta can last up to 20 days and is accompanied by a strong aroma. After flowering, the vine sets edible, also very fragrant, delicate fruits. The fruits of actinidia kolomikta are cylindrical, up to 1.8 cm long, dark green, with dark longitudinal stripes.

Kolomikta has a very strange feature: she produces the pigment athecyan, and this happens at any time during the summer. For example, red-colored shoots of peonies, just emerging tulips, new shoots of roses are red only in spring. Actinidia, on the other hand, has the ability to paint its leaves in different colors at any time in the middle of summer. Her tips may turn white, do not be alarmed - this is not a lack of nutrition, not a disease, but simply her feature. In addition, she may have silver stripes in the middle of the leaf - also a feature of this vine. Such a variety of colors makes the vine very elegant, and that is why it is called the variegated vine.

Actinidia kolomikta is very hardy. She came to us from the Far East and can endure -40 degrees. However, there is another danger: in spring, at a temperature of only -4 ... -5 degrees, all young shoots die, and since they die, they also die. flower buds. So you won't get a harvest. In the spring they need to be protected from spring frosts by throwing lutrasil on them. But the liana grows up to 3–5 m in length, and how will you cover such a plant? There is a way out, the only way is to drive a stake and let the vine go not along the support, and not along the fence, and not along the wall, but around this stake. It will twist counterclockwise and create a funny bush. You will get a green fountain.

Many varieties of actinidia kolomikta were created by I. V. Michurin: Harvest, Early, Late, Pineapple Michurina. The outstanding Leningrad professor F.K. Teterev worked hard on the development of varieties of actinidia for the Leningrad region. He and his followers from the All-Union Institute of Plant Growing (VIR) created varieties that were quite viable for our climate: Leningrad early, Leningrad large, Pobeda, Pavlovskaya, Worthy, Large. Selection work continues to this day.

There are several purely decorative types of actinidia, among them actinidia Polygama, growing in the Far East, a rather heat-loving plant.

Actinidia is a taiga plant, several species of which grow in the Ussuri taiga in the Far East of our country. There is a variety Kishmish of the Ussuri large actinidia, the shoots of which can reach 20–30 m and yield up to 20 kg.

There is also a Manchurian actinidia, it is called the Ussuri gooseberry. The aroma of its flowers resembles the smell of lily of the valley, the fruits are tastier than those of other actinidia. They look like gooseberries with a smooth, thin, translucent skin.

Growing in the Far East nosed actinidia, which is called "pepper" for fruits that have a spout like a pepper, a bright orange color and a burning taste. After autumn frosts, this pungency disappears and the fruits become very tasty.

Gives the largest fruits actinidia kiwi, which was bred in Australia and got its name in honor of the kiwi bird, which lives exclusively in this country and is a symbol of Australia along with the kangaroo. Everyone is familiar with the fruits of this actinidia, covered with a hairy brownish peel. They have a delicate aroma and taste.

Grows in nature actinidia arguta, in which the fruits are as shaggy as those of kiwi, and have the same taste, but much smaller. Flowering usually occurs in early June, so the ovaries are never damaged by return frosts and the adult vine bears fruit regularly and abundantly.

The berries of actinidia arguta are large, one-dimensional, depending on the variety, monochromatic green, purple or tan. Their shape can also vary: from ovoid-oblong to pronounced pear-shaped, as in the Curly variety.

Actinidia arguta or kolomikta: which is better

Actinidia arguta is inferior to actinidia kolomikta in decorativeness, but it significantly surpasses it in terms of the output of marketable products in the form of rather large, weighing 13–18 g, oblong fruits, sweet and having a delicate smell of pineapple. If the yield from one vine of actinidia kolomikta is on average 3 kg, then in arguta this figure is 40–50 kg or more! To answer the question of which is better: actinidia arguta or kolomikta, each gardener must independently.

Liana actinidia arguta lives 70-100 years and is characterized by rapid growth, power, durability, and its trunk at the base can reach the size of an average fruit tree trunk - 10–20 cm! The leaves of actinidia argut are round-ovate, up to 15 cm in length, very dense, glabrous, dark green above, in autumn they turn yellow and light yellow.

Unfortunately, both kiwi and arguta are heat-loving plants and in our country can grow only in the southern regions.

Until now, gardeners in Russia have been bred in the gardens of actinidia of Michurin varieties: Pineapple Michurina and Clara Zetkin.

Clara Zetkin. The fruits are large, weighing 3.5 g. The shape of the berries is cylindrical or oval, elongated. The color when ripe is light green, with a yellowish tinge. The taste is sour-sweet, with a strong aroma. The variety is relatively large-fruited, resistant to fungal diseases.

Pineapple Michurina. Fruits of medium size, weighing 2.3 g. The color when ripe is dark green, the taste is sweet, with a strong pineapple aroma. In the nursery I.V. Michurin, the yield from a fifteen-year-old creeper was about 5 kg (Figure 2). Fragrant. The fruits are large, weighing about 2.9 g, cylindrical, yellowish-green in color, with light longitudinal stripes. The surface is slightly ribbed. The taste is sour-sweet.

VIR-1. The fruits are large, weighing 3.0 g, cylindrical, with a smooth green surface. The taste is sweet and sour, with a slight aroma (Figure 3).

Leningrad large-fruited. The fruits are large, reach a mass of 4.3 g, cylindrical. Color - dark green, with light longitudinal stripes. The surface is smooth. The taste is sweet.

Leningrad late. Medium-sized fruits weighing 2.2 g, ovoid, green, with indistinct light longitudinal stripes. The surface is smooth. The taste is sweet and fresh. Matte. Fruits are medium in size, weighing 2.4 g, elongated, light green. The surface is smooth, matte. The taste is sweet and sour.

Find. Fruits of medium size, weighing 2.8 g. Oval, dark green in color, with longitudinal light stripes. The surface is slightly ribbed. The taste is sweet and sour, with a pineapple aroma.

Pavlovskaya. Differs in the large fruits of an oval form compressed from sides. The surface is slightly ribbed, green in color, with white longitudinal stripes. Taste - sweet, fragrant.

September. Creepers with large fruits, with an average fruit weight of 3.3 g. The shape is elongated-oval, the color is dark green with light longitudinal stripes. The surface of the berries is smooth. Taste - sweet, fragrant.

Waffle. Creepers with medium fruit ripening (mid-August). The average weight of a berry is 2.9 g, the shape is cylindrical, very elongated. Color - from olive green to dark olive. Taste - sweet, sour, with a pleasant aroma.

Grape. Early maturity. The average weight of the fetus is 2.1 g, the shape is cylindrical, slightly compressed from the sides. Color - uniform from olive green to dark olive, with obscure light longitudinal stripes. The taste is sour-sweet, with an apple-marmalade aroma.

Abundant. The average fruit ripening period, berry weight - 2.6 g, shape - cylindrical. Color - from yellowish green to dirty green. Taste - sweet and sour with pineapple aroma.

Garden queen. Early ripening, with large fruits, weighing 3.4 g. The fruits are cylindrical, very elongated. The color is uniform, olive green. The taste is sweet and sour, with a pineapple aroma.

Gourmand. Large-fruited vine of medium fruit ripening, weighing 4.4 g. The fruits are cylindrical, uniform olive-green in color, with a thin smooth skin. The taste is sweet, with a pineapple aroma.

Coin. Medium-early ripening, berries with an average weight of 2.2 ... 2.7 g, oval, compressed, with light longitudinal stripes. The surface is smooth or finely ribbed. The taste is sweet and sour, with a strong pineapple aroma.

Folk. Average ripening period, with large fruits weighing 3.1 g, shape - cylindrical, uniform yellowish green color. The taste of berries is sweet and sour, with strawberry aroma.

Stranger. Early ripening, with an average fruit weight of 1.9 g, cylindrical shape, olive green to dark olive. The skin is thin, the surface is smooth, ribbed from the base of the berry. The taste of berries is sweet and sour, with a strong pineapple aroma.

Pretty. Early ripening, with berries weighing 2.6 g, cylindrical in shape, narrowed towards the top. Color - from dark olive to green. The taste is sour-sweet, with an apple aroma.

Homestead. Early ripening, with cylindrical elongated fruits weighing 2.8 g. Color from olive green to dark green. Taste - sweet and sour pleasant, with pineapple-apple aroma.

Early dawn. Early maturity. The berries have a mass of 2.6 ... 3.5 g, conical in shape, elongated, compressed from the sides. The surface is smooth, shiny, dirty green. The taste is sweet and sour, with a strong pineapple aroma.

Magpie. Average term of maturing. The weight of the fruit is 2.5 g, the shape is cylindrical, strongly elongated, with a smooth surface, the berry is finely ribbed from the base. Color green to olive green. The taste is sweet, with an apple flavor.

Fantasy gardens. Early maturity. Differs in cylindrical, strongly elongated fruits of green color with a dark olive tint, with light longitudinal stripes. The taste of berries is sweet and sour, with a strong pineapple aroma.

All varieties are winter-hardy, resistant to diseases and pests.

Actinidia: how to distinguish a male plant from a female

Although today there are also self-fertile varieties of actinidia, usually, in order to get a crop, you need to plant both male and female specimens, because this vine is dioecious, just like the well-known sea buckthorn. Up to 10 female plants can be planted per male plant. In nurseries, male actinidia plants are usually planted along the edges of trellises; in household plots, you can have one male plant for all those creepers that grow in adjacent areas - with the only caveat that tall buildings should not interfere with the transfer of pollen. How to distinguish a male actinidia plant from a female, know experienced gardeners: for this you need to wait for the flowering period and carefully examine the buds.

The use of actinidia

The fruits of actinidia usually ripen from late August to mid-September. The first frosts are not terrible for them, but the main crop must be harvested before frost, which can cause massive fruit fall; in addition, fruits damaged by frost are not stored. The use of actinidia is limitless: literally everything can be prepared from its fruits: compotes, jam, wine, liqueurs. They make excellent candied fruits and raisins, but fresh fruits bring the most benefit - they are used in desserts, fruit salads and even added to cucumber and tomato salads, thereby giving this everyday meal a bit of Australian exoticism - it was in Australia that they began to add actinidia to vegetables.

Actinidia is a valuable plant containing a lot of sugar and pectin. There is more vitamin C in actinidia fruits than in lemon fruits. According to the content of ascorbic acid, actinidia is second only to wild rose. An actinidia bush can provide a family of 3-4 people with ascorbic acid for a whole year. In addition to vitamin C, fruits contain a lot of sugars, organic acids, tannins and others. beneficial to the body substances.

IN traditional medicine In the Far East and in other regions, the fruits of actinidia are widely used as a prophylactic for scurvy, for various bleeding, tuberculosis, whooping cough, and dental caries.

Actinidia is useful not only for vitamin C deficiency, but also for exhaustion, in the postoperative period, and for constipation. In fresh fruits mashed with sugar, vitamins are stored for a year.

Autumn leaf color, reddish, can serve as a decoration for any garden. Actinidia is good to use for vertical gardening walls, fences, pergolas, arbors, verandas, single trees.

How to properly cut actinidia for shaping

When and how to prune actinidia correctly, given that all vines do not tolerate spring pruning(as well as stone fruit crops). They do not tighten the cut, and the juice flows all the time through the wound until the entire branch dries. So all pruning of vines is done in late summer or early autumn. Cut out only broken or too old branches.

When the vine begins to grow, its stems are immediately tied to the supports. In the future, it will spin itself around the supports counterclockwise.

The most important link in the technology of caring for young plantings is the correct formation of actinidia and further pruning.

On the garden plot, it is best to form actinidia in the form of a trellis. To do this, metal poles are driven into the soil, on which 3-4 wires are pulled at a height of 70, 120, 160 and 200 cm. At each level of the trellis, “sleeves” are formed in opposite directions.

When forming actinidia in a fan way, the shoots are evenly directed upwards in the form of a fan of six shoots. Pruning is done in the fall and repeated annually. When planting actinidia, it must be remembered that for every two or three female plants, one male must be planted.

The formation of actinidia should begin in the spring of the year following planting. From the abandoned buds, climbing the trellis, two strong shoots develop. They grow until autumn.

In autumn, one weaker outer shoot should be cut into two buds, and the inner one should be left on a support until spring.

In the spring, after the end of sap flow, all weak, damaged and side shoots, except for 2 - 3 main shoots, which are vertically tied to supports. The following year, lateral fruit-bearing shoots form on the main shoots.

To increase the winter hardiness of actinidia, thickening of the crown should not be allowed.

In late May - early June, pruning should be carried out. Early pruning should not be carried out, as it causes abundant sap flow and weakens the plant.

Planting and caring for actinidia in the open field: when is it better to plant and in what soil (with video)

The answer to the question of when it is better to plant actinidia is quite simple - it is better to do it at the end of summer. Planting actinidia and care in the open field are not particularly difficult.

It is best to plant actinidia from the south, southeast or southwest side of buildings, in a place protected from cold winds. It should not be planted so that it rains from the roof, do not plant closer than 75-100 cm from the foundation of the house. You can plant next to some tree that is not very expensive for you. Liana will encircle him and gradually strangle him, but she will grow well herself. It's just that this tree should be considered as a support for a creeper.

Usually, plants that require supports are planted near the wall of the building, but you should know that a trench for planting them must be done, stepping back from the wall at a distance of at least 75 cm, otherwise the powerful root system of vines will gradually destroy the foundation. As supports, you can use arches, pergolas, gratings, nets made of nylon fishing line or nylon ropes.

Do not be afraid if the liana sticks close to the wall. This well-established misconception that under the canopy of its foliage the tree will begin to rot was completely destroyed when the house of the writer Dickens began to be restored in England. It turned out that under the liana the tree was dry and whole, in contrast to the rotten walls, free from vines. There is a simple explanation for this: the leaves of the vines are arranged like a tiled roof, one above the other, the water flows down them without falling on the wall. In addition, there are stomata on the lower surface of the leaves, through which the vines suck moisture from the surface of the wall.

When planting for a creeper, you should not dig a separate hole. It is necessary to dig a trench along the house, along which the roots will go in the future. You need to plant several plants at once. Firstly, because actinidia is a dioecious plant, and it is best to plant two female specimens and one male plant between them.

Unfortunately, until the vines bloom, it is impossible to distinguish a female from a male plant, so you should not buy actinidia from random sellers at some exhibition. It is necessary to buy only directly in nurseries or from well-known people.

The trench should be dug to a width of 50 cm and the same depth. One plant from another can be planted at a distance of 1.2–1.5 m from each other, because the vines grow widely in the future and do not tolerate transplantation in adulthood. So plant them correctly and immediately in place. Remember: creepers do not like acidic soils! But they grow well and bear fruit on slightly acidic soils.

Stones, broken silicate (but not red clay) bricks, gravel, pebbles should be laid at the bottom of the trench, then covered with large river sand(for foundation work). And only after that you can fill the trench with soil. The soil for actinidia must be specially prepared from a mixture of leaf humus and sand in a 1: 1 ratio.

What to do if there is no leaf humus? Replace it with rotted compost. If there is rotted manure, then it must be half mixed with the soil that you took out of the trench (of course, if it is not solid clay). The soil must be very well wetted with water, make mounds, spread the roots of vines on them and carefully cover them with soil removed from the trench. Landings should not be trampled down! So that the soil fits well to the roots, and no voids form under them, water the plantings from a watering can a little, and the soil will stick to the roots. When trampling down, you compact the earth too much, and the air necessary for the roots does not pass into it. From above, the soil should be mulched, that is, covered with dry earth or peat, in order to prevent moisture from evaporating from the surface of the earth. But the peat will have to be deoxidized, for this, sprinkle it with ash or lime.

At an early age, actinidia can be killed by cats that dig and gnaw the roots. To protect against these uninvited barbarians, iron bars will have to be placed over the landings. When the trunk becomes woody at the actinidia, the cats will lose all interest in it and stop touching it. The trellises can be removed about 2-3 years after planting. Watch the actinidia planting and caring for it in the video, which shows all the basic steps:

How to grow actinidia: cultivation and care, frost resistance and how to prepare for winter

Growing and caring for actinidia require minimal attention from the gardener. In the spring, after frosts have passed, vines can be fed with organic matter containing nitrogen. Before flowering, it is necessary to give phosphorus top dressing (1 tablespoon of double granular superphosphate per 10 liters of water) for each vine and, after fruiting, feed with potassium that does not contain chlorine. To do this, it is enough to plant 1 tbsp. a spoonful of potassium or sprinkle the soil with ash (1 cup is enough). Just before winter, you can pour out half a bucket of rotted manure or compost. For the winter, actinidia is not removed from the supports. This winter-hardy plant does not require shelter, but in spring it is very vulnerable and suffers greatly from spring frosts. Before you grow actinidia, you need to find out about the regionalization of the selected variety.

In the spring, immediately after the snow melts, it is necessary to free the vine from winter shelter, lift and fasten its branches on the support threads. Prepare arches and protective cover material in case of return frosts. best material is a spunbond nonwoven fabric. It is permeable to air and moisture and at the same time protects plants well enough from frost.

Starting from the third year of a plant's life, every year in the spring it is necessary to introduce organic and complex fertilizers into the bite space. mineral fertilizers, combining it with watering. The next watering is carried out during the period of completion of flowering and the appearance of ovaries of berries. During dry summers, regular monthly watering is necessary. The last watering in October is a good idea to combine with the application of potash fertilizers to better complete the maturation of the vine. During growing season in middle lane Actinidia was not affected by berry pests. However, the defeat of gray rot spores is often noted in late May - early June. Suddenly, somehow at once the outer side of the sheet is covered with a white coating. In order to prevent further spread of the disease, it is necessary to immediately treat with Skorom or other means against fungal diseases of berry crops. Still, it's better to be proactive. In mid-May, in order to prevent diseases, it is necessary to treat actinidia with phytosporin three times with a weekly interval. It is important to know how to prepare actinidia for winter: what mandatory activities should be carried out. And in the fall, before laying the vines for the winter, treat the bushes with a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture. And although there is an opinion about the frost resistance of actinidia, nevertheless, in order to avoid drying out the liana by winter winds, it is better to lay it on the ground and cover it with spruce branches for the whole winter period. And one more thing: actinidia, especially young seedlings, are very fond of cats. For the period of forcing young plants, it is necessary to arrange some simple barriers around them, say, from barbed wire.

How to propagate actinidia: propagation by cuttings and growing from seeds

Propagation of actinidia by cuttings is the main method. It is also possible to do this by green cuttings in the greenhouse in the summer, by grafting, and also by seeds. Growing actinidia from seeds will require a long period, they usually bear fruit in the 4-7th year. After sowing, actinidia seeds germinate rather quickly - after 15-17 days. After the appearance of the second pair of leaves, the seedlings from the boxes dive into cups or immediately to the garden. Seed propagation may not give a reliable result regarding grading, and the most reliable and at the same time simple way to propagate a plant you like is summer cuttings. It is usually done in late June - early July. Before propagating actinidia, select suitable way and follow agricultural practices. When cutting actinidia, cuttings with 1–3 buds are cut. They leave only the top sheet, which is also shortened. The cuttings are placed for 24–32 hours in a container with boiled water, to which a growth stimulator (Kornevin, Heteroauxin) is added. Then the cuttings are planted in glasses filled with the substrate. As a substrate for cuttings, peat, sand or coco-soil can be used. The angle of planting cuttings is 30–35°. A kidney with a leaf is left on the surface, in no case is it covered with earth. After planting, the substrate around the cuttings is well crushed, watered and the glasses are placed under the film. Optimum temperature for rooting actinidia - 18–24 ° C. In extreme heat, the cuttings are regularly ventilated and transferred to light, but not sunny place. It usually takes 3-4 weeks for Actinidia to take root, and green cuttings take root better than those that have already partially lignified. Until spring, rooted cuttings remain to grow in glasses, which can simply be dug into the ground, covered with a fallen leaf in the fall.

Reproduction of actinidia is also possible with green cuttings up to 10 cm, which are cut from the most productive bushes at the end of June. After removing the leaves from the lower part of the cutting and aging in heteroauxin for a day, they are planted in a greenhouse with the creation of a moist, constantly maintained environment under the shelter. After 3-4 weeks, the young seedling acquires roots. After that, the seedling can be planted in a permanent place. It is advisable to place the seedlings so that their root system is in the shade, and the vine is in the sun.

Many gardeners claim the advantage of propagation by layering, digging the lower branches of the bush, as is practiced on gooseberries. Then, in autumn or early spring, rooted young sprouts are dug up, separated from each other and planted in a permanent place in pre-prepared planting pits or dug in a nursery for growing.

Problems in growing actinidia

Why do actinidia leaves turn white or red?

If the tips of the leaves of actinidia suddenly turn white for no reason, do not worry. This is just such a feature of actinidia. And if the edges of the leaves turn red, don't worry either. You have actinidia kolomikta growing, it changes the color of the leaves. So everything is in order with your liana.

Why does actinidia bloom but not bear fruit?

Because it is a dioecious plant. Obviously, you either have only female plants, or only males. They differ from each other in that on female plants the flowers are located singly, while on male plants they are collected in a bunch of 5-15 pieces.

Why did the plants disappear after planting actinidia?

Most likely, they were eaten by cats that dig up the root. After planting, it is necessary to protect the plants with a metal mesh. After 3-4 years, the nets can be removed. Cats dig up only young plants.