Kiwi cuttings: [Grafting, Season, Rooting and Sowing]

Kiwi is one of the fruit plants that are most valued for the exquisite pulp of its fruit.

It has the possibility of multiplying both by seeds and by cuttings, the latter being the favorite methodology.

The main reason is that the cuttings need a fairly simple process to carry out and offer characteristics equal to that of the mother plant.

However, when working with seeds there is the possibility that genetic variability prevents us from obtaining a plant with good characteristics. Do you want to know how to take advantage of some kiwi twigs to get new plants? Let’s go ahead.

With what other plants or trees can we graft the kiwi cuttings?

Kiwi grafts are quite common. However, they are not made with different plant species.

The idea is to promote the growth of a plant of a certain sex, when you want to have specimens for sexual reproduction .

It is also done in order that a female plant with good production is grafted with a male to improve the results of the harvests. In fact, the latter is the most common option pursued when working with kiwi grafts.

What is the best time to plant kiwi cuttings?

The cuttings of kiwi need to be taken from a mature plant but preferably still contains some parts softwood. That is why it is usual to wait for the summer , between mid and late, to take and plant the cuttings.

How to get kiwi cuttings to root properly?

After you have selected the cuttings to be used for multiplication, it is time to adapt them for planting.

This adaptation includes removing the leaves that are at the lower end of the cutting and leaving only those that are after the highest node.

On the other hand, an action that will help the process to be much more effective is to immerse the cutting in a growth hormone .

This will help the roots to flourish faster and in better health. The cuttings have to be buried in a substrate that offers very good stability. Therefore, a mixture of vermiculite with perlite is recommended.

When placing them in the substrate, be careful to press the substrate well around the cutting so that it has better stability. After sowing, keep the substrate well moistened to provide a pleasant environment.

The cuttings should be kept in a warm space, without drafts and where they receive some indirect sunlight .

How should we take the kiwi cuttings to plant them?

The cuttings should be taken while they have a soft texture, as already mentioned above. This means, semi-woody structure .

The length of the cutting could be between 15 to 20 centimeters long and it is preferable that it be thick. The cut must be clean, using gardening scissors so as not to cause damage to the mother plant.

As for the location, it should be done below the leaf node.

How long should we leave the kiwi cuttings in water?

The kiwi cuttings will reproduce in a dry environment , in an appropriate substrate for this purpose. The level of humidity that they require will be based on the contribution that is made to the earth. For this reason, it is not necessary to keep them in water for their roots to flourish.

Is it convenient to use compost or compost?

Kiwifruit has a development predilection when working with a good amount of organic matter. In fact, it has a preference for the nutrients provided by cattle manure that can be applied in an appropriate amount to the base substrate.

This same fertilizer system must be maintained throughout development to ensure good growth and abundant fruit productions.

How long does it usually take for a kiwi cutting to come out?

Kiwi cuttings usually give roots in a maximum time of 2 months. The check can be done by moving the cutting a little, as if it were to be extracted. In case of resistance, the cutting already has roots.

It must be transplanted into an appropriate pot to continue its development before moving to its final space.

As it is most likely that temperatures are already beginning to drop by that time, it is necessary to provide them with a warm space, such as a greenhouse. Kiwifruit plants need attention to develop well and this time is rewarded with excellent quality fruits.

To ensure that the harvests are also numerous, it will be necessary to properly execute the step by step from the moment the cutting is cut. Hence, it is so important that you have this information at hand when deciding to work with this planting method.

If you want to go deeper, you can see: How to plant a kiwi tree .