Kiwis appeared on our market about two decades ago and initially caused some confusion. Since, initially, the fruits were not of the best quality and mostly immature, people sincerely did not understand what was good about this sour "shaggy potato", as they were often called. Today kiwi is sold everywhere, it has long ceased to be exotic, and everyone knows about its unusual but pleasant taste and, most importantly, its useful properties.
But some aspects, nevertheless, continue to remain a mystery to the unenlightened. For example, some sources say that kiwi is nothing but the result of painstaking work of breeders, a hybrid of gooseberry and strawberry. A funny, but common myth, but in order to dispel it, we will tell you how and where kiwi grows.
Description
In fact, the plant, which grows delicious fruit, is called very intricate - actinidia Chinese or delicacy. A common name now - kiwi, has a very interesting story. The fact is that the appearance of the fruit looks like the body of the same bird - the same oval and covered with soft fluff. In addition, the first trading company, which produced a harvest of anemone in the mass sale, was also named after this flightless bird. Thus, this name, by and large, has nothing to do with botany, firmly "grown" to the fruits.
Actinidia is a powerful tree-like liana, which requires support, since its height can reach 20-25 m. Its leaves change color during the summer season: the coloring can range from whitish, green to pink and even intensely crimson. The fruits on it are clustered.
Where does the kiwi grow?
The motherland of Actinidia is Chinese, as the name suggests, China and other Asian countries. In the early twentieth century, it was brought to New Zealand as an ornamental plant and, as it turned out, the island's climate of this country was more favorable for it. It was there that the breeders for the first time brought out a variety of large-fetal actinia, which gives the fruits of kiwi, to which we are now accustomed, weighing 75-100 g.
Now the fruit is widely distributed also in Abkhazia, Indonesia, Italy and Chile. And experimental plantations can be found in Georgia, on the shores of the Black Sea and in the Krasnodar Territory.
Conditions for growing kiwi in open ground
On the open ground, kiwi fruit can be grown only in the subtropical zone - it loves heat, good lighting and high humidity. In other climatic conditions, the cultivation of this plant is also permissible, but only for decorative purposes - as it turned out, it tolerates winter well.
Before planting, special attention should be paid to site selection. It is best if it is a well-lit area, protected from the wind with a hasty, well drained non-carbonate soil with neutral acidity.
Grow kiwi can be from seeds and vegetative shoots, which are separated during summer pruning of plants. Rooting is best done in conditions of a greenhouse at high humidity, and on a permanent place to plant rooted cuttings in early spring.
Growing kiwi at home
Planting and care of kiwi are possible and at home. The only possible way to grow kiwi at home is from seeds . They need to be separated from the pulp of a ripe fruit, mixed with wet sand and placed in a temperature of 0 ° C for 14 days. then the seeds along with the sand are placed in containers
After the sprouts reach 8 cm, they can be planted in separate containers in fertile soil and placed in a room with good natural light. From spring to autumn, mineral and organic fertilizers should be fertilized twice a month.
The grown up plant is formed by trimming, removing weak shoots. At home, for 3-4 years after planting, actinidia begins to bloom with white flowers of 5 petals.