Content
Actinidia have become an integral part of Russian gardens and dachas. The most famous varieties are kolomikta and argut, the first of which has beautiful flowers, and the second rewards summer residents with a sweet harvest. Both deserve detailed consideration, however, in this article only argut will be discussed, more precisely, its variety - Actinidia Pineapple.
Origin
Most actinidia are native to China, Japan and Korea. The varieties attracted the attention of Russians due to their high winter hardiness. Fruits rarely take root in the north, but not this plant. It blooms and bears fruit beautifully even in Siberia. Therefore, domestic botanists became interested in the culture and developed their own variety, which was called “Pineapple Actinidia”.
Description of Actinidia Pineapple
The variety is a fast-growing vine, the length of which exceeds 9 m. It has thin leaves and stems, usually brown or olive in color. If you do not provide support near the stem, Actinidia Pineapple will begin to wrap itself around itself.
For this feature, people even called Actinidia Pineapple "creeper"
Actinidia Pineapple is able to change color depending on the lighting. Because of this, landscape designers use it. The color changes from green to white, sometimes to pink. The “chameleon” effect can be observed 2-3 years after planting in the ground.
Flowers
Budding occurs in late spring - early summer. Actinidia Pineapple has small but fragrant flowers that attract pollinating insects.
Fruit
3-4 years after planting, Actinidia Pineapple begins to form edible berries. Their length barely exceeds 2.5 cm, and their weight ranges from 2-3 g. Despite their compact dimensions, the fruit inside contains sweet juice that tastes like pineapple. That's why actinidia got its name. The berries are covered with green skin; a faint blush appears on the sides of mature specimens.
The pulp is very juicy and exudes the aroma of a tropical fruit.
The fruits of Actinidia Pineapple contain ascorbic acid, which gives them their characteristic sourness. They also smell nice.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Actinidia Pineapple variety has amazing winter hardiness and can be grown in the northern regions. Siberian and Ural gardeners note the unpretentiousness of the plant.
Actinidia pineapple has strong immunity and rarely gets sick
Pros:
- decorativeness;
- regular change of leaf color;
- excellent growth rate;
- sweet berries;
- can be grown in different climatic regions.
Minuses:
- the fruits ripen unevenly - some of them fall off;
- the harvest cannot be stored for a long time.
Landing rules
Despite their resistance to cold, the shoots of Actinidia Pineapple can freeze in winters with little snow. Therefore, care must be taken to ensure that the place in which the crop will grow is protected from drafts.
There are also several requirements for the soil:
- a fertile substrate is needed - without this, fruiting may be delayed;
- It is very important to maintain soil moisture. An increased rate can lead to rotting of the underground part, so drainage should be prepared before planting.
Actinidia Pineapple prefers areas with light shade. Planting work is carried out in early spring; in the fall the plant may not have time to take root. The pit is prepared half a month before planting the seedling. It is drained, mixed with nutritious fertilizer and watered.
Care instructions
The young crop can be chewed by cats, which are attracted by the aroma of the foliage. Therefore, if there are pets in the house, Actinidia Pineapple is covered with a net. Planting fragrant plants such as juniper or mint can also help. They easily cover up the smell.
Trimming
After planting, the vine needs all its strength for normal growth, so no pruning is carried out during the first three years. After a specified period of time, the stems are cut in half, rejuvenating the Pineapple Actinidia.
Old shoots of Actinidia Pineapple can be cut off after 5-6 years; frozen stems are also sent to the trash bin
Watering and fertilizing
The soil should not dry out; this is especially important to observe during the hot season. In spring, bushes are watered once every 2 days, in summer - twice daily.
Caring for the plant also involves fertilizing. During the growing season, they will be nitrogen-containing fertilizers and organic matter, and in the fall - phosphorus-potassium mixtures. Moreover, the number of the latter is gradually being reduced.
Disease and pest control
Actinidia Pineapple has a stable immune system that protects it from most ailments. However, it does not provide 100% protection. In a waterlogged environment, the variety can be affected by phyllosticosis, powdery mildew and root rot. Bordeaux mixture is used for restoration.
Pests include lacewings, leaf beetles and moths. The fight comes down to spraying the bushes with insecticides.
Reproduction
The liana can be propagated by seeds and cuttings. A distinctive feature of arguta from kolomikta is that the plant does not produce root shoots.
There are only two cultivation methods available for Actinidia Pineapple
Both young and adult woody shoots are suitable for growing cuttings. They are harvested in the first half of June or a little later - when the last flower fades. There should be three internodes and the same number of buds left on the cutting.
The material is rooted in a fertile, drained substrate, and then covered with film. Water through a spray bottle twice a day. Ventilation begins 30 days after planting. After another two months, Actinidia Pineapple is gradually taken out into the street - first for 10 minutes, then for 20 and so on.
Professionals can propagate Actinidia Pineapple using seeds. The process is labor-intensive; in addition, the plant sometimes loses the qualities inherent in the parent variety.One of the advantages is an increase in vitality.
Before planting the seeds, they should be washed and dried. The material is kept in damp gauze for four days, at the same time a container for seedlings is prepared. After a specified period of time, the seeds are poured into a box with sand, lightly sprinkled in drops and left on the windowsill, covering the window with newspaper.
After 60 days, the box is wrapped in cloth and put in the refrigerator for two months. This procedure is called stratification, and it is necessary to increase the winter hardiness of plantings. After this, the seeds of Actinidia Pineapple are transferred to a warmer environment with a temperature of +10 degrees, ventilating for several hours every week.
When the seeds hatch, they can be separated from each other by transplanting them into separate pots. The soil is made up of garden soil and perlite, mixed in the same ratio. When three leaves appear, Pineapple Actinidia will be ready to be transplanted to a permanent location.
Conclusion
Actinidia Pineapple is an ornamental crop that brings a spring atmosphere and sweet berries to the garden. The fruits contain many vitamins and microelements, which makes the presence of the crop on the site not only beautiful, but also useful.
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