Actinidia general information
There are several types of actinidia, purely ornamental, and among them the species of actinide Polygam, growing in our Far East, is a fairly thermophilic plant. But we are interested in species of actinidia, which have edible fruits.
Actinidia is a taiga plant, several species of which grow in Ussuri taiga in the Far East of our country. There is a variety of Kishmish Ussurian actinidia large, shoots of which can reach 20-30 m and yield up to 20 kg. There is manchurian actinidia, which is called "Ussuri gooseberries."The aroma of its flowers resembles the smell of a lily of the valley, and its fruits are the most delicious of all kinds of actinidia. They look like gooseberry berries with a smooth, thin, translucent peel and a wonderful Taste. The nasal actinidia, which is called "pepper" for fruit bearing a nose like peppercorn, bright orange color and burning taste, which disappears after autumn frosts, grows in the Far East, and the fruits become very tasty.
But we are interested in those species that have edible fruits. The largest fruit is actinidia Kiwi, which was bred in Australia and got its name from the name of bird kiwi, which lives exclusively in this country and is a symbol of Australia. Everyone is familiar with its fruits, covered with a hairy brownish skin, with a delicate, fragrant taste. In nature, however, the actinidia of the argument grows, which has the same ragged fruit and the same taste as that of kiwi, only much smaller. But, unfortunately, the kiwi and the argument are heat-loving plants, and in our country they can grow only in the southern regions. There is another variegated actinidia lomian of the colomicta, whose fruits resemble berries of gooseberry, - Phoenix, similarly amber-brown, elongated and smooth and about the same size. They have a pleasant taste, reminiscent of whether strawberries, or pineapple. But, in fact, they have their own wonderful aroma and a unique sweet and sour taste, the same as the taste of kiwi. In the fruit of actinidia, there are many vitamins, especially vitamin C, the mass of micro- and macroelements and organic acids.
In addition to the fact that the actinide of the colomict is useful, it is also strikingly beautiful. Its small, elongated, with clear veins leaves have the magic property of changing color. In the morning, when you just went out into the garden, its leaves were light green, and suddenly in the daylight they had white tips or a part of the leaves got a crimson color, and on some of them a light strip formed in the middle of the leaf! It is because of the property to change the color of the leaves it is called a variegated liana. Like all vines, actinidia is moisture-loving, so in hot weather, in dry weather it should be watered, although it has a fairly deep root system. However, lianas do not tolerate stagnant waters, so it is necessary to provide for drainage when planting them.
Features of growing
Selection of variety
Immediately: in the Northwest actinid colomik is an ornamental plant rather than berry. Often in the winter long thaw, it wakes up prematurely, and in the late spring frost, as a rule, it freezes, despite all its winter hardiness, so that it blossoms and fructifies only occasionally. Therefore, we actinidia is not so much growing as it hardly survives.
The outstanding Leningrad professor FK Teterev worked extensively on actinidium for Leningrad region. He and his followers from the All-Union Institute of Plant Industry( VIR) created quite stable for our climate varieties: Leningrad early, Leningrad large, Pobeda, Pavlovskaya, Worthy, Large.
Breeding works continue now. So you have a choice. The berries of Actinidia are delicious and fragrant if you can grow them. Usually it succeeds in rare years without spring frosts.
Many varieties of actinidia kolomikta were created by IV Michurin: Harvest, Early, Late, Pineapple Michurina.
From the fruit of the colomix, jam is cooked, not inferior to strawberry flavor, make compotes and simply eat raw.
Planting
Usually plants that require support are planted near the building wall, but you should know that the trench must be made for their landing, having deviated from the wall by at least 75 cm, otherwise the powerful root system of lianas will gradually destroy the foundation. As supports you can use arches, pergolas, lattices, nylon net or kapron ropes.
Do not be afraid if the liana snaps against the wall. This established delusion that under the canopy of its foliage will start to rot tree, was completely destroyed, when in England began to restore the house of writer Dickens. It turned out that under the vine tree was dry and whole, in contrast to the rotten walls, free of lianas.
There is a simple explanation for this: the leaves of the lianas are arranged like a tiled roof, one above the other, the water drains over them, without getting on the wall. In addition, there is a stomata on the lower surface of the leaves, through which the vines suck moisture out of the wall surface.
When planting for a vine, do not dig a separate pit. It is necessary to dig a trench along the house, along which the roots will later go. 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, the pokelians do not bloom, it is impossible to distinguish the female plant from the male, so you should not buy actinidia from random sellers at any exhibition. To buy it is necessary only directly in nurseries or from well-known people.
Trench should be digging at 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
lianas grows widely in the future and do not tolerate transplantation in the adult state. So put them right and right away.
Remember: vines do not like acidic soils, but grow well and bear fruit on slightly acidic soils.
At the bottom of the trench, you must lay stones, broken silicate( but not red clay) bricks, gravel, pebbles, then cover with large river sand( for foundation work).And only after that you can fill the trench with soil. The soil should be specially prepared from a mixture of sheet humus and sand in a proportion of 1: 1.
What if there is no sheet humus? Replace it with a decomposted compost. If there is overgrazed manure, then it should be half stirred with the land that you took from the trench( of course, if it is not solid clay).Soil should be very well watered, make hills, spread the roots of lianas on them and gently fill them with soil from the trench. Do not trample down the landing.
So that the soil is well attached to the roots and no voids are formed under them, gradually water the planting from the watering can and the soil will adhere to the roots. When trampling, you too tighten the earth, and the air necessary for the roots badly passes through it.
Above the ground should be covered, that is, fill up with dry soil or peat, to prevent moisture from evaporating from the surface of the earth. But peat will have to be depleted, for this, sprinkle it with ashes or lime.
At an early age, actinidia can be killed by cats that dig up and chew their roots. To protect from these uninvited barbarians over planting, you will have to put iron gratings. When the actinidia lignifies the trunk, the cats will lose all interest to it and stop touching it. Grids can be removed about 2-3 years after planting.
Addition and care of
In the spring, after freezing, the vines can be fed with organic matter containing nitrogen. Before blossoming it is necessary to give phosphoric top dressing( 1 item of a spoon of a double granulated superphosphate per 10 l of water) for each creeper and after fructification to feed with potassium, which does not contain chlorine. To do this, it is sufficient to seal the soil under the vine 1 st.a spoonful of potassium or sprinkle the soil with ashes( 1 glass).Before the winter itself, you can pour half the bucket of manure or compost.
For the winter, the actinidia are not removed from supports. This winter-resistant plant, and does not require shelter, but here in the spring it is very vulnerable and badly suffers from spring frosts. To the young leaves and shoots did not die, in the spring on the vine it is necessary to throw lutrasil. Actinidium colomict can grow to 5-7 m in height.
When and how to crop a vine? All lianas do not tolerate spring cuttings at all( just like the stone fruit crops).They do not tighten the cut, and the juice flows all the time through the wound until the whole branch dries. So all the scraps of lianas do in late summer or early autumn. Cut only broken or too old branches.
When the liana starts to grow, its stems are immediately tied to the supports. In the future, it itself will spin around the supports, counter-clockwise.
Usually lianas grow in the forest, clinging to trees, so the soil under them should be covered from the sun, and the plants themselves should be in the sun. It is usually recommended to plant actinidia along the western or eastern walls of buildings. From the north side of the house, it will not grow.
How to distinguish a male plant from a female plant? At the time of flowering on the female plant, throughout the vine are located single, small, bell-shaped white flowers. And on the male plant the same flowers are collected in bundles of 3-7 flowers. Naturally, fruits are formed only on female plants. An adult liana at the age of 10 gives up to 5 kg of berries.
How to multiply actinidia? Only not seeds. Root offspring does not give, the layers take root badly, long and hard. The easiest way is by green cuttings in the beginning of July. But it is obligatory with Kornevin. You can dip the end of the spring into the water, and then into the powder "Kornevin" and immediately land in the cherry tree. On the cuttings one must take the middle part of the new increment. The end of the vine is not good for propagation.
Cherenochnik do in the shade, always covered with a film, constantly( 2 3 times a day) sprayed plants and soil from a hand sprayer and keep it with water to humidify the air. Liane practically does not suffer from anything, and she does not actually have pests. So plant, especially if you need to close any kind of unpretentious building.