Kolomikta kiwi

I have questions. I hope y’all have answers! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

  1. Vining: how out of control are kolomiktas? I’ve read that arguta kiwis can take down a tree. Is that true for kolomiktas?

  2. Fruiting: how many years to get fruit from a red beauty?

  3. Trellis: I have two 18” by 7’ trellises. Will those be adequate, if I regularly prune?

  4. Variety: I’m finding red beauty for kolomikta fruit. Is there another suggested variety?

Thanks so much!

Kolomiktas are quite slow growing. Will take years of growth and no pruning to get out of control.

They will often fruit the first year unlike the others.

Your Trellis seems adequate. Provided it is decently sturdy.

I am growing September Sun. It’s a very tasty variety that ripens in late July to early August.

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Thank you for your insight!! I’m guessing that September sun is the female. What type of male do you have, Ramv?

My male is Pasha.

Not sure how many people here would agree with me but to me the fruit of Kolomitka is sweeter than other kiwis.
However the growth and productivity is far less.
Make sure that the vine gets afternoon shade or it will cook in the Texas heat.

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Hate to say it, but I don’t think you will be able to get kolomiktas to fruit in Texas, at least not in the ground outdoors. They only need about 50 hours of chill. I’m lucky if mine in pots stay dormant past Christmas. It only takes 3 warm days for them to start leafing out, then they are sensitive to freezing temps. I only have a couple and keep them small so I can move them into a greenhouse once the buds break.

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have you grown actinidia polygama? (silvervine)

Mine is going into its 3rd leaf and I’m wondering if flowering is likely this year (or next)

Scott

No, I havent but a local friend (kiwibob) is growing them. But @kiwinut (Hal) will certainly know.

Well, now that I’ve done a bit more research, I was coming back to ask that exact question! The vine would be in morning shade and late afternoon sun, so it wouldn’t even be a cool microclimate in my yard. Darn!!

I have only grown one Silvervine several years ago, a male. I had it up against a west facing brick wall and it did fine. If anything it was too vigorous. I recall that it flowered in the second year. Blooms were very late, 5-6 weeks later than the yellow kiwis.

Kiwibob sent me some polygama fruits last fall, so I finally got to taste them. Flavor was very bland with a slight numbing peppery aftertaste. Not bad, but not something I would want to eat either. I was interested in using them for hybridizing, and the flavors would probably not be an issue if crossed with something that tastes good.

I got the one called “Hot Pepper” from OGW a couple years back. Going into its third season it seems vigorous, but nothing uncontrollable yet. I’m imagining a mango-polygama salsa…

Does Kiwibob post here? Do you know if any of his fruit have formed galls? Supposedly they are better than catnip. (I want to try it on our cats)

Scott