Also, remove vines sections wound around other branches or nearby plants. The first step to pruning overgrown kiwi vines is to remove all of the branches that wind around the kiwi trellis. Sign up for our newsletter. Make the cuts at 45-degree angles about one inch from the main vine. From my research and explorations thus far, it seems that the key to growing a productive hardy kiwi vine is all about proper training and pruning. Harvesting Kiwi Fruit: How And When To Harvest Kiwis, Kiwi Pruning: How Do You Trim A Kiwi Plant, Zone 8 Kiwi Vines: What Kiwis Grow In Zone 8 Regions, Prickly Kale Leaves – Does Kale Have Thorns, Corn Husk Wreath Ideas: How To Make A Corn Husk Wreath, DIY Air Plant Wreaths: Wreath Making With Air Plants, Snow In Summer Plant Care – Reasons For No Flowers On Snow In Summer Plant, Orchids For Windowsills: Learn About Growing Windowsill Orchids, Companion Planting With Onions – Learn About Onion Plant Companions, Rooting Gooseberry Cuttings: Taking Cuttings From Gooseberry Bush, Thanksgiving Tradition: Turning Homegrown Pumpkins Into Pie, Growing Thanksgiving Dinner – Must Have Turkey Side Dishes, Interesting Uses For Pecans: What To Do With Pecans, The Bountiful Garden: Bringing The Garden To Thanksgiving. Install the posts 15 to 18 feet apart. The only way to keep a kiwi vine vigorous and productive is to adhere to a regular pruning schedule. This includes branches growing over or crossing other branches. After the first year, increase the amount slightly and fertilize every other month. Fertilize them the first year with a light scattering of fertilizer around the base of the plant monthly from spring until midsummer. Make the cuts at 45-degree angles about one inch from the main vine. Regular pruning is an essential part of caring for kiwi vines. However, you’ll also need to prune the vine back several times during the summer to keep it under control. Also, remove vines sections wound around other branches or nearby plants. Generally speaking, vining plants inherently want to just grow, grow, grow, and focus most of their energy into vegetative growth rather than flower and fruit development; so as caretakers of the vines there are certain ways we can coax the vines into instead … Remove shoots that are twisting around other shoots or taking off in the wrong direction. Lead the branches near the top of the vine to the wires and fasten them in place every 18 to 24 inches. But pruning overgrown kiwi vines is also possible if you follow simple trimming steps. Remove all side branches until the vine reaches the top of the post. If you see any branches that are growing out and over other branches, cut them all the way back to an inch of the main stem. Female kiwi plants produce fruit, but they need a male nearby to fertilize the flowers. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Do most of the kiwi plant trimming in the cool season while the plant is dormant. An adequate support structure should look like an old-fashioned clothesline. 5 years ago. Many kiwi vines die in the first year because the soil is too wet. It warmed up enough to get their sap moving and they leak like a river if you prune them at that point. Top each post with a cross bar about 5 feet long. The technique for pruning mature kiwi vines is slightly different. Select a principal stem for the kiwi vine and train this straight up a trellis. For the first year, you should focus more on straight growth and a strong framework rather than how to cut a kiwi. Winter is the best time for pruning kiwi vine side branches along the wires. At that point, it is time for serious kiwi plant trimming. I wasn’t able to finish pruning my my hardy kiwis this spring. Don’t allow it to twirl around the post. Read on for information about how to prune an overgrown kiwi vine. Start in April or May, when unfruited shoots, not required next season, can be removed. For the first year, you should focus more on straight growth and a strong framework rather than how to cut a kiwi. A good trellis for a kiwi vine is an essential part of kiwi plant care. Hasn't started budding out yet, but will soon. Just beyond this point, allow two lateral side shoots to grow over the trellis. Sign up for our newsletter. Kiwi is a vigorous vine that quickly grows out of control if not grown on a solid supporting structure and pruned regularly. My hardy kiwi is 14 years old and it looks like a wild mess. Kiwi vines left to their own devices quickly become a tangled mess. Can I prune over half of it out? Kiwi pruning and training begins when you plant the vine. When you are pruning out these branches, use sharp, sterilized pruners. Cut out all the cross branches. Choose males and females of the same variety or cultivar because the vines have to come into flower at the same time. So, now I’m dealing with very overgrown vines. This might seem harsh pruning, but the vine will recover and be healthier in the long run. Also, trim out shoots growing straight out from the stem since these will not bear fruit. String three wires between the crossbars, one at the center and one at each end. The plant may stop producing fruit when this happens. Cut out the top of the vine a few inches below the top of the post and encourage side shoots that grow laterally along the wires. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Cut the vine to keep it from extending beyond the wires. The next step when pruning mature kiwi vines is to trim out cross branches. Kiwi plants are sensitive to fertilizers, so use them in small amounts. Email Save Comment 4. Can I attack it now? Don’t allow it to twirl around the post. If the vine didn’t form good side branches at the top, cut the main trunk back by about 2 feet and try again next year. Again, cut these back to an inch from the main vine stem. Water deeply in the absence of rain, and allow the soil around the crown to dry out before watering again. Kiwi pruning and training begins when you plant the vine. Prune these back to three buds, then remove all other lateral shoots. Yes you can. In addition to kiwi pruning, your vines will require additional kiwi plant care. FurryHippos (5a) 5 years ago. Kiwi Plant Trimming: Pruning Mature Kiwi Vines In The Garden, Harvesting Kiwi Fruit: How And When To Harvest Kiwis, Zone 8 Kiwi Vines: What Kiwis Grow In Zone 8 Regions, Prickly Kale Leaves – Does Kale Have Thorns, Corn Husk Wreath Ideas: How To Make A Corn Husk Wreath, DIY Air Plant Wreaths: Wreath Making With Air Plants, Golden Japanese Forest Grass – How To Grow Japanese Forest Grass Plant, Compost Enhancing Bacteria: Information On Beneficial Bacteria Found In Garden Compost, Growing Pitcher Plants: Learn About The Care of Pitcher Plants, Growing Peruvian Lilies – Information On Peruvian Lily Flower Care, Thanksgiving Tradition: Turning Homegrown Pumpkins Into Pie, Growing Thanksgiving Dinner – Must Have Turkey Side Dishes, Interesting Uses For Pecans: What To Do With Pecans, The Bountiful Garden: Bringing The Garden To Thanksgiving.