Kiwiberry

**sugar** · 08-03-2012, 09:04 PM

I planted it in my former garden, but sold the house before it carried any fruit (3rd year). Watch out for snails and slug that love the foliage.
Most Actinida need are dioecious, so you need a Male and a Female plant.

Fruit is lovely, I've planted 5 varieties this year in my new garden.

**veggiechicken** · 08-03-2012, 09:30 PM

Thanks Sugar. I have a Jenny Kiwi which is very vigorous but these little ones seem a lot more attractive. Did you buy the plants or grow them from seed?

**super trowel** · 08-03-2012, 09:42 PM

Wow!! I want some

Any links to were I can get a couple?

**veggiechicken** · 08-03-2012, 09:49 PM

The fruit or the plants? The fruit are on sale in Sainsbugs at the mo. Don' know about the plants yet!

**sugar** · 09-03-2012, 04:41 AM

I bought my plants at Gooseberry site, kruisbessen site. Plants are now available for over 10 years in Belgium.

While the plants are very hardy (much more then real kiwi's, they originate from Siberia), you can loose a harvest by late frost, because they flower rather early. They are typically grown on a wire fence, 2 m high and 4m wide (that's 6ft by 12 ft). An additional advantage compared to the standard kiwi is the fact they carry fruit earlier (after 4 years) when pruned correctly... Foilage of these plants is attractive ..

There are lots of varieties -some giving red fruit (Ken's Red), other with rather large mini-kiwi's (Jumbo),...). There is one variety with male and female flowers, but it is quoted to be less good.

If you love the fruit, you probably need to plant it in your garden, because there have been commercialising attemps in several countries with poor succes : harvesting is really timeconsuming and the storage time is too short ....

**veggiechicken** · 09-03-2012, 10:00 AM

Once again, Sugar, you've been very helpful, Thank you. Do you live in Belgium?
Why don't you Introduce yourself to the rest of the Forum and let us give you a proper welcome on here - meanwhile, a very big welcome from me!

**sugar** · 09-03-2012, 06:56 PM

Thank you for the welcome

**sugar** · 09-03-2012, 08:53 PM

I've been googling a bit, and I'm amazed that I don't find a lot of references in the UK... Over here, the plant became a commodity over the last two years, and is readily available in almost every nursery...

**veggiechicken** · 09-03-2012, 09:13 PM

This place sells them Soft Fruit Bushes & Canes but seems to be the only one. Looks like an import opportunity just waiting to happen!

**sugar** · 10-03-2012, 11:36 AM

Weima is the standard (male) pollinator over here. Ken's Red and Jumbo are two of the varieties I've planted in my garden (together with Weiki, Weiki yellow and Kokuwa). You don't need a male kiwiberry, a standard Male kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa) will do the trick (but kiwiberry plants cannot fertilize kiwi plants)

**veggiechicken** · 10-03-2012, 09:13 PM

Thanks again Tom (seems odd calling you Sugar!!). Thats good news about standard Kiwis acting as pollinators, since I have one. I'm not sure that I could find room for another vigorous vine in the garden though. My Kiwi is a real thug. It would be good if one could grow a dwarfing Kiwi!

**sugar** · 11-03-2012, 07:11 AM

Kiwiberry is less vigorous, it needs a wire trellis/fence of about 3 m wide and 2 m high (that's 9 by 6 ft); horizontal wires about 1,5 ft apart

**purplekat** · 11-03-2012, 08:21 PM

I'm growing one, think it's in it's forth year now and not had any fruit off it yet. They are self fertile but as with everything, they fruit better with two varieties. I have seen somewhere that sells named varieties but will have to have a quick search as I've forgotten where. If it doesn't fruit this year then I'm going to try moving it, think it's a bit dry where it is and they seem to like a lot of water.

**sugar** · 11-03-2012, 08:25 PM

If you don't prune it correctly, you will probably need some additional years for fruit... I would hold on one or two years. Check out for flowers this year (male/female)...

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