Minikiwi 'Ken's Red' Female plant 50-60 cm (Actinidia arguta x melanandra)
Estimated delivery between 29 January and 05 February.
1st plant Minikiwi 'Ken's Red': 2 years old - current height 50-60 cm
Non-self-fertile female plant = needs a male plant that 'Weiki' or a bisexual self-fertile variety such as 'Issai' to bear fruit. A pure male plant is recommended for best fruiting.
Common names: Minikiwi 'Ken's Red', Gooseberry, Hardy Kiwi
Scientific name: Actinidia arguta x melanandra
Family: Actinidiaceae
Plant history & use:
Minikiwi is a perennial climbing plant that originates in Japan, Korea and northern China. It is a hardy Kiwi variety that can grow and produce good fruit outdoors in our climate. The fruits are small and hairless, and are eaten with the skin on, unlike the hairy kiwifruit we are used to buying in stores.
The variety 'Ken's Red' is a New Zealand cross between Actinida arguta and Actinidia melanandra. Ken's Red is possibly the Minikiwi with the largest fruits - the fruits are sweet and flavorful and reminiscent of the regular kiwi in taste. The variety is very hardy in our Nordic climate and has a compact growth habit, which makes it suitable for covering a surface - for example a wall or trellis.
'Ken's Red' produces wine-red fruits with firm flesh that have a good shelf life after harvest.
The fruits ripen in September-October.
The fruits are a rich source of vitamin C (up to 5 times more than blackcurrants, for example) and can be eaten straight from the plant without peeling. The fruits can also be used to make jam.
In Korea, young leaves are used in a vegetable dish called namul.
Culture:
Mini kiwi 'Ken's Red' is a hardy variety that can withstand temperatures down to -25 ℃ . It has a winding growth habit and can grow up to 3-4 meters high. Some type of climbing support is necessary, such as a trellis, wall or pergola. If you want to grow in a forest garden, it works great to let Minikiwn grow against a tree trunk - just try to make sure that there is a fairly good amount of light entering the plant.
In June, 'Ken's Red' blooms with small, fragrant white flowers that then turn into tasty, smooth small fruits. The summer green leaves turn a beautiful yellow in the fall.
Mini kiwi thrives best in a sunny, warm and sheltered location. The optimal growing location is in a greenhouse, against a wall or trellis. However, it also does well outside greenhouses and in shadier environments - but for best fruit production, the plant should at least be provided with good light and wind protection.
Plant Minikiwi in a nutrient-rich, well-drained and moisture-retaining soil. If you want to fertilize, it should be done with, for example, blueberry fertilizer, as Minikiwi thrives best in a slightly acidic pH. Natural fertilizer and compost also work well.
'Ken's Red' needs to be planted with a male plant (within the same genus: Actinidia spp. ) to bear fruit. It may take a couple of years before the plant starts producing fruit. An established plant can produce large amounts of fruit per year, around 25kg per plant and in some cases more.
It is advantageous to grow against a trellis to get good air circulation and more sunlight for the fruits.
Pruning:
- The first year of planting, it is a good idea to let the plant start to take shape in 1-3 main stems. Top your main stem(s) at the end of the season to make them stronger next year.
- The second year you top the main shoots that come from the main trunks again. The side branches, or long shoots, then begin to develop. You should stick to a maximum of 4 long shoots per main trunk.
- In the third year, the long shoots should also be shortened to 1-1.5 meters. At this time, flowers often begin to form around the first few centimeters of the side branches, which then turn into fine fruits.
- In the following years, year by year, you select the best side branches/long shoots on your plant. Cut away the other emerging branches. In this way, you have formed a star-shaped branch attachment, a collar, which supports the rest of the plant with fruits.
- Do not leave too many side branches as this will result in a dense plant with fewer fruits. By topping emerging herbaceous branches during the summer you allow more sunlight and air to reach the fruits, which will benefit their growth.
- Any pruning of woody plant parts is done in late autumn/early winter to avoid bleeding.
Features:
Year: Perennial
Growing position: sun
Height: 3-4 m
Growing zone: 1-5
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Minikiwi 'Ken's Red' Female plant 50-60 cm (Actinidia arguta x melanandra)
Expected delivery date: 29 January to 05 February.
Applies to orders within Sweden. For other countries - see our delivery terms .
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1st plant Minikiwi 'Ken's Red': 2 years old - current height 50-60 cm
Non-self-fertile female plant = needs a male plant that 'Weiki' or a bisexual self-fertile variety such as 'Issai' to bear fruit. A pure male plant is recommended for best fruiting.
Common names: Minikiwi 'Ken's Red', Gooseberry, Hardy Kiwi
Scientific name: Actinidia arguta x melanandra
Family: Actinidiaceae
Plant history & use:
Minikiwi is a perennial climbing plant that originates in Japan, Korea and northern China. It is a hardy Kiwi variety that can grow and produce good fruit outdoors in our climate. The fruits are small and hairless, and are eaten with the skin on, unlike the hairy kiwifruit we are used to buying in stores.
The variety 'Ken's Red' is a New Zealand cross between Actinida arguta and Actinidia melanandra. Ken's Red is possibly the Minikiwi with the largest fruits - the fruits are sweet and flavorful and reminiscent of the regular kiwi in taste. The variety is very hardy in our Nordic climate and has a compact growth habit, which makes it suitable for covering a surface - for example a wall or trellis.
'Ken's Red' produces wine-red fruits with firm flesh that have a good shelf life after harvest.
The fruits ripen in September-October.
The fruits are a rich source of vitamin C (up to 5 times more than blackcurrants, for example) and can be eaten straight from the plant without peeling. The fruits can also be used to make jam.
In Korea, young leaves are used in a vegetable dish called namul.
Culture:
Mini kiwi 'Ken's Red' is a hardy variety that can withstand temperatures down to -25 ℃ . It has a winding growth habit and can grow up to 3-4 meters high. Some type of climbing support is necessary, such as a trellis, wall or pergola. If you want to grow in a forest garden, it works great to let Minikiwn grow against a tree trunk - just try to make sure that there is a fairly good amount of light entering the plant.
In June, 'Ken's Red' blooms with small, fragrant white flowers that then turn into tasty, smooth small fruits. The summer green leaves turn a beautiful yellow in the fall.
Mini kiwi thrives best in a sunny, warm and sheltered location. The optimal growing location is in a greenhouse, against a wall or trellis. However, it also does well outside greenhouses and in shadier environments - but for best fruit production, the plant should at least be provided with good light and wind protection.
Plant Minikiwi in a nutrient-rich, well-drained and moisture-retaining soil. If you want to fertilize, it should be done with, for example, blueberry fertilizer, as Minikiwi thrives best in a slightly acidic pH. Natural fertilizer and compost also work well.
'Ken's Red' needs to be planted with a male plant (within the same genus: Actinidia spp. ) to bear fruit. It may take a couple of years before the plant starts producing fruit. An established plant can produce large amounts of fruit per year, around 25kg per plant and in some cases more.
It is advantageous to grow against a trellis to get good air circulation and more sunlight for the fruits.
Pruning:
- The first year of planting, it is a good idea to let the plant start to take shape in 1-3 main stems. Top your main stem(s) at the end of the season to make them stronger next year.
- The second year you top the main shoots that come from the main trunks again. The side branches, or long shoots, then begin to develop. You should stick to a maximum of 4 long shoots per main trunk.
- In the third year, the long shoots should also be shortened to 1-1.5 meters. At this time, flowers often begin to form around the first few centimeters of the side branches, which then turn into fine fruits.
- In the following years, year by year, you select the best side branches/long shoots on your plant. Cut away the other emerging branches. In this way, you have formed a star-shaped branch attachment, a collar, which supports the rest of the plant with fruits.
- Do not leave too many side branches as this will result in a dense plant with fewer fruits. By topping emerging herbaceous branches during the summer you allow more sunlight and air to reach the fruits, which will benefit their growth.
- Any pruning of woody plant parts is done in late autumn/early winter to avoid bleeding.
Features:
Year: Perennial
Growing position: sun
Height: 3-4 m
Growing zone: 1-5
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