Watering Kiwi Berry Vines
Unless you’re in an area where irrigation is usually needed for normal plant growth, you probably won’t need to water your kiwi after the first growing year. Until then, follow these guidelines to get your new kiwi plants off to a great start.
NOTE: This is part 8 in a series of 9 articles. For a complete background on how to grow kiwi berry vines, we recommend starting from the beginning.
General Guidelines
- If summer brings about an inch of rainfall every 10 days or so, you won’t need to use the hose. If rainfall is sparse or your area is suffering from a drought, you will want to water your plants (about a gallon per plant – this is equivalent to about an inch of rainfall) every 7 to 10 days.
The best way to do this is to let your garden hose trickle slowly. This gives the water a chance to soak in instead of running off. You can also use a soaker hose to water several plants at once.
- If you are expected to get an inch or more of rainfall during the course of 7 to 10 days during the first year of growing for your kiwi plant, you will not need to supply additional water to the plants or you will risk drowning the roots.
- If your area is prone to heavy rains, especially during the growing season, you will want to be sure your kiwi plants are rooted in a well-drained location to prevent waterlogged (drowning) roots.
