Pale Kiwi leaves

[mazel-bee]

Hi there.

I have a small Kiwi plant I bought from woolies in a pot. It started to grow well with hedge green leaves. It now has really pale leaves which I assumed was okay as I have not grown one before ( the leaves are even more pale around the edge). However, I popped to focus today and they had a few with really green leaves. What is occurring??

[SimonCole]

I have the same prob mazel-bee, so will await answers with eagerness. I thought It might be lack of light and overwatering.

[muckdiva]

My kiwi's leaves are pale yellow, looks heathy enough otherwise tho.... will watch this thread with interest.

[TPeers]

Sounds like a mineral deficiency - I've just looked it up.

Give these plants the hottest spots you can find.... trained on a sunny wall.... greenhouse...rampageous...8 month growing season to get fruit... plants are greedy for food and water, mulch liberally in spring with manure.
Pruning. Kiwi vines fruit on the shoots that break from the first 3-6 buds of the current year's growth. Treat them like vines, summer pruning just beyond the setting fruit.

Ok, the book is Anna Pavord, The New Kitchen Garden and from a quick read while typing (!) I think you need to feed! your plants are starving hungry.

Try a folar feed asap and if the plants are in pots try potting on a size and giving a generous dose of slow release fertaliser in the new mix. If that is not possible, scrape off an inch or two of compost from the existing pot and top dress with a rich mix.

If you want me to type in the whole entry - I'll cry! but I'll try!

Terry

[mazel-bee]

It sounds like I am doing everything right except that it must be short on minerals. Many thanks

[Alexx]

Mazel-bee,

I just looked at the kiwi plants I have planted about a month ago. I bought them off ebay and planted about 3 metres apart (hoping to build a bench and a pergola between them and let them climb it).

Anyway, one has yellowish leaves and the other one bright green. Both look healthy and grow well. They both get scorching sun in the morning, but the one with the yellow leaves get it for about 3 hours longer than the green one.

My idea is that it is just a form of adaptation. The plant gets more than enough sun hence produces less chlorophyll.

Obviously, this is just my theory and you have to look at your plant's environment and all the possible reasons mentioned above.

Hope this helps