How to Grow Kiwifruit: The Complete Guide (2024)

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When to Plant KiwiVines

• Plant kiwi plants in the spring after the threat of frost has passed.
• Kiwistypically beginbearing fruit 3 to 5 years afterplanting.

Choosing and Preparing a PlantingSite

• Kiwi vines needa sunny spot to produce the best growth andfruit.
• Plant in a protected area of the garden to avoid winddamage.
• Plant the vines on the north side of the yard in colder regions to minimize the risk of freeze-thaw damage in early spring, when plants are especiallysusceptible.
• Kiwi plants requirewell-drained soil, as they are prone to root rot if kept toowet.
• Kiwi vines are slow growers and need sturdy supports. Erect a tall, heavy-duty trellis system that can support the vines that can grow 15 feet wide and 20 feet long, and produce up to 100 pounds offruit.

How to Plant KiwiVines

• To get a good crop fromkiwi, you’llneed to plant male and female plants. The females produce the fruit.
  • Tip: The best ratio is said to be at least one male plant for every six femaleplants.
• Plant the vines 10 to 15 feetapart.
• When planting, you may need to trim the roots if toolong.
• Plant vines just deep enough to cover the roots well withsoil.
• Water well at the time ofplanting.

How to Grow KiwiVines

• Unless it has been rainy, give the plants supplementalwatering during the height of summer or during other dryperiods.
• Do not fertilize in the first year. After that, fertilize with a well-balanced fertilizer or soybean meal in thespring.
• Start training the flexible vines up a support during the first year ofplanting.
• Prune the lateral growth (if not flowering) 2 to 3 times during the growingseason.
• Kiwi plantsflower and fruit on oldwood.
• Regularly remove water sprouts (vigorous shoots originating from older wood) and shoots from thetrunk.
• Prune female vines during the winter months, when the plant is dormant. Prune male vines in early summer afterbloom.
• In cold areas, the vines of hardy kiwi may die back to the ground each year. Remove the dead stems and mulch with leaves orstraw.

How to Propagate KiwiVines

• Kiwi can be propagated from seeds. Here’s how:
  • Remove the seeds from a mature kiwi and let the seeds dry for twodays.
  • Place the seeds in a container with moist perlite and refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) for 2months.
  • Plant the seeds 1/8 inch deep in moist sterile potting mix and cover the container with plasticwrap.
  • Place the container in a warm, bright spot and moisten thesoil.
  • When seedlings start growing, uncover thecontainer.
  • When the plants have four true leaves, transplant them into individual pots.
  • When the plants are several inches tall, transplant themoutdoors.
• Kiwis can also be propagated from softwood cuttings (cuttings taken from new growth during the summer):
  • Cut a kiwi stem into six-inch lengths and cut off any growingtip.
  • Put the cuttings into a glass with an inch ofwater.
  • In about three weeks, the cuttings will have tiny roots at the ends of thecuttings.
  • Plant the cuttings in pots or plantoutdoors.

Hardy Kiwi(Kiwiberries)

• A. arguta ‘Ananasnaya’(also called ‘Anna’) has jade-colored skin, bright green flesh, black seeds and tastes likepineapple.
• A. arguta ‘Issai’ is self-fertile (does not require a male pollinator) and produces small, juicy fruit. Pollinators love the fragrant white flowers in earlysummer.
• A. arguta ‘Geneva’ ripens earlier than either ‘Anna’ or ‘Issai’and has sweet, honey-flavoredfruit.
• A. arguta ‘Ken’s Red’ has fruit with reddish-purple skins. The flesh inside is dark green with deep-redstreaks.
• A. kolomikta ‘Red Beauty’ fruit ripens earlier than most hardy kiwispecies, but A. kolomikta can be more temperamental in general. Fruit is skinny and sweet. Foliage turns a brilliant red in thefall.

Kiwifruit

• ‘Hayward’ is the main female variety of A. deliciosa grown commercially. It produces the fuzzy brown fruit with green interiors that can be found in grocerystores.
• Male varieties include ‘Chico’, ‘Matua’, and ‘Tamori’.

When to Harvest KiwiFruit

• The fruit typically reaches maturity in September/October, which can make it susceptible to early fall frosts in someareas.
• Harvest the fruit when they are soft to the touch and ready to beeaten.
• Alternatively, if early fall frosts are a concern, harvestkiwi fruits when they are still firm but have black seeds. This fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for up to six weeks. Remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to soften for a couple of days beforeeating.

How to Store KiwiFruit

• Store firm kiwi in the refrigerator or a cooler for up to sixweeks.
• Freeze firm whole hardy kiwis on a cookie sheet and then put them into plastic freezerbags.

Catherine Boeckmann