We have been growing actinidia near the house for a long time. This is a vitamin
fruitful vine. Its old varieties are divided into male and female plants and
need early shelter for the winter.
Our variety is very thermophilic, it does not withstand zero
temperature, so we cover it in mid-September, and open it then,
when the risk of frost has passed.
The main difference of this vine is that it is very
attractive to cats. Actinidia releases the same essential oils as the roots
valerian.
Several times I brought a male bush, but
after landing, I found only a ate stump and a completely drunk cat next to it. He
rolled from side to side, growled and even licked the ground. I had to take it into the house and think about how to protect the young actinidia.
I first put up a store-bought fence, but it wasn't as high as I thought. The cat, leaning on it, stood up on its hind legs and bit off leaves and twigs with pleasure. Of course, this is not as dangerous as eating the roots, but not desirable.
I had to drive in several strong and high supports, and around them to stretch a mesh folded several times. Such protection proved to be effective: high enough so that the cat did not reach the branches and roots, it is easy to collect it in the fall before laying the vine and closing it.
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| Female actinidia bush in bloom |
The most interesting thing is that the neighboring cats did not pay attention to actinidia at all. There were no traditional "concerts" like they do
at valerian. Only our pets react even to broken branches, and our
the older cat just loves her.
The plant, protected in this way, took root perfectly.
The old plant no longer attracts cats. You just need to keep track
growth and young
Actinidia definitely needs support. The plant can use the existing ones (when planting around a gazebo, a fence, near a veranda, near buildings on the south and southwest sides). If a separate area is allocated for it, then a trellis must be installed before planting. To install a tapestry, reinforced concrete or wooden poles 2-2.5 m high are dug into the ground, and 3-4 rows of galvanized wire with a cross section of 4-5 mm are pulled between them. Using trees as a support will not benefit either the tree or the vine.
Seedlings are planted in a permanent place in the spring before bud break. The distance between plants in a row is 1.5-2 m, between rows is 3-4 m. For decorative purposes and landscaping, actinidia is planted every 0.7-1 m. One male plant is taken for 2-3 female plants. Landing pits are dug 60x60 cm in size. At the bottom of the pit, drainage is laid out from the same brick, gravel, expanded clay. A mixture of fertile soil is poured on top - 10 kg of humus, 400 g of wood ash and 200 g of superphosphate. Planting depth should be such that after watering and soil settlement, the root neck is at ground level. Then the plants are mulched with peat or humus with a layer of 4-5 cm. The aerial part is shortened to a height of 5-7 cm, leaving 2-3 good buds on the shoots.
Immediately after planting the plant protect from cats that gnaw on young shoots. For this, landings are fenced with different nets.
When placing actinidia in an open place, the plants are darkened for the first 2 years after planting (gauze, lutrasil, etc.). The soil is constantly kept in a loose and weed-free state. From the beginning of fruiting, under the first spring loosening, 15-25 g / m² of ammonium nitrate or urea are annually applied. Under the autumn digging of the soil, once every 2-3 years per 1 m² "apply: 4-6 kg of manure or compost, 30-40 g of superphosphate and 15-25 g of potassium salt. Young plants are covered for the winter.
To ensure a good yield of vines, they are annually shape and cut, Pruning can be done in late autumn or summer in June-July. The formation of actinidia on a wire trellis begins in the very first year after planting: in the fall, the two strongest shoots are selected and tied horizontally to the first wire of the trellis in opposite directions. In November, the rest of the shoots are cut out. Only two main vines remain on actinidia. The following year, the shoots growing on these vines are tied vertically on a trellis. They will be fruitful. From those growing on them for the 3rd year, two shoots are again selected and also placed horizontally, pointing in opposite directions. Fruiting shoots should be shortened every year, leaving 4-5 buds behind the topmost berry. Slices are covered with garden pitch.
The main crop of actinidia ripens in August. Ripe fruits become soft and crumble, so they must be collected daily. Systematic cleaning is required, since the fruits of actinidia are easy prey for slugs and mouse-like rodents.
To prevent the berries from falling to the ground, the trellis is made with a slope to the north or east. A film is spread under an inclined trellis, and every morning or evening, ripe and fallen fruits are shaken off the film into a suitable dish.
It is even better to stretch gauze under the actinidia on stakes at some distance from the soil surface. This will allow even in rainy weather to clean the berries clean. You can remove the fruits in one go, after 10-15% of the total crop is ripe. The berries removed in this phase are spread in a thin layer in a ventilated room, and they ripen in a few days.
The fruits of actinidia are consumed fresh, and they are also used to prepare juice, compote, raw jam, jam, sometimes they are dried. All processed products retain their aroma and vitamin C for a long time.
Cats, kitties, cats, kitties, how cute, affectionate, charming they are, it’s not for nothing that they love these animals and many even have the courage to keep them in their care. Those who already have extensive experience in caring for cats are probably thinking about a serious question: what do cats like?
And they think for the simple reason that they really want to thank the animal for its warmth and affection that it gives to the owner, and thank it in such a way that it is purely cool by cat standards.
How to take care of your cute pet so that he understands that you love him as much as he loves you? It is enough to know what cats love, and you can easily cope with this task.
For example, valerian - to say that they love her is to say nothing. Valerian beckons them with a mysterious dope, introducing into ecstasy with one of its smells, and if you also get a lick, then in general ... bliss will be indescribable.
Abuse, however, is not worth it.
In addition, in addition to valerian, cats are still very fond of such a plant called Actinidia. The plant is unpretentious, in the form of a creeper, but the effect of it is the same as that of valerian - cats literally go crazy, pounce on this plant, sniff it out for a long time, sometimes it is very funny to watch.
So the famous Maru also respects Actinidia:
Maru the cat also likes matatabi stalks
In addition to the famous valerian, cats still love a lot:
- hunt for everything that flies, crawls, buzzes, climbs trees or just sharpens claws on a sofa, chair, door;
- master's affection and the more, the better;
- bask in the sun or near the battery, other heating devices will do, the main thing is that the animal does not smoke;
- play with something or with someone, whether it be the owner or just a ball, even dogs will be played if they have a close friendship since childhood;
- a clean, dry toilet keeps the pet in a good disposition around the clock;
- cats also like to gnaw on plants and it’s okay that these are your indoor flowers, which you hardly acquired because of their rarity or high cost, and if you value flowers so much, then okay, the cat will just gnaw and burp young shoots on the carpet for you - like he didn’t eat;
- clean soft smooth wool is to the liking not only of the owners, but also of cats, they really like it when they are combed, combed, cherished, groomed, stroked, stroked, but not against wool.
This is something new for them to sit in and get comfortable. And, then, the boxes attract them first of all with safety - you don’t need to pay much attention to self-defense, the so-called “I’m in the house” effect works).
The same effect can be observed when cats settle under the roof of a barn or shed, which is especially true for animals living outside the city:
Here is also a video that, for sure, many have seen:
Siberian cats under a canopy
And, of course, the famous cat Maru in his videos clearly demonstrates how much he loves boxes.
Lots of small boxes and Maru
By the way, pay attention to how Maru understands and takes offense at small boxes: here are the ears back and the strong wagging of the tail, expressing his displeasure.
Do nothing wrong with him, respect him and love him. Nothing else is required. Animals feel and understand people very well, especially cats.
At one time, when I had a cat, he was a kind of people detector. The first reaction to a stranger in an animal is usually the most correct and they rarely make mistakes in their assessments.
But then again, explaining to the cat that you love him does not mean that you need to pamper him and allow everything.
Say, you don’t need to feed the animal at the table - this is pampering.
You don't need to let him take up your entire bed, otherwise I know some Britons who lie diagonally on the bed so that the owners have no space left.
In short, cutting. Smells of citrus, especially. When you start peeling an orange or a tangerine, my cat immediately squinted his eyes and ran out of the kitchen in horror.
Catching a mouse, jumping on furniture, eating your sour cream, stealing a fish - for us, these little things are almost invisible, but cats love it all and very much. Do not deprive your pets of joy, because they try to surround you with attention and care, only in their own way, like a cat.
Visit the profile section of our forum or leave your feedback in the comments below. More opinions - more useful information, someone will come in handy. If there are good and interesting videos on the topic of the article, write - I will insert it into this publication.
Even Michurin himself, at the beginning of the twentieth century, created the first varieties of actinidia, he called it "northern grapes" and prophesied a bright future for this liana. But years passed, and she remained little known. In this article, I will introduce you to the varieties of actinidia, planting and care, and its reproduction.
Actinidia are inhabitants of the Russian Far East, Central and East Asia. The actinidia genus unites about 30 species of vines, of which the following are grown in central Russia:
- actinidia kolomikta (Aktinidia kolomikta)
- spicy (Aktinidia arguta)
- polygama (Aktinidia polygama)
They are still rare, but certainly deserve wider use, as they are beautiful, hardy and give useful fruits.
Actinidia kolomikta is most adapted to growing in the middle lane, it is also known as the Far Eastern raisin. It is a fruit vine 3-7 meters high. She has unusual leaves. Color changing during the season: when it blooms - variegated leaves, after flowering - pink and crimson, and in autumn - red and purple. If actinidia receives enough sun, then the color of the leaves is the brightest.
Actinidia blooms in May-June, and lasts from 4 to 10 days. The flowers are fragrant, white, 1-2 cm in diameter. The fruits are striped, dark green, ripening in August-September. They are soft oblong fruits 2-3 cm long, edible and fragrant, slightly reminiscent of gooseberries in their appearance.
Acute actinidia (arguta) is a large fast-growing liana that can grow up to 25-30 meters! In a year, the plant can grow up to 3 meters. The leaves of the creeper are dark green, the flowers are fragrant, greenish-white. It blooms in June, but the fruits ripen late - in September-October. The fruits are dark green or greenish-yellow, fleshy and with a pineapple smell. The fruits of the arguta are tastier than those of the kolomikta, but due to the fact that the vine itself is less winter-hardy, it often dies. The best option then is the shelter of the vine along with the support for the winter.
Actinidia polygamum (polygamy), known in America as the Silver Vine - a liana up to 4-5 meters high. The leaves differ in that their tips are cream or white. Flowers yellowish or white. Fragrant, appear in June, sometimes in July, depending on the weather, blooms for a long time: 2-3 weeks. Fruits up to 4 cm long with a "nose", light orange in color, ripen late, but are not edible. The sharpness and pungency of the fruit disappears after freezing.
The best time for planting vines is the first decade of May. The place is better to choose a well-lit, warm. The soil is fertile, loose and air and water permeable. It is desirable that it be PH neutral or slightly acidic. Liana can grow in partial shade, but you should not plant it under the canopy of fruit trees. Blackcurrant is considered the best neighbor for creepers, but it is better to plant it away from apple trees.
Seedlings with a closed root system take root better. For each bush, a hole is prepared with a width and depth of at least 60 cm. A drainage layer is laid at the bottom, and the pit is filled with humus, sand and garden soil in a ratio of 2: 1: 1, it would be nice to add ash and superphosphate. The plant does not like lime, so do not lime the soil when planting.
The root neck of actinidia should not be buried when planting. It should be at ground level. The plant after planting is shaded from the spring sun. In the fifth year after planting, actinidia begins to actively bear fruit.
Actinidia is a dioecious plant, on one plant there are either female flowers or male ones. They do not change throughout the life of the plant.
To get a crop, you need to have at least one male and one female plant. The best is 2 male plants to 5 female plants. The distance between seedlings is at least 2 meters.
When landing, it is necessary to provide for the further installation of supports. Tapestries should be at a height of 2-3 meters to make it more convenient to collect fruits.
Actinidia care is quite simple: loosening, watering, weeding. Moreover, with proper planting, the first 2-3 years, top dressing is not required. In the future, they are fed 2-3 times per season: in spring (early May), during the appearance of the ovary and after fruiting. Do not use chlorine fertilizers.
Pruning of vines is carried out after leaf fall - in September-October. In adult plants, shoots are shortened to half their length and branches are cut out that thicken the crown. It is impossible to prune in the spring, the juices will flow out of the wound and the plant will weaken.
For the winter, young plants are removed from their supports and covered with spruce branches, peat or fallen leaves.
Actinidia can be propagated both by seeds and shoots, cuttings, grafting, root offspring and air layering.
The easiest way to propagate actinidia is by arc layering. To do this, at the end of May, a well-developed shoot is taken, bent to the ground, dug in and fixed so that the end freely rises above the ground. Then it remains only to water regularly. The following year, rooted cuttings are separated from the mother plant.
Propagation of actinidia by cuttings is used to quickly obtain valuable varieties and more seedlings. Green cuttings 10-15 cm long are harvested in late May - early June. The cuttings are cut from the top of the shoot so that each cutting has 2-3 buds or 2 internodes. The top leaf from the cutting is cut in half, the soft top and lower leaves are removed. The cuttings are planted in a substrate consisting of a layer of humus soil mixed with sand 10-12 cm thick, a 5 cm layer of washed river sand is laid on top. The cutting is immersed in the substrate up to the upper kidney and covered with a film or glass jar on top, shaded. Further care for the cuttings consists in spraying 2 times a day with water, and after the appearance of young shoots, the plantings begin to ventilate. The next spring, plants can be planted in a permanent place.
Another way to propagate actinidia is with a lignified cutting. They are harvested in late autumn and stored in a box of sand until spring. Planted cuttings in a greenhouse with loose fertile soil. Care is the same as for the green ones.
Since both female and male plants are needed for fruiting, when grafting, the sex of the plant is transferred to the “baby”, that is, the gardener will immediately know what gender the young plant will be. Externally, the cuttings cannot be distinguished.
