Fruit and Vegetables

A great many years ago, I was visiting a friend’s farm back home in Nova Scotia and noticed a wild-looking plant covering a shed at the edge of the property. It was a huge tangle of broad leaves and tendrils from the soil up past the roof line. I had never seen anything like it, so I asked her what it was. She told me that it was a kiwifruit.  The only kiwi I was aware of were brown, fuzzy, tropical fruit that you could buy at the grocery store, so I just assumed she was off her gourd and moved on.  Since then, I have learned a lot more about plants and have grown to really appreciate the hardy kiwi species that are available for gardeners in the northern hemisphere. We have offered both Actinidia kolomikta (Arctic Kiwi) and Actinidia arguta cultivars in the past.

Hardy Kiwi are native to Eastern Russia, Korea, Japan and parts of China. These plants are extremely vigorous vines with twining tendrils that require strong support.  Their leaves are generally glossy-green and oval shaped, but there is variation among the cultivars and species.  Some are more serrated, or with red leaf-stocks and vines, others are even variegated with pink and white splotches.  Hardy kiwi have no particular pests to speak of (which is a marvel for a fruiting plant).  These kiwis are smaller than the typical grocery store kiwi, but the skin isn’t fuzzy, so they can be eaten right off the vine.

Like hollies, bayberry and many other plants, hardy kiwi is dioecious.  So, just like people, they have separate male and female plants.  In order to get fruit, it is important to plant either a self-fertile variety like ‘Issai’ or both a male and female of the same species. ‘Kens Red'(female), for example, should be planted along with another male Actinidia arguta in order to fruit.  They do require specialized care to produce fruit dependably, so it’s a good idea to do some in-depth research if fruit is the major goal.  Proper pruning and trellising can really help with getting a consistent crop.  That being said, I’d highly recommend growing them just for their ornamental value.

If fruit-set is just a bonus, why not give one or two a try and just see how they do?  Any garden situation where a Wisteria would be the traditional choice could absolutely handle a hardy kiwi vine.  They are equally, if not more, vigorous but with more handsome leaves.  They would look stunning covering a pergola or trained up along the side of a building. If allowed to grow across the slats of a pergola, this vine would provide quite a lot of shade below.  They could also do a great job of beautifying the fencing around a tennis court or pool, while providing good screening.

Including edible plants in primarily ornamental landscapes has been gaining in popularity over the last number of years.  As hardy kiwis are both attractive and productive, I think they are a perfect addition to the wisterias, roses and clematis that most gardeners are used to planting.  So, if you are up for a little challenge, and have some room – hardy kiwi is a great new(old) plant to try!

I hate growing tomatoes.  They seem to get every problem that plants can get:  early blight, late light, anthracnose, grey mold, damping off, powdery mildew, nutrient deficiencies, tomato horn worms, aphids, nematodes, spider mites … the list seems endless.  That being said, every year we have a few tomatoes left over at the nursery that find their way into large pots for staff enjoyment.  They are most often neglected and the harvest is minimal if any.  But once again, I’ve gone for it.  We have some ‘Green Zebra’, ‘Sungold’, ‘Cherokee Purple’, ‘Chocolate Sprinkles’ and ‘Lemon Boy’.  I’m determined to have a bumper crop this year!

 

I am by no means an expert on tomato culture, but I have done a lot of reading over the years.  I’m still a little stymied when it comes to the perfect nutrition for these plants, but when it comes to training, I think I have it down.  We’re lucky to have a greenhouse at the nursery.  Growing these veggies under a roof seems to be making a big difference already.  Here is my set up:  I tied a thick length of twine to one of the purlins (supporting pipes) that runs down the length of the greenhouse and allowed it to dangle down to the plants in each pot.  Next I tied each plant to the twine, with a loose figure eight knot using some flexible tape.  I planted two tomatoes in each plastic nursery pot, super deep.  Then I filled them up with nursery growing mix and some slow release fertilizer to get them going.

 

If left to their own devices, these plants would sprawl on the ground, forming a tangled heap with smaller, lesser-quality fruit.  Judicious training and pruning should encourage fewer, but higher-quality, tomatoes that are held close to the support and easy to pick.  Proper pruning also maximizes air flow and sun exposure as well, hopefully reducing fungal infections.

 

 

As the plants grow, I select two leaders and continue to tie them loosely to the twine support as they grow.  I prune away any other shoots.   I have continued to prune the vines every week.  Most of the growth is at the tip of each leader, but there are also many side shoots that emerge from the leaf axils along the vine.  I pay close attention to those shoots and pinch them off when they are a few inches long.  If I miss a few, and their diameter increases, I use my pruners so that I don’t damage the vine trying to tug them loose.