The kiwiño, mini kiwi or small kiwi is a relative of the common kiwi, with some peculiarities that make it a really attractive fruit to have in the garden.
And it is that unlike its cousin, originating in China but cultivated above all and mainly in New Zealand, the kiwiño supports extreme temperatures of up to 30 degrees below zero and 40 degrees of heat.
Therefore, planting kiwi in our garden, which is also a versatile small plant, can be an excellent option to have a different, interesting and delicious fruit. The size of its fruit is like that of a dry fruit like a nut, it is not peeled and it is very sweet.
Although there are many varieties, in our case we planted an autoflowering kiwiño, which will bear fruit with just one plant.
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Where to plant the mini kiwi
The ideal area to plant the kiwiño is the one where we are not going to remove it, because it is a plant that lives for a long time. Therefore, the choice of the final location is very important. An example would be at the edge of a garden or a terrace.
It adapts to both sunny and semi-shaded places, although the shade should not be excessive, as this could affect fruit production.
Ground
As we explained in the video, the soil needs when growing kiwiños are very similar to those of forest fruits, that is, soils that are low in alkaline, well drained and rich in organic matter.
If you are unsure of the pH level of your soil, we will show you in an article how to measure soil pH. Regarding organic matter, our readers already know that earthworm humus This is our favorite, but you can also use compost or manure.
An additional advantage of growing kiwiño is that its roots are not deep, so we don’t need very deep soil.
When to plant the mini kiwi
The ideal time to plant kiwiño is between fall and mid-spring. They can also be planted in the summer, but it should be taken into account that at this time the risks should be very abundant.
How to Plant Kiwis
Once the place has been chosen and the soil improved, we will plant the mini kiwi plant. As you can see in the video, we make a planting hole and in the center we make a small cone where we will place the roots that we will open, since they will have the shape of the pot, and in this way they will develop correctly. Once done, we cover the planting hole.
The distance between the plants, if we want to plant more than one, is between two and three meters. In the case of professional plantations, it is four.
Irrigation
At the end of the transplant, as I always advise, we apply irrigation so that the plant settles.
Over time, it is good practice to apply light irrigations in the spring, increasing as leaf count and size increase. During the summer months, it is advisable to water abundantly and daily.
Mini kiwi care: planting pruning and trellising
The first thing we will do after planting the kiwiño will be a planting pruning. It consists of choosing the weakest stem and cutting it as low as possible, so that all the energy is transferred to the main stem, to improve its development and future fruit production.
On the other hand, the main stem is cut in the middle of it, just above a bud.
Tutoring is also very important at this time. In our case, we did it with a two-meter bamboo cane. The tutor is placed at 5 centimeters more or less, and the plant is attached to it. It is important not to overtighten this tie so as not to strangle the rod, but rather it should serve as a guide for the main rod.
The stem should also not be twisted around the stake, a very common mistake that should be avoided, because in this way we would strangle the plant when it begins to thicken.
training size
No less important is the formation size of the kiwiño. We will choose one of the shoots that will form in the first few weeks, the one that looks the best and healthiest, to be the main stem of the plant.
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In addition to fertilizer at the time of planting, in the spring the soil must be well fertilized so that the plant gets all the nutrients necessary for its proper development.
Buy kiwiño or mini kiwi
Many readers may be wondering where to buy the mini kiwi. It is not for less, since the attractiveness of this culture is indisputable.
Well, you can buy the kiwiño to transplant directly, like we did. The one we recommend is the same one we used for the video, our friends’ autoflowering Blueberries el Cierron. Although this plant has a great advantage, needing only one specimen to obtain its fruits, they have up to 8 different varieties.
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