Is anyone growing Jenny fuzzy kiwi in the Mid-Atlantic? Curious if it will truly set fruit and ripen here. Looks like there’s another self pollinating type called Sweet n Sassy coming along as well. Both are listed at 0F Hardy.
I am trying to decide if I should just plant another Hardy kiwi or experiment with a fuzzy kiwi.
I have been able to fruit about every fuzzy kiwi I tried. So, no Jenny but many others. Some of them would prefer a longer season but for those I just put them in the fridge until Feb/Mar and they are tasty then. If you get down to 0F most years it might be too much, they are more a “7A” as opposed to “6B”. Also your season is probably a bit shorter than mine so if Jenny needs a longer season I would look for one needing a shorter season.
Thanks Scott. I may have to stick with hardy kiwi, it usually hits 0f at this spot and is pretty exposed.
If you have the room to experiment I would try it. You can get kiwi pretty cheap. I have found small ones for less than $10. Many plants (figs, poms, ect) are sensitive in the early years, then toughen up and survive ok.
I’m growing one in the north east, Halifax, NS, 6b. We have about 163 frost free days and around 1700 growing degree days. My Jenny is in its second winter, did great the first and exploded in growth this summer. It gets about 6.5 hrs of sun and is shaded just after peak heat. I can update if I get any fruit off it.
Small update:
So we had a colder winter here and a bit of a cool spring. My Jenny did not care and I think it is doing well, some flowers bloomed on the 29th of June. Fruits are now forming and we will see how ripe they get before the first frost.
How cold did it get for you?
It got close to - 20 c for a few days.
If the fruits continue to grow we will also know if it really is self fertile.
Any updates on your Jenny Kiwi?
Still dormant, but it seems ok.
Nice to hear your kiwis are doing well. Im 6b in Idaho and my hardy kiwis barely grow at all. Super frustrating. Hopefully you get some nice big fruit.
Do you have a male or are you testing it’s self fertile claims. I was going to buy it this year, but it sold out pretty quick everywhere.
Last year I also planted Saanichton (still dormant) and the male OGW recommended. I am more interested in hardiness than self pollination. If we keep getting weird non-winters, though, who knows. One benefit to climate change, I guess.
I haven’t been there this spring, but last year a local garden center chain was growing them (that’s where I got mine). If they have them again this year I could mail you one. Pretty sure they were around $15-20. Just let me know!
I have Saanichton and a male. They have survived for three years now and I’m outside of DC. I was going to get a Jenny as a back up. If one of mine goes down the other is worthless.
I had four different hardy kiwi and four fuzzy kiwi and am now down to one hardy plant. The others survived winters just fine but couldn’t survive greening up a month too early in the spring. Canes would freeze, split and die until roots had no reserves left.
Im in zone 5b, purchased Jenny kiwi for zone 6 in July at 50% off at local Lowe’s store 2022. The plant wasnt more than 1ft long. I planted it on the south. It has 8+hrs of sun. It didnt do well that year and didnt grow much. It died to root since we had -23C for several days and -18C more than for a week. I thought i lost it. In the Spring 2023 it gave new growth a lot. the shoots were finger thick. Spring 2024 it flowered and set fruit. I dont know if it’s ripen but it’s July and i have fruit size 1 in and larger
Hello did your Jenny kiwi ripened?
@ampersand
How has the Jenny done so far? Thinking about getting a few.
Wish I could verify they are really self fertile or if they taste any good.
