Make your windowsill exotic: how to grow kiwi from seeds

Kiwi is an exotic fruit that grows on a climbing plant native to China. And if the plant does not take root well in the open ground in our climate, it is quite possible to grow it on a windowsill and even make it bear fruit.

OBOZ.UA asked how to grow kiwi from seeds. Yes, it will require some effort, but the result will fully justify it.

Since kiwi requires male and female vines for pollination and fruiting, it is better to grow several seedlings at once. The plant will bear its first fruits in 5-6 years, so you will have to be patient.

To get seeds suitable for planting, buy a ripe kiwi fruit and cut it in half. Carefully scoop out the flesh with a spoon and mash it into a puree. Strain the resulting puree through several layers of cheesecloth, and then pick out the seeds from the residue and rinse them with water. Spread the seeds on a paper towel and let them dry at room temperature.

You can germinate kiwi on a damp cotton ball or a paper towel folded in several layers. Put the material that will serve as a substrate in a shallow bowl and treat it with water from a spray bottle. It should be damp, not wet. Next, place the seeds on top of it at a certain distance from each other and cover the container with cling film. In a couple of weeks, sprouts will appear. From this point on, it's time to transfer the kiwi to the ground.

You can also germinate kiwi in the ground, but you need to provide the seeds with low acidity soil. A ready-made flowering vine mix, which can be purchased at a flower shop, is ideal. If you want to prepare the substrate yourself, mix humus, sand, leaf and sod soil, as well as peat in equal amounts and pre-heat the mixture in the oven to sterilize it.

Pour the prepared substrate into small cups or a spacious container for several sprouts. Carefully place the seeds on it, lightly cover them with soil, moisten the substrate with water, and hide them under the film. The greenhouse should be in a bright and warm place. Use spray bottle to water it and do not forget to shake off the condensation from the film so that the seeds do not rot.

When the sprouts appear, the greenhouse can be removed. It is better to do this gradually, first opening the kiwi for a couple of hours and increasing this time until the plant can be outdoors all the time.

Water the kiwi sprouts with soft, settled or filtered water. Make sure that the sprouts do not overflow. And protect them from direct sunlight. The plant should have enough light, but it should be diffused.

When young kiwis reach 8-10 cm in height, it's time to plant them in separate pots. It is better to place them on the south side as the vines need as much light as possible. A heated loggia or porch will be the best conditions for keeping them. And do not forget about the support along which the plant will climb up.

You can feed kiwi with universal fertilizers, applying them according to the instructions. It is best to grow the vine under a phytolamp, which provides it with long daylight hours. To encourage the plant to branch out, you can periodically pinch it.

Since kiwi is quite attractive to pests, it is better to keep it separately from other indoor plants. It is also important to regularly inspect the plant for symptoms of disease. If you want to harvest your own exotic fruit, do not forget to give pollinating insects access to the vine.

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