Kiwi success

[hailtryfan]

Hi all. I'm growing a hardy kiwi vine over my allotment shed and wondered if anyone else has manged to get theirs to fruit successfully. The variety I'm growing (Jenny I think) is supposed to be self fertile and produce fruit in the 2nd year. I've not heard or read about anyone getting fruit from kiwi vines in the UK though and am wondering whether to try not to get my hopes up.

Any advice or news on kiwis greatfully accepted....

[Brengirl]

I too have a kiwi its probably 6/7 years old now and has never fruited till this year. It is cram full. The furry balls are about the size of a cherry tom and are hanging in bunches. Trouble is they are still as hard as nails and I just cannot imagine them ripening

[trish60]

Mine is in year 3 & is enormous.
It flowered this year but the fruit did not set.
I did see one with loads of ripe kiwis in a walled garden which I think may have been Osbourne House but definitely some stately home garden.

[hailtryfan]

I too have a kiwi its probably 6/7 years old now and has never fruited till this year. It is cram full. The furry balls are about the size of a cherry tom and are hanging in bunches. Trouble is they are still as hard as nails and I just cannot imagine them ripening

Do you know what variety yours is? Some like our climate better than others...

Mine is in year 3 & is enormous.
It flowered this year but the fruit did not set.
I did see one with loads of ripe kiwis in a walled garden which I think may have been Osbourne House but definitely some stately home garden.

Is yours self fertile? If not you may need a male plant too.

[trish60]

Do you know what variety yours is? Some like our climate better than others...



Is yours self fertile? If not you may need a male plant too.

It was supposed to be self fertile.
BUT I did buy it from Wilkinsons!!!!

[Brengirl]

Originally Posted by hailtryfan
Do you know what variety yours is? Some like our climate better than others...


Sorry I cannot help on that one. Do you know roughly when the fruit is likely to ripen. On or off the vine.

[womble]

Last year mine were ready right at the end of the season, I believe they can be picked and ripened indoors.
I've got a kiwi arguta, which is a large vine, but small fruits. I'm not impressed, it got killed off totally by the frost this year, so no fruit this year, although it now has regrown to 6 feet, I wasn't very happy with the way the fruit came out last year, I feel it's not worth it. Maybe a larger fruiting kiwi would be better.

I'm sure I just read in the mag that a kiwi farm has been set up in the UK, growing Hayward kiwis.

[Mrs Dobby]

We've recently planted 2 Kiwi to grow up the side of Apiary 2 (on plot 1), Aldi specials, so I've no idea whether they will do anything or not, but even if they dont fruit, they will help to blend the apiary in and provide some shelter from the winds for the bees!

[bobleponge]

I have a kiwi that grows up the side of my garage, and get loads of fruit every year. Geographically I am only a couple of hundred miles further south than you, so it shouldnt be that much different. I cant tell you the species (I call it Kevin) as it was there when I bought the house.
However, my gardening guru who lives up the road from me now, used to live in Maidenhead or somewhere around there. They had a kiwi which grew along a fence in a south facing garden and they assure me that they had over 30lb of fruit every year, so its certainly feasible if you have the right kiwi vine.

[Alison]

A woman I use to know used to pick loads of kiwis off a plant she had in Scotland - not sure of the variety or exact location but enough to give you all hope

[hailtryfan]

Thanks everyone for all your posts. Definately some encouraging news here especially since someone's getting fuits to ripen in Scotland!

Seems a lot of variation in success though so I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[QUOTE=womble;742609]Last year mine were ready right at the end of the season, I believe they can be picked and ripened indoors.
I've got a kiwi arguta, which is a large vine, but small fruits. I'm not impressed, it got killed off totally by the frost this year, so no fruit this year, although it now has regrown to 6 feet, I wasn't very happy with the way the fruit came out last year, I feel it's not worth it. Maybe a larger fruiting kiwi would be better.

Gonna wrap the main stem in fleece during the winter to keep the frost off in the hope I won't lose this seasons growth.

[lynne lewis]

Thanks for all the mixed advice. It's nice to know that there are other people out there with Kiwi fruit trees. My daughter gave me mine as a present last year (no name and I don't know if it's self fertilising) and I've planted it in a large pot to trail over a south facing pergola. Should I buy another one in case it's not self fertilising? If so what variety do you recommend?
Lindy Loo

[starloc]

mine has standard size fruit, and giant leaves about 5 inch across with red hairs on, thats all i know about it other than i presume its self fertile

one year there were loads of fruit we made jam ( never again kiwi jam is disgusting ) , last year there were quite a few till the squirels ate them, its quite big now , its taken over a lilac tree and now its up on the roof of the house

mine seem unaffected by the cold, the 100L pot freezes solid every year, its just started growing agin now, the small ones the mini kiwi type i kept in the house didnt loose there leaves first year and have never fruited or flowered,

The plant that has fruited has a 1.5 inch wide stem on it at the base so its quite old