This article is a step-by-step guide on how to grow kiwi fruit from seeds at home. It is also possible to propagate the kiwi plant fat home from a store-bought fruit, although it has a lower success rate compared to starting with seeds purchased from a nursery. With the right growing conditions, you will be able to grow your own kiwifruit vine at home. Kiwifruit, also known as Actinidia deliciosa, is a delicious and nutrient-packed fruit.
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| Kiwifruit Vine |
Can you really take out the seeds from a kiwi fruit and plant them to grow a kiwifruit vine at home. I have grown Golden kiwi from seeds from a store bought golden kiwifruit. It is pointed out that the seeds grown kiwifruit vine can produce fruit of quality different from the parent tree.
Here is a step-by-step procedure on how to grow kiwifruit from seeds:
Growing Kiwi From Store Bought Kiwi Fruit
1. Choose the Fruit
To grow kiwifruit from seeds, you need viable kiwi seeds. When selecting a store-bought kiwifruit for propagation, choose one that is organic and ripe. It is pointed out that kiwifruit grown from seeds may not grow true to their parent variety as many commercially available kiwis are hybrids.
If sprouting from a store bought kiwi, be sure to use an organic kiwi fruit. If the fruit is not organic, the seeds may not reproduce very well and the seedlings may not grow into healthy plants.
2. Take Out the Seeds
The next step is to extract the seeds. Here's how to do it:
- Cut the kiwifruit in half lengthwise.
- Scoop out the pulp with a spoon and place into a bowl of water. Stir the mixture to separate the seeds from the pulp. The seeds will sink to the bottom and the pulp will float to the surface, which you can easily remove.
- Separate the seeds using a strainer, rinse them well, and then spread them out on a kitchen paper towel to dry for a few hours. Drying the seeds helps prevent mold growth during germination.
3. Stratification of the Seeds
Stratification of kiwi seeds is not essential, but it improves the chances of germination. The cold stratification process mimics winter conditions and helps break seed dormancy of seeds.
To cold-stratify your kiwifruit seeds, place the seeds in a damp paper towel and seal it in a Ziploc bag or plastic bag. Place the bag in the refrigerator for about 2-4 weeks. Some of the seeds may sprout in the process.
The cold stratification is not absolutely necessary, specially if the fruit in store has come from cold storage. I did not stratify my Golden kiwi seeds, still a few of them germinated.
4. Planting the Seeds
- Fill a small seed tray or shallow pot with a well-draining seed-starting mix. You can also use a mixture of equal parts soil, compost and sand.
- Moisten the soil and sprinkle the kiwi seeds evenly on the surface of the soil. Press the seeds lightly into the soil or cover them with a very thin layer of soil mix. Or plant the seeds 1/8 inch deep in the soil.
- Cover the pot with a clear plastic sheet to maintain high humidity inside.
- Place the pot in a warm place with temperatures between 21-29°C (70-85°F).
- Keep the soil consistently moist.
- The seeds will take between 2 and 8 weeks to germinate, depending on temperature.
- Kiwi seedlings need a lot of light when they first emerge and until they were well established. If you are growing them indoors, provide them grow lights for 18 hours per day until they are well established.
5. Transplant the Seedlings
When the kiwifruit seedlings have grown 3-4 leaf sets, transplant them into individual pots or plant them in garden bed.
Plant the seedlings in rich, well-draining, and slightly acidic (pH 5.5 to 6.5) soil. Kiwifruit vine does not tolerate waterlogging, so free-draining soil is very important. Prepare the soil by adding compost and well-rotted manure.
Mulch well with sugarcane mulch or Lucerne hay to retain moisture and weeds prevention.
Choose a sunny spot that gets at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day.
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| Kiwi Plant Grown from Seed from a Store Bought Kiwi |
Kiwifruit Plant Care
- The best time to plant kiwi vines is spring to summer.
- Keep the kiwifruit plant in a warm, sheltered and sunny position, place with temperatures between 21-29°C (70-85°F).The plant is frost hardy, but it will suffer in very cold climates.
- Watering: Kiwifruit needs lots of water. Water the plants regularly, especially during dry periods. Good drainage will prevent root rot.
- Vine Support: Provide a trellis or a sturdy fence to train the vigorous climber as it grows.
- Fertilizer: Feed the plants with a balanced fertilizer every 4-6 weeks during the growing season, starting in early spring. I feed a liquid fertilizer like Powerfeed every 15 days in the growing season.
- Pruning: Prune and pinch the vines regularly to encourage healthy growth and better fruit production and to avoid overcrowding. Remove dead or weak stems to promote airflow and prevent disease. Prune in winter, cutting back up to a third of each branch to produce new growth.
When Kiwi will Fruit?
The question is how long kiwi plant will take to fruit. Kiwifruit vines grown from seed can take 3 to 5 years to mature and begin producing fruit.
It is pointed out that a kiwi plant is either male or female plant, such plants are known as dioecious plants. This means that you need two kiwi plants, male and female of the same species for pollination to produce fruits.
Male plants produce pollen but no fruit, while female plants produce fruit if they are pollinated. Plant at least one male plant for every 6-8 female plants to ensure fruit production. There are some self fertile varieties of kiwifruit.
When you grow kiwi plant from seeds, you can't tell whether it will be male or female plant until it flowers, which typically takes about 3 to 5 years.
Identifying Male vs. Female Kiwi Plants
What are the differences in physical appearance of male and female kiwi plants?
It is difficult to identify the differences between male and female kiwi plants when they are not in flower. But once they bloom, the difference becomes clear, based on their floral characteristics unique to each gender.
Male Kiwi Plants
The flowers on male plant appear in clusters, the flowers are smaller and more in numbers. The flowers have well-developed stamens with pollen.
Female Kiwi Plants
The flowers on female kiwi plants are larger single flowers or small clusters. The flowers have a prominent central pistil and a surrounding ring of undeveloped stamens.
Only female plants will develop fruit after pollination.
Growing Kiwi Fruit In Pots
Kiwi fruit can grow well in a pot. Plant young kiwi plant in a smaller pot, but you will need to transplant into a bigger pot as it grows. Ultimately, you will need a container size of at least 30 gallons (30 inch).
Remember that growing kiwi from seeds can be unpredictable in terms of fruit quality and gender, but it is exciting to grow kiwifruit at home as explained in this article.
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