Mini kiwis are worth planting: They taste great

When people think of an exotic fruit, they may think of kiwi. Would you not agree? Yes, this fruit is great and exotic and it is available in stores all year round. But many of us simply do not want to undergo the tedious peeling process followed by flesh hollowing. That is why you should get a mini kiwi. Its tastes is identical to the “real” fruit, but it is somewhat more compact and you can eat the skin as well, because it is not hairy. If you never saw a mini kiwi, you have come to the right place. We shall introduce this interesting fruit in more detail and tell you how to grow it.

Introducing Actinidia

Mini kiwi is not the official name. It’s Latin name is Actinidia arguta and it has many names in different countries. In the East, for example it is called the Siberian gooseberry and it is basically a variety bread from cultivars called Issai and Viti. The fruits of this plant are strikingly similar to gooseberries but they are sweeter than regular kiwi. They contain plenty of vitamin C and magnesium. It is a frost-resistant plant able to survive minus 30 degrees Celsius! In addition to this remarkable ability it can also resist fungi and various pests. Surprisingly, cat is the only enemy. To protect mini kiwi form cats wrap the stem with a non-woven fabric and you should be ok. Another great benefit is that these plans are self-pollinating, so you do not need to get male and female to reproduce them.

Foto: Radek Štěpán

Easy to grow

You will need a some kind of support when growing actinidia because it is essentially a vine-like plant. The most common type of support are various structures near walls, pergolas or supports used for vine growing. Seedlings are planted between 2 and 4 meters apart and you can do that any time in the year. However, we recommend planting during the dormant season. As for the soil, use compost or peat mixed with regular soil. This will reduce the acidity and actinidia will be happy. However, make sure that the soil is permeable enough and try not to water it too much. Do not work the soil around the plant because you may damage the root system. But you can definitely use mulch to prevent drying.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Great and sweet fruits at the beginning of October

In some areas these fruits are often harvested even now becausethey can handle first frosts. On the contrary. Once the frost hits they get even sweeter. Another interesting fact. Do you know how many fruits you can harvest from one single plant? Up to an incredible 15 kg! Amazing!

Preview photo: Radek Štěpán