Hardy kiwi trellis and sun exposure

General Fruit Growing
1

I will be planting my first hardy kiwis this year and am currently trying to determine the best trellising approach. Most of the ones I find on the internet are T-bar trellises and the width of the top bar seems to range between 5’ and 8’ long with the 8’ long being done by Kiwi Berry Organics to maximize sun exposure of the kiwis. I have also seen a few posts on here of people using single wire grape like trellises which seems to reduce yield but the T-bar seems to almost yield too much.

Does anyone know if there is a big difference in the sweetness/flavor of the two different approaches?

Would one prune leaves/vines out that were blocking sun from hitting the fruit on a one wire trellis?

Thanks!

2

Getting sun on the fruit is said to improve the fruits sweetness, color.
The trouble with growing a aguta on a single wire trellis is that the plants are exceptionally vigorous once they get going. With diligent pruning at least twice a year it could work. A friend does have some mature vines on a three wire(verticle) trellis, and it has worked for him, most of the growth and fruiting is happening on the upper wire.
Im sure youd get more yield with the t bar as it could support more fruiting arms with good sun and airflow.
Kolomikta could work better on a single system if you have the right setting for it, it is a less vigorous plant, or the cultivar Issai, which is more dwarfy.

3

So would you say more vigorous vines should be on a t-bar and less vigorous could be on a single wire?

4

Yes.

5

My kiwis are getting tall enough to reach the top wire of a trellis now so I am in the final stages of construction. I just ordered some wire vices from Amazon and am now looking at trellis wire. Is this ‘Utility and Brace wire’ sufficient or is there an actual preferred trellis wire?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/utility--amp-brace-wire-9-ga

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6

I’m building a trellis for my hardy kiwi like a old fashioned clothes line in a boxed shape with the feet setting on 1ft concrete blocks. simple and should be plenty strong.

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7

What are you using for the wire? I found some other wire that says it will support 165lbs but I don’t know if that is enough or not.

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8

i just happened to pick up the same wire at tractor supply. i got to think this will work well. going to drill holes from the ends and weave thru the holes to a final eye bolt with a turnbuckle to tighten the slack. my kiwi are still small so i got some time before i build it. if i see its too wobbly i can renforce the corners.

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