I found standard kiwi fruit (probably 'heyward') easy to germinate from
seed, but had no luck with other actinidias, including actinidia arguta.

Has anyone grown these plants from seed, and if so, what approach did you
use?

Victoria

The message
from Victoria Clare contains these words:

I found standard kiwi fruit (probably 'heyward') easy to germinate from
seed, but had no luck with other actinidias, including actinidia arguta.

Has anyone grown these plants from seed, and if so, what approach did you
use?

I had an ornamental actinidia (kolomikta) which self-seeded itself
into our gravel drive after a cold wet Scottish winter. That suggests
you might succeed sowing them in fine grit, or very-gritty soil-based
compost, and giving the seed pot a spell in the fridge (in a plastic
bag) to stimulate germination.

Janet.

Janet Baraclough wrote:
: The message
: from Victoria Clare contains these words:

: I found standard kiwi fruit (probably 'heyward') easy to germinate from
: seed, but had no luck with other actinidias, including actinidia arguta.

: Has anyone grown these plants from seed, and if so, what approach did you
: use?

: I had an ornamental actinidia (kolomikta) which self-seeded itself
: into our gravel drive after a cold wet Scottish winter. That suggests
: you might succeed sowing them in fine grit, or very-gritty soil-based
: compost, and giving the seed pot a spell in the fridge (in a plastic
: bag) to stimulate germination.

I've tried kolomikta from seed trice and failed completely. I've tried
stratifying and just sowing. I had warnigns about keeping off cats - do
they really go for the plants?

Jim

On Tue, 4 Nov 2003 17:48:18 GMT, J Jackson wrote:

I've tried [Actinidia] kolomikta from seed trice and failed completely. I've tried
stratifying and just sowing. I had warnigns about keeping off cats - do
they really go for the plants?

Some say they do, some say they don't. I have both Actinidia
kolomikta and it's near twin A. polygama in my garden. My cats
(and the neighbours') only molest the latter.

Much the same issue puzzles those of us who admire both Teucrium
subspinosum and T. marum.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
change "invalid" to "net" to respond

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:174315

"Rodger Whitlock" wrote
I've tried [Actinidia] kolomikta from seed trice and failed completely.
I've tried
stratifying and just sowing. I had warnigns about keeping off cats - do
they really go for the plants?


I have an actinidia kolomikta and the neighbourhood cats go wild for it. I
couldn't understand what was chewing the leaves, until one day I saw a cat
rubbing itself on the leaves and realised what it was.

The message
from J Jackson contains these words:

Janet Baraclough wrote:
: The message
: from Victoria Clare contains these words:

: I found standard kiwi fruit (probably 'heyward') easy to germinate from
: seed, but had no luck with other actinidias, including actinidia arguta.

: Has anyone grown these plants from seed, and if so, what approach
did you
: use?

: I had an ornamental actinidia (kolomikta) which self-seeded itself
: into our gravel drive after a cold wet Scottish winter. That suggests
: you might succeed sowing them in fine grit, or very-gritty soil-based
: compost, and giving the seed pot a spell in the fridge (in a plastic
: bag) to stimulate germination.

I've tried kolomikta from seed trice and failed completely. I've tried
stratifying and just sowing. I had warnigns about keeping off cats - do
they really go for the plants?

Yes, ours are completely besotted with it :-( At the last garden where
the plant was huge and draped all over the place, they would writhe
around on its lower stems for hours looking befuddled. I brought my
seedling to the new house, it's still in its pot because one of the cats
chewed off all its new leaves, bah. It has survived though and will now
make a multistemmed plant. I'll have to give it a wire shield when I
plant it out.

Janet.

On Wed, 5 Nov 2003 11:27:48 -0000, Janice wrote:

"Rodger Whitlock" wrote
I've tried [Actinidia] kolomikta from seed trice and failed completely.
I've tried
stratifying and just sowing. I had warnigns about keeping off cats - do
they really go for the plants?


I have an actinidia kolomikta and the neighbourhood cats go wild for it. I
couldn't understand what was chewing the leaves, until one day I saw a cat
rubbing itself on the leaves and realised what it was.

Split open a twig and take a look at the pith inside. These two
nearly-identical species differ in that regard: one has
"lamellate" pith, the other doesn't.

If anyone is dying of curiosity to know which is which, whine and
complain here in the newsgroupo and I'll look the matter up and
post the details.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
change "invalid" to "net" to respond

"Rodger Whitlock" wrote
I've tried [Actinidia] kolomikta from seed trice and failed
completely.

I have an actinidia kolomikta and the neighbourhood cats go wild for it.
I
couldn't understand what was chewing the leaves, until one day I saw a
cat
rubbing itself on the leaves and realised what it was.

Split open a twig and take a look at the pith inside. These two
nearly-identical species differ in that regard: one has
"lamellate" pith, the other doesn't.


What is "lamellate pith"?

On Thu, 6 Nov 2003 09:05:47 -0000, Janice wrote:

"Rodger Whitlock" wrote
I've tried [Actinidia] kolomikta from seed trice and failed
completely.

I have an actinidia kolomikta and the neighbourhood cats go wild for it.
I
couldn't understand what was chewing the leaves, until one day I saw a
cat
rubbing itself on the leaves and realised what it was.

Split open a twig and take a look at the pith inside. These two
nearly-identical species differ in that regard: one has
"lamellate" pith, the other doesn't.


What is "lamellate pith"?

lamellate. adj. A botanical term used by smartasses to troll
those less enamoured of Big Words.

Means that the pith is divided into lamellae, little cells
separated by crosswise membranes or partitions.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
change "invalid" to "net" to respond