Most roots would rather go twards loose, free soil, towards water then foundation. That even goes for trees.. However, if your foundation has cracks and what not where water seeps in, you may get some roots into the foundation. That would be more likely for trees or plants with adventurous roots. I havnt found too much info about Kiwi root systems, but I do believe they are quite substantial, but more fiberous roots, rather then solid roots like trees. People plant wisteria near their foundations for a long time, and IIR, the root systems on wisteria are massive and quite woody. The same goes with grapes..

Rb, you don't tell us because you don't want us to know or because you don't know? Just kidding (gggg). Re: dieback. It's my understanding that PG trained as a standard and left to its own for years (typical example would be old PGs growing at cemetaries) could become very unkemp looking by the reason I call 'visual dieback'. I have an unsubstantiated theory about this and would be glad to have everybody's opinion about it. As branches become thicker and thicker bark on them become thicker as well, leaf buds can't penetrate it and new growth occures only at the tips of the old long branches. Some adventurous buds that still will be able to grow thru the old bark spend most of their energy to do so and are not productive. Since new growth is not produced anymore neither from the base of the tree nor from the most of the lenghts of the old branches you'll see new growth and flowers only on outside part of the plant. That is creating how I call it a 'visual dieback' effect. In a PGs trained as a trees this effect could ruin the whole appearance while in a shrub form it doesn't play such role. Hope you remember this pictures I posted here a few times Obviously nobody pruned this, planted in 1978, shrub for at least last 20 years. I got a chance to see it very close. Upon close inspection the main trunk become a 6 or 7 trunks growing together sometimes splitting, but sometimes growing one into each other. Nevertheless, of all 15-16' width of it, only outer 4 to 5' has viable buds in a spring, but that is enough to cover all ugly insides and create the most stately and gorgeous PG I ever saw.

I would wait until spring to plant anything. You can plant them pretty close together as long as it's not permanent, which I wouldnt suggest in zone 9. In the fall, when they go dormant, you can dig them up and bareroot them inside to protect from freeze or cold damage. Then plant them up again in the spring. Check out how BradsBuds and blooms does it and he's in Florida. Click on ALL the pics to get the idea http://bradsbudsandblooms.com/overwintering.php

Yes.....it is a recipe that is advocated by many rosarians as well (you can find it on the Heirloom Roses website). Obviously, it is diluted in water and the cooking oil OR dish soap - you don't need both - is added to help the solution to adhere to the foliage. Folks use petroleum based horticultural oils all the time for various issues....plant based oils, like cooking oil or neem oil, are arguably more environmentally friendly and are also used extensively. btw, "pesticide" is a non-specific or catch-all term for any product that is used to kill pests. And that can include insect pests (insecticide), weedy plant pests (herbicide), fungal diseases (fungicide) and all manner of other pestilential issues (rodenticide, miticide, molluscicide, nematicide, etc.).