If you have a strong trellis, are a bit of a gambler and love kiwifruit, there’s no reason not to grow your own crop. As vigorous as they are, though, don’t expect to plop these vines into the ground and stand back.
Proper siting, fertilizing, watering and protection from cold weather are necessary to keep your plant in good shape, says Bernadine Strik, berry specialist for the Oregon State University Extension Service.
There are three types of kiwifruits. The most common is the fuzzy kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) available at the grocery store—usually the Hayward cultivar. Joining the lineup are hardy kiwifruit (A. arguta) and kolomikta or arctic kiwifruit (A. kolomikta), which is more often grown for its ornamental vines.
Hardy kiwifruit, also called kiwiberries because of the grape-sized fruit, are most suited for home gardens because they are best adapted to the Pacific Northwest climate. The highly aromatic fruit has smooth, green skin—sometimes with a red blush—that’s edible, making them great for snacking. They are better adapted to our region because they are cold hardy in winter, and fruit vines ripen from mid-September into mid-October.
Fuzzy kiwifruits are harvested in fall when they are “green ripe.” They can be stored in a cold area for months, which is why you can find fuzzy kiwifruit in grocery stores year-round. They are best grown in warmer regions like California.
Of the hardy kiwifruit, the easiest to find are Ananasnaya—sometimes called Anna— with jade-colored skin, bright green flesh, black seeds and a pineapple-type flavor; and Ken’s Red, a New Zealand cultivar with olive green skin and darker green flesh with deep red streaks.
“The young shoots and fruit of all kiwifruit species are sensitive to frost injury,” Bernadine says. “Temperatures of 30 F or less for only 30 minutes can severely damage newly emerging shoots in the late winter through spring.”
To reduce the chance of damage, grow kiwi plants in warmer areas of the garden that are protected from frost, avoiding low areas or cool sites. When temperatures are forecast to drop to 32 F or lower, drape the vine with a row cover before sunset and remove it when temps rise above freezing.
Bernadine offers these additional tips:
- Kiwifruit vines are either female, producing the fruit; or male, vital for pollination and fruit production. Be sure to plant both unless a neighbor has the correct male (same species).
- Build a substantial arbor or T-bar trellis tall enough to stand under for harvest. The stronger, the better.
- Plant vines 10 to 15 feet apart in spring in deep, well-drained soil in a sunny, protected area of the garden.
- Water a couple of inches of water a week during the growing season. A drip system works best.
- Carefully increase fertilization amounts each year as the vine matures.
- Prune females heavily in December. Prune males after bloom in late June. When pruning a mature vine, remove about 70% of the wood that grew last season.
- Harvest kiwiberries, which do not all ripen at the same time, when they are soft to the touch.
For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/mur3f9r4. Information courtesy of Oregon State University Extension Service.