Question
QUESTION: Mr. McCann, I have several tropical trees that I keep indoors in the winter and put out in the spring to fall, all grown from seeds. There is a date palm I started in 1988 (5 1/2 feet), two mangoes and two pomeracks I've all grown from seed from about 1999 (about 6 1/2 feet each), and a kiwi vine that covers the tomato cage I gave it. My question is: why don't these trees and vine bloom? They get natural light - in the winter I put them in an under-used basement that has a sunny south facing window, and they don't get artificial light. The kiwi goes into dormancy in the winter and loses its leaves; the others stop growing until Spring. I fertilize in the spring, either through added soil/manure or through artificial means (miracle grow). I keep them well watered during the summer. Folks ask if I get any fruit - I don't even get any flowers from which seeds can develop. I know kiwis can be male or female, but this one (grown from the hairy grocery store variety) does not produce either male or female flowers.

Thank you for your help.

Gina

ANSWER: Hi Gina, its probably not what you want to hear, but too often people try to grow tropicals in a cooler climate zone; the only way to keep them from succumbing to the cold is to bring them indoors in the winter. Therein lies that problem, they will probably never flower or fruit because of the climatic shock of going from perfect growing conditions (summer) to stressful conditions, (indoors); they really need yearround natural growing conditions to actually produce for you, not to say you won't occasionally get a few, but its really tough. The other problem is pollination, you need to get them to at least flower for this, then even if they do, you need them to recieve a cross pollination from an additional variety, albeit some of them are self-pollinating...Nick

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QUESTION: Thanks, Nick. Are you saying it is strictly the lighting conditions, not enough hours a day of light in the temperate zone? Or is it the stress of an immediate drop in light, going from sun overhead to sunlight through windows? Or perhaps both.

I am growing these for their greenery and not for their fruit. I just like growing things from seed and I've succeeded wildly, it seems. I am just trying to understand what makes my plants tick.

I have one additional question: I read in one of your forums that kiwis bloom on new growth. Should I cut the vine back to increase my odds on getting flowers? I have several cold-weather kiwis growing outside right next to where my tropical kiwi sets during the summer, so it could cross-pollinate with them if it would flower.

Thank you again.

Gina

Thanks for your help.

Answer
Hi again Gina, the tropical flauna you are growing will survive the way you are growing them, but they need the natural climatic conditions of a zone 8 or above to fruit, so if you are just after the greenery you will be fine, but you won't realize fruit from them. If you can obtain flowers from your kiwi you could get them to produce, as far as non tropical kiwis pollinating your tropical ones, I really can't say.....but go for it! and let me know ..please!:)