What's eating my golden kiwi?

Golden Kiwi (Actinidia chinensis) is susceptible to leafroller caterpillars and scale insects on older stems. Cats are attracted to the foliage. In warmer climates, root-knot nematodes can affect vigour. Birds peck ripening fruit. Japanese beetles skeletonise leaves in the US. Cat protection is critical for young vines.

Leaves rolled and tied with silk; larvae feed inside rolled leaves, distorting shoot tips. Unroll and remove larvae by hand; apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray at first signs of leaf rolling.

Actinidia compounds attract cats strongly; crowns and roots of young vines gnawed and physically damaged. Protect crown with wire cage; lay thorny prunings flat around the base.

Brown or tan waxy bumps on stems and branches; honeydew and sooty mould on leaves. Scrub off with a stiff brush and horticultural oil spray; apply systemic insecticide for heavy infestations.

Skin of ripe fruit pecked open; damaged fruit rots quickly on the vine. Net with fine-mesh bird netting as fruit approaches maturity in late summer.