Description and characteristics of Actinidia variety Doctor Shimanovsky, planting and care

Actinidia Doctor Shimanovsky is considered one of the most frost-resistant varieties. It is perfect for central Russia; it has tasty, sweet fruits, but this is not the only thing that attracts gardeners. This crop has brightly colored leaves that change color at different times of the year. This plant will decorate any area.

History of the variety

Actinidia kolomikta was found at the beginning of the 19th century. And already at the end of the century, these plants were grown in botanical gardens and individual rich estates. Actinidia fruits were served only to high-ranking persons.

Actinidia Doctor Szymanowski appeared thanks to a Polish breeder. The variety was named after him. In 1995, this species was introduced into trade, and already in the 2000s it appeared in the form of seedlings on the domestic market.

Description and characteristics

Actinidia Doctor Szymanowski is a bisexual, self-pollinating liana-like bush. Its length can be 3-4 meters. The shoots are brown, thin, smooth and shiny.

The variety has variegated foliage and juicy fruits. Flowering occurs in May or June and produces small white flowers. The fruits that appear ripen at the end of August. Their flesh is green in color with a sweet and sour taste.

Advantages and disadvantages

This plant has quite a lot of advantages. The following can be distinguished:

• self-fertile variety that does not require pollination;
• winter hardiness;
• no tendency to diseases;
• capable of playing the role of an ornamental plant;
• easy to care for;
• healthy and tasty fruits.

This actinidia also has disadvantages:

• easy fruit shedding;
• uneven ripening of fruits;
• the aroma of young plants attracts cats, who chew the shoots and enjoy the juice of the plant; for them it is like valerian.

Subtleties of planting actinidia

Actinidia kolomikta is a dioecious plant, so in order for it to bear fruit, both male and female plants must be planted. The male plant acts as pollinator, and the female plant bears fruit.

In order for 10 female vines to bear fruit, it is enough to plant only 2 male plants on the site.

Choice of time and place

Actinidia Dr. Szymanowski loves sunny areas. But still, it should not be planted in direct sunlight, otherwise burns will appear on the leaves. She needs light shade.

The landing site must be protected from strong winds. It is better to plant on the east or west side of the house.

The best time for planting is the beginning of spring, when the soil warms up to 5-10 degrees. At the same time, in some regions of Russia it is permissible to plant actinidia in the autumn.

Purchase of seedlings

You need to buy seedlings at garden centers or special nurseries. There the seedlings are guaranteed to pass control. Preference should be given to specimens that have reached 2-3 years of age. They will get along better than others. The branches of the plant should bend well, the leaves should be clean and free of stains. Their presence indicates a bush disease.

Seedlings are purchased in containers. Actinidia, in particular the Doctor Shimanovsky variety, have a delicate root system. If the roots of seedlings are exposed to the sun or wind for even 10 minutes, they may wither and even die.

Site preparation

Two weeks before the intended planting, you need to prepare the site. The soil is dug up, weeds are removed and holes are dug. Their diameter should be 50-70 cm. You can dig a trench 50-60 cm deep and 50 cm wide.

Material is sent to the bottom of the pit to act as drainage. To do this, use broken bricks, pebbles, gravel or expanded clay. It is needed to prevent water stagnation. Fertile garden soil and humus are poured over the drainage. It must be at least 8 kg. You also need to add a fertilizer complex and 200 g of ash. Only after the earth has settled do they begin planting.

Landing technology

Before planting, the seedling is kept for 30 minutes in a solution of “Heteroauxin” or “Kornevin”. This procedure will enhance root formation.

Next, the seedling is lowered into the center of the hole and covered with fertile soil, tamping it well. The plant is watered and mulched from above. Humus, dry pine needles or other organic matter are suitable for mulch. For the first two weeks, actinidia should be covered with a thin cloth or paper. This is done to protect the plant that has not yet taken root from direct sunlight.

Immediately after planting, actinidia Dr. Szymanowski should be fenced off with a metal mesh, digging it into the ground. It will protect the plant from cats, which are attracted by the smell of actinidia.

Nuances of crop care

The development of the plant after planting depends entirely on its care. It needs proper feeding, regular watering and support.

Watering, fertilizing and loosening

The roots of the vines do not go deep into the ground, but remain close to the surface. Therefore, it is important to prevent the soil from drying out. It is correct to water actinidia using sprinkling, spraying water from a hose. The procedure is carried out in the evening. If the plant does not have enough moisture, it sheds its leaves.

In the first 2 years of growth, actinidia does not need feeding. Then, in the spring, you need to add a complex of fertilizers to the soil. And in early autumn, a potassium-phosphorus mixture. Mulch is also used as food for vines. It should be made of humus or peat.

There should be no weeds around the vine; they are removed by weeding the soil. There is no need to loosen the soil much, as there is a risk of damaging the root system of the plant.

The need for support, the formation of a vine

The Actinidia variety Doctor Szymanowski grows quite quickly, so it needs to be supported immediately after planting. It must be strong and reliable. Actinidia kolomikta lives a long time. You can plant vines along the fence to create a beautiful hedge.

You need to start forming a vine after the 3rd year of its life on the site. Already mature vines are cut annually by ½ of their length. The ovary is formed on the growth of previous years.

In total, from 2 to 4 branches are left that bear fruit. 2 branches of different ages for replacement and only half of the annual growth. If the plant is more than 7 years old, anti-aging pruning should be done. Old branches that thicken the plant are completely removed.

Such measures help the plant to ventilate, warm up from the sun, stop excessive growth and prevent the appearance of certain types of pests.

Preparing for winter

In the first year, the still poorly rooted plant is insulated for the winter. Dry leaves from trees are suitable for this. They cover the actinidia, having previously placed something that repels rodents. They will not chew the vine, but will happily build a nest in the warm foliage. The leaves are covered with branches or netting on top to prevent them from being blown away by the wind. Film cannot be used to insulate actinidia.

An adult plant no longer needs such insulation for the winter.

Prevention of diseases and pests

If you care for plants properly, they will rarely get sick. The most common diseases of actinidia are fungi, and more specifically:

• powdery mildew;
• gray and green rot;
• phyllosticosis;
• ramulariasis.

For prevention in the spring, vines are sprayed with “Fitosporin” 3 times with a break of 1 week.When flowering ends, spray with “Skorom”, and for the winter with Bordeaux mixture 3%.

The most common pest is the leaf beetle. It eats leaves, leaving only veins on them. By the end of summer, he can leave the vine completely without foliage. To avoid this, you need to treat the vines in early spring with a special solution.

Moth caterpillars also eat the foliage, leaving large holes in it. To prevent their appearance, you need to slightly loosen the soil just before the actinidia bloom. These actions will help destroy the caterpillar pupae.

Culture propagation

Most often, actinidia Doctor Szymanowski is propagated through layering. In the spring, when the leaves began to bloom, a young and long branch is tilted, fixed with a metal bracket and sprinkled with soil. Mulch on top. The next year, they are separated from the vine and transplanted to a permanent place.

Collection and storage

Since the crop does not ripen at the same time, harvesting is carried out in several passes. Ripe fruits quickly fall off, so some gardeners pick them not yet fully ripe. In this case, they need to be laid out in a thin layer in the air, where the sun's rays will not reach them, and they will ripen.

Fresh fruits do not last long, so they should be processed or consumed immediately.

The fruits of the described Actinidia variety Doctor Szymanovsky contain vitamin C, the amount of which is much greater than in lemon or currant. They also contain many other vitamins and nutrients. Therefore, gardeners are happy to care for this plant, receiving tasty and very healthy fruits as a reward.