Actinidia arguta "Issey" (aka "Issai") produces a vine from four to eight meters, resistant to diseases. Productivity: up to fifteen kilograms of berries per root. The average weight of one fruit is five grams, the taste is close to the taste of kiwi. You can remove them from the branches when they are not ripe. After being brought into the house, the berries ripen within short term, three days may be enough.
The leaves are large, rounded and elongated with a pointed tip. Both leaves and fruits are characterized by red petioles. The lifespan of vines can reach fifty years; they become very voluminous, lush, and can cover an entire tree.
Soils are desirable rich in humus, moist, but not waterlogged. The roots do not go deep from the surface, so the plants are sensitive to competitors: weeds must be carefully gotten rid of; in the neighborhood there can only be flowers that protect the seedling at a young age from burns in the open sun. Many gardeners recommend mulching the soil.
During the first two years, actinidia arguta "Issei" tolerates replanting very poorly, so if you have germinated cuttings, it is best to plant them in a permanent place in the garden in the third year.
To plant a seedling, you should dig a hole with a ratio of depth to diameter of approximately 60 to 60, put broken bricks or stones at the bottom so that the water does not stagnate. In addition to organic matter (compost), do not forget to add mineral elements in the form of ash to the planting mixture.
If the winter turns out to be little snow or especially frosty and the upper parts of the vine are frozen, the trunk of an adult plant always has a sufficient supply of vitality to drive new shoots out of the lower buds in the spring. But in order to prevent the lower part of the vine from freezing, you should not remove leaves that have fallen in autumn from the plant. They have large size, provide good thermal insulation and help the roots, trunk and lower buds to overwinter safely. Avoid ventilated places so that the vine does not freeze in winter.
An overgrown vine can be pruned, but not earlier than three years of age, because younger plants are not yet hardy enough. The best time for pruning is after the leaves have dropped, when the movement of sap along the trunk stops. From the age of seven to ten years it is possible, and sometimes even necessary. carry out anti-aging pruning.
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Garden landscape design does not have to be purely aesthetic. With the right selection of crops, you can turn it into a source of healthy fruits and berries. Actinidia arguta is a berry plant that produces rich harvests rich in vitamins and minerals. All the subtleties of agricultural technology can be learned from the proposed material. Experienced gardeners tell us how to choose its varieties suitable for the Moscow region. Timely and correct landing actinidia arguta guarantees a harvest after 1 year. And by providing proper care, the owner of the vine can extend its life to 20 years. Look at the photo of Actinidia agruta - different varieties of the crop are shown, and we will continue to talk about the beautiful stranger: 
Description and photo of Actinidia arguta
The more common name of the culture among people is balsam; it was obtained due to its special organoleptic qualities. The description of Actinidia arguta should begin with the fact that it is a rather rare plant. In the state register of the Russian Federation there are only two varieties officially registered by breeders. Belongs to the botanical family Actinidiaceae, has pronounced resistance to insufficient moisture in the soil and sunlight. Can be grown in shaded areas where regular watering may be difficult. Look at the photo of actinidia argut in various stages of vine development:
The difficulty of growing lies in the dioecy of the plant. For pollination, for every 5 female seedlings, 2 male seedlings are required. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to wait for the harvest. Actinidia has no other natural pollinators. Male vines do not produce fruit, but they perfectly decorate any landscape design due to their ability to grow quickly. Fruiting occurs at the beginning of autumn; in the conditions of the Moscow region, the fruits are collected before they are ripe. They require a ripening period of up to 10 days in a dry, dark place. Berries can have a wide range of flavors: pineapple, melon, strawberry, apple, etc. Until they are fully ripe, actinidia berries are not edible and can cause poisoning. 
Atinidia arguta is a powerful vine whose stem can grow up to 20 meters in length. In this case, the diameter of the stem is no more than 15 cm. For rapid growth and development, the installation of strong, high supporting structures is required. Can be used as a covering ornamental plant along high fences, gazebos, facades of buildings made of concrete and wood. Look at the photos for examples of successful landings: 
The stems of the actinidia argut vine have an unsightly grayish color. During 1 summer season it grows by 2.5 meters. Covered with large dense leaves with a shiny dark green surface. The color palette of the foliage does not change until the berries are fully ripened. At the end of September the leaves turn bright yellow and fall off after 2-3 weeks. The liana exhibits a certain beauty during its flowering period, which occurs in early June and lasts almost a month. At this time, it is possible to distinguish the male vine from the female arsenium. Male representatives produce more luxuriant flowering, forming inflorescences of three buds, while female actinidia exhibit exclusively single flowering. The buds are boiling white with contrasting black stamens and pistils. After flowering, the formation of fruits weighing up to 20 grams begins. The average yield is 10 - 12 kg per plant. The berries can be consumed fresh; jam, marshmallows, and drinks are made from them. The berries contain a huge amount of phytoncides, vitamins, minerals and other useful substances. 
Planting actinidia arguta in the Moscow region and subsequent care of the vine
The process begins with choosing a suitable location. Planting of Akyinidia arguta should be carried out in soil with a neutral pH reaction. During the initial digging, you should avoid applying lime and fertilizers with a high content of potassium chloride. These substances can completely burn the root system of the cuttings. At the same time, an increased amount of organic matter, phosphorus and potassium is required. But they are applied as part of special complex fertilizers. In the Moscow region, Acnidia arguta is located in an area with distances between vines of at least 3 meters. All subsequent care of the vine consists of regular watering and weekly application of mineral fertilizers.
Wintering is not particularly difficult. The plant can easily withstand ambient temperatures dropping to minus 50 degrees Celsius. Spring frosts pose a danger. When the ambient temperature drops to minus 2 degrees Celsius during the period of budding and flowering, it completely eliminates the possibility of obtaining a harvest in the current season. 
Such varieties of actinidia argut as “Vera”, “Primorskaya”, “VIR-54”, “Ganiber”, “Geneva” and others are suitable for the Moscow region. It is worth paying attention to the results of the work of breeders. Japanese botanists offer Actinidia agruta "Issei" - this is a self-fertile plant that does not require the planting of male vines for successful fruiting. 17.01.2012
Actinidia arguta are valuable fruit liana plants with tasty, tender, aromatic fruits. Homeland: the south of the Ussuri region, Japan, Korea, China.Life expectancy is 100 years or more.
Lianas of this species are distinguished by their power - the stem length reaches 25 m, thickness 12 cm. When grown in gardens, they especially need strong supports.
The stem has a light gray color characteristic of the species. An annual shoot can be very long (up to 2 m or more), smooth to the touch, with elongated light lenticels, the core is cloisonné. The leaves are large, dense, almost leathery, shiny, dark green on top and matte, light green on the underside of the leaf blade. Unlike other species, the leaves do not change color during the summer. In autumn they turn bright yellow.
Flowering begins in late June - early July. Male flowers are smaller, in loose semi-umbrellas, female flowers are single or three (up to 2 cm in diameter), greenish-white, almost odorless. As a rule, male plants form inflorescences of three flowers, while female plants differ from them by single flowering. Moreover, only Arguta has dark gray, almost black, anthers and pollen in flowers.
The fruits of Actinidia arguta are larger than those of Actinidia kolomikta!!!
On average, their weight is 5-10 g, but sometimes reaches 18 g. With good care, fruiting is abundant, 10 kg or more per vine. Depending on the variety, the harvest ripens in late August - September. Large fruits can remain on the plant until frost without falling.
Popular varieties of 2013-2014 actinidia arguta:
Actinidia arguta "Ananasnaya/PINEAPPLE` Female NEW 2014
Actinidia arguta `Geneva/GENEVA` Female
Actinidia arguta "Issai" self-fertile
Actinidia arguta "Jumbo/JUMBO` Femle
Actinidia arguta `Ken`s Red/KENS RED` Female
Actinidia arguta `Kokuwa/KOKUVA` self-fertile
Actinidia arguta `Purpurna Sadowa/PURPLE GARDEN` Female
Actinidia arguta "Rogów" Female
Actinidia arguta VITIKIWI self-fertile (fruits with out seeds!)
Actinidia arguta `Weiki` Male
Actinidia arguta `Weiki` Female
Landing.
1. Actinidia has a very vulnerable root system. Plants left with bare roots in the wind or heat even for 5-10 minutes may die, and those that survive have difficulty adapting after planting and are stunted for a long time. Therefore, you need to purchase seedlings with a closed root system: with a lump of earth, in a container or securely packaged in bags, and no older than three years.
2. Since actinidia is a dioecious crop, it is necessary to purchase both female and male plants. Otherwise you won’t get fruiting.
It is recommended to plant 2 male plants for 5 female plants!!!
It should be borne in mind that pollination of actinidia kolomikta, argut and polygam occurs only by plants of their own species. Mutual cross-pollination is possible only between male and female plants of actinidia arguta, giralda and purpurea.
Choosing a location.
Since in their natural habitats actinidia grow in the openwork penumbra of sparse forests, it is advisable to choose a place with similar conditions. But in a garden plot, which is usually small, at first glance it is not easy to find such a place. First of all, it is worth remembering that climbing plants need supports on which they will grow in a vertical plane. This means that they will not take up a lot of garden space. Actinidia can be placed on trellises around the perimeter of the garden and along the walls of a house or other outbuildings. It is also suitable for creating gazebos, green canopies and hedges.
We should not forget about the decorative nature of actinidia. The vines are attractive all year round: in winter with the intricate interweaving of branches against a background of snow, in spring with the bright greenery of young foliage, and during the flowering period with the delicate aroma of flowers. To constantly admire this beauty, it makes sense to plant several actinidia in plain sight - at the entrance to the house, near a window or near a path.
The question is often asked: “Is it possible to plant actinidia on the north or south side of buildings?” The answer to this is ambiguous. These plants are shade-tolerant, but can bear fruit well only with sufficient light. Therefore, it is preferable to place vines against a wall facing east or west, in partial shade or where direct sunlight reaches at least half the day.
Actinidia planted on the north side of the building can also grow and develop quite well. Since the snow does not melt here in the spring longer, this somewhat slows down the opening of buds and the growth of young shoots, which protects them from freezing during late spring frosts. However, such plants begin to bear fruit later - when their shoots reach a height where nothing blocks the sunlight.
When actinidia are grown south of a building or in an open space, as many years of observations have shown, the plants do not suffer from sunburn of leaves, shoots or fruits. However, with this placement it is important to prevent overheating and drying out of the upper root layer of soil. This is quite achievable through timely mulching of the soil and watering, and regular spraying of foliage in the morning and evening hours.
What kind of neighbors does actinidia like? For plants, especially young ones and growing in the sun, the proximity of annual legumes is very beneficial: beans, peas, and even better - beans. Sown in close proximity to the vines, they improve the soil, while preventing it from drying out and creating a suitable microclimate.
Flowers planted nearby as a living backdrop are welcome. You can create a bright mixborder from annuals: petunias, asters, verbena, ageratum, matthiola, calendula, godetia, clarkia, antirrinum, tagetes and other flowering plants that are quite powerful, but do not dry out the soil.
As a rule, next to the wall of a residential building, actinidia better tolerates harsh winters and rarely freezes during frosts in late spring and early summer. However, when planting near buildings, it is necessary to take into account where water drops from the roof fall so that they do not damage young plants.
Like many plants, actinidia grows well in places protected from the prevailing winds in the area. Again, buildings or tall, dense plantings can be used as protection.
When placing a large number of plants, they are planted in rows with row spacing of 3-4 m and at a distance of 1.5-2 m between seedlings. The rows are placed in the north-south direction, which promotes longer retention of snow and moisture near the vines in the spring, and uniform illumination and successful shading in the hottest hours of the root collar and the zone of greatest spread of roots in the summer.
Actinidia is undemanding to soil fertility. In nature, it grows normally on lands with low levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. However, it should be borne in mind that alkaline soils are not suitable for it. Slightly acidic and acidic are optimal, although neutral ones are also acceptable. Therefore, before planting actinidia, the soil is not limed. Otherwise, the vines will suffer, develop worse and may even die. Heavy, floating, clayey soils with close groundwater levels are also undesirable.
When choosing a site for actinidia, you should also take into account that it does not like places where melt and rainwater stagnate for a long time, as well as planting fruit crops in tree trunks. In the first case, the plants become wet and die; in the second, they suffer from drying out the soil by powerful tree roots and from damage to the surface root system during deep tillage of the soil in the orchard. The close proximity of an apple tree is especially undesirable for actinidia. If a young fruit tree is used as a support, it often dies, strangled by the vine.
For actinidia, the proximity of hazel and currants is desirable. The latter is also good as a previous culture.
Landing.
The best planting time is spring or early summer. But you can plant it in the fall, 2-3 weeks before the first frost. 1-3 year old vines are planted in a permanent location, because older plants do not tolerate transplantation very well.
Having chosen a place suitable for actinidia, 2 weeks before planting, prepare planting holes with a depth and diameter of 50-70 cm, or dig a trench 50-60 cm deep, 40-50 cm wide. Drainage from pebbles and gravel is laid at the bottom in a layer of 10-15 cm , broken brick or expanded clay, but it is best to use coal slag for this purpose.
Fertile garden soil mixed with mineral fertilizers and humus is poured on top. The following is added to each planting hole: 8-10 kg of humus, 200 g of superphosphate, 50 g of ammonium nitrate, 70-80 g of potassium salt. Instead of potassium salt, if possible, it is better to use the same amount of potassium sulfate or 2-3 cups of wood ash. We remind you once again that lime, like fresh manure, cannot be added to the planting hole.
When the ground settles, begin planting. 5 cm of fertile soil without fertilizers is poured on top of the dressing mixture (to avoid burning the tender young roots), a mound is made and a seedling is placed on it without destroying the lump of earth around its root system.
After planting, actinidia is watered and the soil is carefully compacted around it, making sure that the root collar is not buried, but at ground level. There is no hole around it to prevent rainwater from accumulating there. After watering, the soil is thoroughly mulched. Actinidia seedlings are not pruned either before or after planting, as is often done with other fruit plants. While the plants take root (5-10 days), they are covered from direct sunlight and rays with a light cloth or paper.
In dry weather, new plantings are mulched several times during the summer to maintain a loose, moist surface layer of soil around them, the foliage is sprayed in the morning and evening, and, if necessary, shaded with gauze from hot sun rays, especially during the first 2 years of life on the site. Remove weeds regularly. The soil around is loosened carefully, taking into account that the densely branched root system actinidia lies at a depth of up to 30 cm. In winter, the seedlings are covered with fallen leaves (10-15 cm layer) and protected from rodents with spruce branches.
Caring for fruit-bearing vines
Mulching and loosening. Every year in the spring, immediately after the snow melts, the soil around the actinidia is loosened and covered with humus, compost, straw or sawdust that has been lying under open air at least a year. Several times during the summer, soil is added to the stems to prevent the root collar from being exposed. In autumn, the soil around the plants is not dug up, but carefully loosened to a depth of 3-7 cm.
Watering and fertilizing. Actinidia need to be watered frequently because the soil around the root collar must be constantly moist. Leaves also require a lot of moisture. The fact is that for the growth and normal development of vines, high air humidity is necessary. Therefore, in dry weather, actinidia are sprayed. It is advisable to do this in the morning and evening.
In the first half of summer, 1-2 liquid fertilizings are carried out with mullein infusion diluted 1:10, green fertilizer from weeds filled with water and fermented in a barrel, or a solution of chlorine-free mineral fertilizers (for example, 30 g of azofoska per 10 liters of water).
Trimming and shaping. In early spring and during the period of active spring sap flow, actinidia cannot be pruned. Plants weaken due to sap leakage and may die. Actinidia are not pruned at the end of summer either. At this time, pruning, pinching and mechanical damage to the shoots cause the awakening of buds on the shoots of the current year. The resulting young branches do not have time to ripen and become woody, so they die after the first frost. When can pruning be done? During flowering, immediately after it and in late autumn after leaf fall. During this period, plants are formed and thinned, weakened or drying branches are cut out. The frozen ends of the shoots are removed, which, by the way, are better visible not in spring, but in early summer.
The formation of actinidia depends on the region of cultivation, planting site and type of support. In the middle zone, it is usually grown as a bush on a vertical flat trellis, using a fan formation.
After planting the actinidia in a permanent place, select 2-4 vertically growing long shoots; these will be the sleeves - the main branches of the fan. The rest are cut down to the ground. After leaf fall, the top of the remaining shoots is removed to the level of mature wood (or the apical bud, if it has formed).
Next season, side shoots grow from the main shoots. In summer, the most powerful ones are selected and tied horizontally to the trellis, pointing in different directions. Pruning and pinching at this time are used to maintain optimal density and the desired length of the branches.
In the spring of next year, shortened fruiting and mixed shoots are formed. They are tied vertically to the trellis. Next year, the strongest ones are again selected from the shoots growing on them and tied horizontally to the second wire, pointing in different directions. Fruit-bearing shoots are shortened every year, leaving 4-5 buds above the topmost berry. The cuts are covered with garden varnish.
In the future, pruning comes down to thinning and removing dead branches. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the species characteristics of actinidia. In kolomikta and polygamy, fruiting buds for the next season are formed on both shortened and long shoots. If you prune them, next year's harvest will be significantly reduced. In arguta, fruiting occurs mainly on shortened shoots. Therefore, more intensive thinning is applied to it in combination with pinching and short pruning.
In Actinidia arguta, the main vine usually lasts throughout the life of the plant; it is replaced only in case of mechanical damage or freezing.
Supports and garter.
In amateur gardens, for the convenience of caring for plants and collecting fruits, vines are not allowed to climb too high. The recommended trellis height is 3.5 m.
Possessing continuous growth, powerful and durable actinidia vines in one place can produce crops for 50 years or more. Therefore, they need strong and stable support from metal or reinforced concrete pillars. 4 rows of galvanized wire are stretched between them: the first 50 cm from the ground, the rest after 100 cm.
During the growth process, the shoots are tied to one side of the trellis. Twine is used for garter. The shoots are tied in a figure eight. By the time the vines grow and, intertwining, wrap around the wire, the twine will disintegrate under the influence of sunlight and will not prevent the stems from thickening.
The described trellis is well suited for growing actinidia in areas with a temperate climate. Its advantages are uniform illumination of the branches, ease of care for vines and soil cultivation. Where winters are very cold, a trellis that can be laid on the ground in the fall is better suited. Such a trellis is constructed from a metal corner or pipes, which are inserted into scraps of pipes of larger diameter buried in the ground. Cut 2-3 through holes and secure with bolts or cotter pins. In late autumn, such a support, together with the plants placed on it, is laid on the ground, and the vines overwinter under the snow.
In the south, for tall species of actinidia (arguta and purple), more voluminous T, G and U-shaped trellises are used.
Harvesting. The ripening of Actinidia kolomikta fruits occurs unevenly, from the end of July and throughout August. Ripe berries often fall off. Therefore, it is better to harvest the entire crop at one time, when the first fruits are ripe, put them in boxes and move them indoors for ripening. Usually they ripen within 3-5 days, without their quality deteriorating.
Following kolomikta, the fruits of giralda and arguta ripen at the end of August - beginning of September. They acquire a rich green color and, gradually softening, become tender, melting in the mouth, with a taste and aroma characteristic of each variety.
In September, the fruits of Actinidia polygamum and purpurea ripen. Polygamy berries first turn yellowish, then various shades of orange. Actinidia purpurea, which has bright purple fruits, ripens later than other species.
Unlike kolomikta, the harvest of these species is almost never shed. Therefore, their fruits, as a rule, are not ripened, but are collected as they ripen. But if there is a threat of early autumn frosts, it is better to immediately harvest the entire crop. In the room, the fruits will ripen, become soft and fragrant.
Still not common on personal plots country houses You can find such an exotic plant as Actinidia Arguta. This is a perennial shrub in the form of a climbing vine, a length that can reach 20 meters. Since this is a liana-like plant, it requires reliable support along its entire length.
The fruits, or rather the berries of the plant, resemble the appearance, only of a reduced size. They are of little use for transportation and have a short shelf life - only 3-4 days. But you can make jam, compotes from them and eat them fresh. They contain more vitamin C than currants or lemon, and therefore the benefits of actinidia are obvious.
Actinidia Arguta is a dioecious plant - this means that for fruiting, which occurs 3-4 years after planting, it will need, in addition to the female, a male plant. It will be possible to determine their sex only after flowering, since they differ precisely in flowers.
Actinidia Arguta - planting and care
The actinidia Arguta bush should be planted in the spring, because this way it will have a much greater chance of taking root in a new place than with autumn planting. Great importance For further fruiting there is a place where actinidia will grow. This plant bears fruit well only in sunny, well-lit places.
Of course, actinidia can grow from the northern and eastern sides, but then you won’t have to wait for a bountiful harvest, which in an adult plant reaches 10 kg per bush. It is possible to plant the plant when the lower part is in the shade, and everything above a meter is already located in the sun.
Before planting, you need to make sure that the root system is not damaged or overdried, because actinidia is very sensitive to drought and will hurt for a long time after planting. Not that important appearance foliage and seedling height, like a healthy root system.
If there are dried roots, they need to be removed and the remaining ones placed in a clay mash, which will heal and prevent loss of moisture. The hole for planting should not be too deep; 20 cm deep will be enough. But the width will depend on the size of the root system - it needs to be placed freely, and this will require about half a meter in diameter.
Before placing the seedling in the prepared hole, humus (1 bucket), superphosphate (200 g), 0.5 liters of wood ash and (50 g) are poured into it. All this is mixed well with the soil from the bottom of the hole and the rhizome is covered with this substrate. The soil must be carefully compacted as it is poured. After the hole is filled, water it with a bucket of warm water.
Caring for actinidia is quite simple. It can grow in any soil and is completely undemanding about its nutritional value. But the plant is very sensitive to chlorine and lime in the ground. Actinidia Arguta is a moisture-loving plant, and the main task of care will be watering, or rather, maintaining water wet top layer of earth.
To prevent the soil from drying out too much, it is advisable to mulch it with any material. If this is not done, the root system will become very overheated, which will lead to plant disease and death. Loosening the soil in the tree trunk circle must be done very carefully, because the roots lie directly near the surface.
There are other popular varieties of actinidia Arguta:
