Kiwi

Fuzzy kiwi, Actinidia deliciosa, is the brown, fuzzy-skinned, green-fleshed kiwifruit most people know from the grocery store. It is a perennial climbing woody vine. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants, and male plants do not produce fruit but are needed to pollinate the females.

These sources do not describe growing this species from seed, so no sowing depth, germination time or seedling timing is given here. The sources describe propagation from hardwood cuttings: take cuttings in winter before sap starts to flow, make them about five to six nodes long, and insert them in 1-gallon (about 3.8 L) containers of potting mix for one season before planting outdoors.

Plant as early as you can work the soil in spring. Do not add fertilizer or manure to the planting hole, because it can burn the roots. Fuzzy kiwifruit is listed for USDA Zones 7 to 9. Give it a sunny spot sheltered from strong wind.

Kiwi vines are not self-supporting and need a wall, fence or sturdy trellis, such as an arbor at least 7 to 8 feet (about 2.1 to 2.4 m) high. For fruit, plant a female vine with a male of the same species; the sources recommend two vines about 15 feet (457 cm) apart.

Vines need constant moisture but not soggy soil. Irrigate several times a week or as needed, and wet the soil to a depth of 1 foot (30 cm) each time. Nitrogen is the most important nutrient after planting. Winter pruning is needed for good fruit production.

Shoots can be damaged by frost in late winter and early spring. Standard kiwifruit cannot tolerate winter temperatures below 10ºF (about -12 °C). Roots can suffocate if the soil stays waterlogged for more than a few days during the growing season. Verticillium wilt, a soil fungus, can affect kiwifruit plants, so avoid planting where tomatoes, potatoes and similar crops grew in the past five years. Winds of 10 to 15 miles per hour can break developing shoots.

Fuzzy kiwifruit ‘Hayward’ does not ripen on the vine; pick it after the first light frost of fall in adapted areas. Store-bought kiwis are ready to eat when they are slightly soft to the touch, and placing them in a bowl with apples, pears or bananas speeds ripening.