Male and female kiwi plants
The flowers of the male kiwifruit have only yellow stamens in the middle. The female flowers also have a white style around which stamens are also arranged. The planting distance between the male and female plants is important for fertilization. To harvest fruits, the male kiwi plant should be planted no more than four meters away from one or more female kiwis. Between six and nine female plants can be fertilized at the same time.
also read
- How hardy are kiwis?
- Kiwis are not citrus fruits
- How to properly store kiwifruit
Even under optimal location and fertilization conditions, the first fruits on the grafted kiwi plants can be expected in 3-4 years. If you have grown your kiwi plants from seeds yourself, it can take more than ten years for the first harvest.
In most regions of Germany, what are known as mini kiwis are considered to be a reliable source of income. Their fruits are about the size of gooseberries and have smooth, edible skin. In terms of taste, they are very similar to the large kiwi fruits. However, the mini kiwifruit are more robust and frost-resistant than the large-fruited kiwifruit.
Self-fruiting kiwi plants
The monoecious kiwi varieties that have both male and female flowers on one plant are also commercially available. They do not need a fertilizer and can therefore also be planted individually. However, practice shows that with these breeds, too, the yields improve if a male pollinator grows nearby.
Tips & Tricks
The male plants of the Amur ray pen (also called flamingo ray pen) have very decorative-looking large leaves with white or pink leaf tips.
