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help - Christmas in June

The USDA must have known my birthday was coming up because I got a huge box in the mail today with lots of cuttings.   Just a couple months ago, I put in my order for next year, but they sent me everything today.  I didn't get any figs though.  

I got green cuttings of 4 varieties of kiwi vines, 4 varieties of mulberry, and 2 varieties of grapes.   

It caught me by surprise.   What the heck do I do with them now.  It got up to 118 degrees today.   Just pot them up?  They are super long cuttings with leaves.   They had called me about shipping to me in CA instead because of some AZ restrictions so I thought they were going to ship them there.   I think things got mixed up and they shipped to AZ.  I don't know if kiwis would even survive in the desert.  Plus, I was going to amend the order for some male kiwi vines for pollination.   

Well I'm just happy to get something so if you have any suggestions on rooting them, please help.  






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  • BLB

Just potted up a few Hardy Kiwi cutting yesterday. I just put them in a soil mix same as I use for rooting figs, roughly half sterile soil and half perlite

My cuttings are several feet long.   What did you do with the leaves?  Did you cut them to a smaller size?

Here's what I got:

Kiwis:  Bliss Yellow, Bliss red, Optiz Male
Mulberries - Pakistan, Illinois Everbearing, Hunza White Seedless, ShangriLa
Grapes: Muscat of Alexandria; Psevthosirico

If anyone wants some, let me know.  I received way too many.  Free, just pay for shipping.  I have the cuttings in water for now until I can get to them. 


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  • BLB

Yes, I cut the stems to about 8 inch pieces, using the lower thicker part for my cuttings and tossing the newer thin growth. I've never rooted Kiwi cuttings before. There are a couple links on another thread started by Slingha that gives more detail about kiwi rooting. From what I recall this is about the correct time to take them and root them. Probably why US Davis sent them to you now. 

Glad we aren't the only oneS with the huge temps.  Atlanta hasn't had rain in a couple weeks and temps today forecast for 104, 106 tomorrow, 104 the next day.  No rain in sight!

Now you have me worried.  I put my order in a couple months ago too.  Fingers crossed your gift was an oversight.  They usually don't send until the spring. 

The grapes should be fine and I'd remove all the leaves and cut the top one in half.  Leaves suck moisture, and there are no roots yet to provide them moisture.  I'm sure you ordered heat tolerant types, so in damp soil, in the shade, they should take off.  I'd put them near sprinklers so they get misted, and bury them so just the tip is showing.  The damp soil will keep the roots cool.

Not sure about Kiwi or mulberries.  Good luck!

Suzi

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