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Old apple tree as kiwi support?
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Posted by Mearth z8PNW B'ham (My Page) on Mon, Mar 3, 03 at 13:20
| One of my 6 apple old apple trees is no longer producing, but has great form and provides part of a screen between my future meditation garden and the neighbor's junk piles. I am considering using the tree as a support for hardy kiwis. Anyone have some points I should consider? Given the tree's placement and recent pruning, I don't believe shade will be a concern for the young vines. I've never grown kiwis and would appreciate your input. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Old apple tree as kiwi support?
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- Posted by Mearth z8PNW B'ham (My Page) on
Mon, Mar 10, 03 at 16:23
| Ok then, let's let this one fade away.... |
RE: Old apple tree as kiwi support?
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| How is your hardy kiwi doing? I just bought one. I'm in a cool, damp part of the state most of the year (Vernonia) and don't know if any fruit will actually ripen but it's worth a try. |
RE: Old apple tree as kiwi support?
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| Kiwis naturally grow in trees and the kolomikta species will do well in partial shade, I have one that is fruiting in the shade of an apple tree. The arguta species needs more sun but it may find it on its own when it grows into the apple tree. |
RE: Old apple tree as kiwi support?
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| My hardy kiwi female took a 4 years to flower, but I lost my male and had to replace it. Last year I borrowed a flowering male branch and got some fruit. It is sweet and like fuzzy kiwi in taste but the size of grapes, smooth, and doesn't need peeling. I thought they were good. This year I still didn't see flowers on my male but I was gone for the month of June and returned to find some fruit set on my female. I am so pleased. :-) It's not ripe yet, though. I take an easy approach to growing kiwi and just tie it to a tall stake, then trim back long vines in the fall, so it looks like a fountain or weeping tree. Quite pretty. I noticed it managed to snag the nearest tree and was growing up in it, though. |
RE: Old apple tree as kiwi support?
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| Sounds like a great idea to me. You could also drill it with small holes for Mason Bees, and some larger ones appropriate for wood dwelling birds and other critters...maybe even some planting holes here and there? If you are near a lake - Wood Duck Habitat
would be worth studying. Naturally hanging a red hummingbird feeder - &/or wind Chimes would be an enjoyable touch. A photo shared here would be nice, if you can...when it's in full leaf. |
RE: Old apple tree as kiwi support?
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| A happy kiwifruit is a rampant grower. To get the best from it, annual pruning is needed. The male plant needs to be pruned back after flowering so it doesn't take up too much canopy space. The vines are heavy and inquisitive. If your apple tree is still sound and you don't mind perching on a ladder to keep things under control, you're probably fine for a while. If your area gets strong winds, there might well be a crash in the night a few years from now and you'll be faced with a sprawl. Grape size fruit sounds quite small. They need reliable water over the growing season and love to be fed - especially nitrogen. Urea is useful for this with about 66% before growth starts and the remainder in early summer. About 25g to a square metre makes the full 100%. They also have deep roots. On balance, provided the vines are kept pruned, the tree should be fine for a few years, but check for rot before the windy season... |
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