This unusual weather has had my kiwi start to grow new leaves a little early, but I don’t think that has been a real problem. I did however notice that one of my vines (not sure if male or female because they came in the same pot) new leaves had started to wilt and dry up like it was getting ready to go dormant. Water isn’t an issue they get plenty. I went to put down some new mulch and noticed a crack, just under the old mulch line, in the trunk and this strange white substance pouring out of the vine. see picture below. does anyone know what this could be? is my vine going to die. I used my fingernail and ran up the vine every couple feet to see if it was hardening up and dying, but appears to be green and alive all the way to the top. I’m not sure what to do. I have been babying these things for going on 4 years now and really would hate to lose it. I was figuring I had to be getting close to seeing fruit.
Kiwis are known to be sensitive to collar rot, maybe that’s what’s going on?
Your description of the foliage could be frost damage, that’s be better than other possibilities…I’d clear the trunk area of mulch and soil to let the root crown breathe and hope for the best. Good luck!
There seem to be some shoots coming up from the soil, so I doubt you will lose the plant. I’ve never seen anything like what you’ve pictured. Is it possible that the stem cracked and that is the phloem or is something in fact oozing out of the hole? If the stem cracked ( due to the cold weather) it’s possible the plant may heal if the weather cooperates
My internet is still down and I’m looking at a picture on my cell, and the resolution isn’t great blown up.
Collar rot is avoided by not planting too deep initially. Could also occur in poorly draining soils. Keeping mulch and soil away from the trunk could help, surround trunk with pea gravel instead.
Could it be Armillaria Fungus? Armillaria sometimes produces a white mycelial mat under the bark at the soil line. The photo shows a white material at about that position.
