Some hand holding to prune Kiwi Issai

Amphibios

Hi All, 

I’ve never pruned or trained anything before, would be grateful for some help! 

Instructions on RHS website are: 

Initial training

• After planting, cut back to 30cm (1ft). Tie in the new leading shoot to a cane attached vertically to the wires 
• Train in a pair of shoots to grow along each horizontal wire. Pinch out the tips when they fill the allotted space 
• Allow lateral shoots to develop at 50cm (20in) intervals 
• Pinch out the tips of these shoots after they have developed five leaves – these will produce fruit the following year

1) It looks like I have 3 leaders - does this mean I have to choose the strongest or straightest and get rid of the other 2? Or is the leader the first one that comes off the trunk? 

2) the side shoots all grow like V’s (See above photo) - I think I would damage them if I tried to straighten them. Is this because they’ve been growing a while or do you just tie them horizontal as possible? 

3) Do I just ruthlessly cut all the other side shoots that aren’t on the trellis and are not far apart enough? 

As I have just planted it - will it be ok that I have pruned it so much? 

Thanks in advance 😘

A x 

Amphibios

Planning to train it on this trellis thanks 😊 

Amphibios

Bump!

Amphibios

done some more reading - I’ve looked at some grape vine training videos but a lot of them are for t bar supports. 

I won’t cut the woody bits because I think you do that in the winter prune and the vine would bleed. 

Summer is just keeping new green vines tidy. Also fruit grows on last years growth I think. 

As I’ve just planted it shall I remove any fruit if it appears? Will this help it get established and grow strong roots and trunk? 

Winter time do I look at the 3 leader vines and whichever is the longest I cut the other 2? 

The one left is espalier trained? 

I think I’m in year one and in winter I choose one of the 3 vines I have. 

Just would like to know if I’m on the right track! 

Thank you A x