So, I’ve just picked up a few Hardy kiwi plants and I’m trying to figure out how to Trellis them in the spring. Other than a standard grape vine type trellis system or a t trellis system, does anyone have any interesting ways that they trellis their kiwis? I was thinking of using cattle panels to create arches for the kiwis to grow on, but maybe other ideas would be better.
3 Likes
You might check out this thread with a trellis that @Barkslip built for his hardy kiwi. As always with Dax, it’s a really nice setup, and he may be able to update you on how it’s working out.
4 Likes
Thanks for the compliment, Jim.
It’s solid as a rock and unfortunately my vine died two-years ago and I haven’t replaced it, but will.
Dax
4 Likes
The trellis looks nice. How tall is it?
1 Like
What happened to the vine, out of curiosity?
My dad had a pair that “escaped” and jungled up a good part of my parents’ backyard. But the pollinator of the pair died and the one he got to replace it has struggled a bit.
When the vine was bearing, he said that he would sometimes see foxes (among other things) browsing on the fruit.
2 Likes
Mine is similar to Dax’s. I opted for 4 4x4 uprights connected by 4x4’s
I made it real pretty with copper post-toppers. The kiwi ripped those tops right off within a year.
I should have made it longer (only 8 feet) and wider (only 3 feet wide).
I have to fight the vines off from taking down my cable lines.
Scott
3 Likes
I’m not sure Jim. It was alive and then it wasn’t. I watered it and everything. I’d chalk it up to an uncontrollable death.
@Chills
I’m in the same boat but planted an Issai for that trellis I built. I knew I was going to run out of trellis and thought I’d built onto it when necessary, but, I wanted to see for myself if (1) Issai could keep itself halfway tame. I have the same dimensions that your’s is.
Dax
2 Likes
@Barkslip I foolishly planted 2 males on one side and a Ken’s Red and a Anna on the other side (this was 10+ years ago and there really wasn’t much info out there about the aggressiveness of these vines. My first notion things might be a little much was that the Anna choked out the Ken’s Red and a sweet autumn clematis (another monster vine).
My kids kindly planted another Anna for me just 5 feet down from the first one. It has eaten a chain-link fence and a couple pawpaw trees.
I also have a Michigan State and a actindia polygama “Hot Pepper”.
I’m still trying to figure out proper pruning of these vines…
Scott
2 Likes
After a few half-hearted attempts at single line systems (2 poles and a wire), I built a larger, sturdier trellis out of galvanized steel post and rail in 2013. You can see some more recent pics of it in this thread, where I mention the need to add bolts:
It’s construction pre-dated this website, but it looks like the old Gardenweb site still has the post about its construction:
Here are a few pics from it, from 2013:
I looked at the pic in Dax’s thread and it was striking how much space he had around the trellis. I think that is a big problem with my early kiwi planting- not enough space. I’ve started removing some of the early (pre 2013, not the pic above which is working out well) vines which were planted on the single line trellis and don’t have much space.
6 Likes
I planted 2 annas and one Ken’s red along a trellis of 4x4 put 2 feet into the ground with concrete in clay soil. There was 10 feet between the 4x4’s and I put two wires across at different heights. This was NOT ENOUGH. The kiwis outgrew this system in 3 years time and still aren’t of production size yet (my males produce flowers but they are in movable pots and are heavily pruned).
One Anna became so aggressive she actually was able to pull the north 4x4 towards the center with her own weight (during soggy spring periods) so that the north post now tips its hat to her. Had I known what I know now I’d say it needs to be deeper, taller, wider, longer, and more intense a structure.
-Kevin
Anyone tried raising kiwis on a cattle panel Arch trellis?
im limited on funds so at the moment we are using bamboo sticks for trellis for my kiwis to climb until my husband can build us one just for our potted kiwis. ; )
1 Like
Cattle panel arches would not work out well IMO, and the reason is that the gridded wire would make pruning and managing the twining vines quite difficult compared with a T, and the evemtual weight of the vines, leaves, and fruit load could easily exceed 100 Lbs per plant.
Given that these unruly plants need pruning at least once, and better, twice a year, whatever support used should be ergonomic to that endeavor, plus sturdy.
4 Likes
Photos from the UNH Durham kiwi trial vinyard are built from black locust uprights and cross bars
1 Like
I would not be worried about the cattle panels holding 100 lb. I have made these types of arches before to grow squash and other Vining melons and it is taking the load without any kind of problem. If I need to put together a t trellis system, then I would probably have my work cut out for me. My grape trellis system is nothing more than a bunch of cedar treed that I found on my property sunk into the ground 2 1/2 ft with some wire running between all of the trunks. I do still need to Anchor the ends though. I did see a couple of videos on YouTube where it looks like in Europe one popular method of raising hardy kiwis is to grow them along a standard chain link fence set up, which is why I was thinking the cattle panels might be a fun way of trellising them. Who doesn’t love on ice Arch covered with vegetation 2 walkthrough?
Or I had thought about planting them alongside the chicken aviary and just letting them grow up the side and become a shade for the chickens during the summer. Any fruit that falls won’t go to waste.
5 Likes
I have my muscadines on cattle panel arches (or hog panels, slight difference.) The pruning can be a problem. They bear plenty of weight. I climb up on top of the arches to do a lot of the pruning. I have 7 arches in a row for a 28 foot tunnel. Here is a picture taken when I was on top of the arch pruning the muscadines. I have the muscadines on every other panel on both sides and they are too crowded.
4 Likes
This looks great, and I’m impressed it’s strong enough to climb on. Could you please tell me more about how you built it? Exactly what kind of panel did you buy, and how did you connect it to the ground? How tall is it?Thanks.
You can YouTube cattle panel trellis and see dozens of videos on how to construct these. Very easy to construct. Cattle panels are very versatile and durable. You can also make greenhouses and other things with them… again YouTube…
You can buy them at places like tractor supply for about $22ea. They are about 50"wide x 16ft long.
3 Likes
I built ours using top rails and cattle panels. Used a hoop bender we bought for making our greenhouse. This is the second year in the ground. It did most of it’s growing this year. It’s reached the ends of the trellis on both sides. Our male is close by on a simple cattle panel arch trellis.
3 Likes