Best soil preparation for planting kiwi(s)?
I want to add, to the ground soil, something that will help retain water. My ground soil seems to be clay on top (hard as a rock when dry), but when wet it drains ok and is easy to shovel/dig. Once you get down a foot it's a shale/clay mix. I'm thinking of digging down 2 feet and mixing the soil 50-50 with "compost" that a local city gives away. But I want to add something extra that will hold on to moisture, and so far the only things I've thought of are peat moss, pumice, and those poly- something granules that are sold in small bags at local nurseries.
Is anyone growing kiwi in hot summer weather? Would peat moss be too acidic? Does pumice hold moisture? Will afternoon shade help the situation...any thoughts?
The following thread was started by John zone 9b Topanga, Ca on November 02, 2009 at 0:29 am PST
Don't add pumice to clay soil.
When you mix sand and clay together you'll only create concrete. Kiwis like a slightly acid soil. So, adding peat is fine. Just mix it well with good quality
compost and put a thick top dressing of mulch.
I live in Los Angeles Z 9a, and all my kiwis are thriving.
I'm growing Elmwood, Ken's Red and Cordifolia.
I water them deeply, 3 times a week during the hottest part of summer. And don't hold back with the fertilizer.
They're heavy feeders.
Cheers
The above followup was added by ArachnaRising on November 02, 2009 at 9:01 am PST.
I am going to plant mine. I got a few of the yellows germinate and they are doing ok.
What type of fert do you recommend? Can I use citrus fert?
The above followup was added by tammysf on November 02, 2009 at 9:25 am PST.
Try some urea. It works well.
John S
PDX OR
The above followup was added by John S on November 02, 2009 at 11:09 pm PST.
Hi John--
I put a pair in this year, and heavily mulched the female with partially decomposed straw, but then got busy and distracted by my olives and left the male to fend for himself.
She put on new growth and appeared to be thriving, while he slowly browned out and appeared to be dying.
I finally got around to mulching him, and he immediately rewarded me with new growth. So I'd say that more important than the soil is the mulching.
Our soil is sandy loam, so you can imagine how dry that gets in the summer. The soil in the nursery pots the plants came in was very heavy in organic matter, so I turned some compost into the soil around them, but I'm inclined to believe that really rich soil is what this fruit prefers.
The above followup was added by Tony Wessling on November 07, 2009 at 7:43 am PST.
Tony, are you saying that mulching, without watering, was enough to make them thrive?
The above followup was added by John zone 9b Topanga, Ca on November 10, 2009 at 2:11 am PST.
Hi John--
We have a drip irrigation hooked up to them, and probably water once a week. That likely isn't enough, but I'll have to let you know once they start producing.
The above followup was added by Tony Wessling on November 17, 2009 at 4:40 pm PST.