Arctic Kiwi Cuttings

Arctic Kiwi Cuttings

Arctic kiwi are also known as Hardy Kiwi and are scientifically called Actinidia arguta. The common kiwi that you buy in stores in Acinidia deliciosa. Listed on the Vesey's site as only hardy to Zone 5, I have seen them thrive in the heart of Saskatoon which on the face of it is in Zone 2b. A city the size of Saskatoon does have an appreciable "heat island" effect and so the city itself may experience up to one zone warmer, with microclimates created by building foundations, overhangs and other protection producing small areas with a Zone 5 type environment. Last year I began experimenting with cuttings and tried my hand at Arctic Kiwi. I took hardwood cuttings from a vine well into spring that had already generated many leaves and the cuttings died in reasonably quick order. The cuttings were stored in a north facing cold frame (more on the frame in the future). This year I am doing softwood cuttings. The cuttings were taken around the beginning of July. They are sitting in a roughly 50/50 mix of pearlite and peat. This spring I also bought a Hydro Farm heat mat. I looked at many places online for the best deal but many of the American sites had outrageous shipping and handling charges and in the end I purchased the mat from Early's Farm and Garden here in Saskatoon. The heat mat has greatly increased the rate of rooting of other cuttings that I have done this spring and I would highly recommend them to anyone who is looking to do more than a couple cuttings per season.