Hardy Kiwi Training

General Fruit Growing
1

Here is a good video on training hardy Kiwis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9651xRu1PrI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xd6epKQPcA

Tony

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2

Thanks, Tony. I enjoyed those. I hope to someday have fruit set like that.

3

Have you ever seen a price for Kiwi berries by the pound or whatever? Roadside market, grocery store or online seller

4

Hardy kiwi (labeled Kiwi “berries”) are very expensive in the grocery store. The only one I’ve seen them in is Whole Foods, where they are $5-$6 for a half pint. I once counted 9 berries in the container, which means that they were about 60 cents each. In this GW post, it was mentioned that Costco (in Colorodo) also sells them sometimes.

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5

Bob,

How big was the Kiwi harvest this year? Which one was your best in taste.

Tony

6

I don’t recall the price as well as Bob does, but they were high enough that they went back on the shelf in spite of my temptation to try them.

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I posted a more complete description of my haul a <a href="Any good hardy kiwi tastes this fall? - #4 by Auburn - General Fruit Growing - Growing Fruit"Any good hardy kiwi tastes this fall? - #4 by Auburn - General Fruit Growing - Growing Fruit>couple months ago, here.

The highlights:

  • About double the yield as last year, ~8 quarts
  • Geneva was very productive, contributing about half the total.
  • Issai had some winter die-back, but still produced a decent crop.
  • Something is different either about me, or about the kiwis, as I’m getting the same tongue-tingling aftertaste from them that I only got from the fuzzies in the past.
  • I’ll try getting them better sun exposure next year and see if that gets the flavor back to where it was last year (very good).

I didn’t really have any that stood out this year in terms of flavor. Hopefully I can get a few more into production next year:

  • Ken’s Red will be in year #6 and has bloomed the last few years with zero set.
  • Cordifolia will be in year #5, blooming this year for the first time (no set).
  • I also have 3 more varieties which have completed 2.5 years in the ground (summer planted)- Rossana, Jumbo, and Chico. It wouldn’t surprise me if I got a taste of one or two of these.
8

I buy them at Walmart sometimes and they are $3- $4 for half a pint. I will check whole foods next time. After having grown them I felt they were a bargain. I had to water them twice a day and pamper them for several years before they finally died due to the drought. I just did not have enough water to give them all they needed. Next time I will grow them at the pond in the high but still moist ground. Anna is an excellent variety for a beginner kiwi grower like me.

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9

Thanks for the report Bob. I will build a nice fence for all the cuttings that rooted for me last Spring.

Tony

10

Thats usefull information.
I am training hardy kewi to a 7’, 5 wire T trellis.
I guess i need to select one main vine and prune off the rest.

11

Mine are on a 6.5 foot tall arbor. I will admit my ability to properly prune is poor. The area is heavy with years of leaf mould, I rarely water them specifically. In all I have 5f females and 3 males. Production was super any about 4 years ago and then lower for 2 years and heavy again last year (which roughly corresponds to my attempts at pruning.

I’ve seen them at Trader Joes for 3.99 for 4 ounces. (Approx $16.00 a pound). Plants took about 3-4 years to flower and 2 more years to set fruit.

I rarely see any dieback on it.

I have Anna and Jumbo among females. I also have a potted yellow fruited (fuzzy) variety which has not yet bloomed. It does need to be babied regarding watering. I keep planning on putting it into the ground to be protected in winter. It’s 4 years old now so maybe next year.

Scott

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12

Are Jumbo and MSU two names for the same variety?

13

I have heard MSU and Jumbo are thesame.

14

It was very helpful for me to see the hardy kiwi setup at the UNH field trial,and see their two year plants with established trunks, cordons, and fruiting branches. Any information that you can get from Kiwikorners farm in PA is gold, they are pioneers with this crop,and seem to be having success. I heard they use hedge trimmers to manage their 20 acres!

15

Anyone know about the TripleBrook Farm self pollinating kiwi? They state it is fruitful male hardy kiwi from the Arnold arboretum er something like that