Trying Something For 1st Time.

[Nyboy]

Last night I went to whole foods supermarket, I don't like going there because it is always a madhouse. Their parking garage is like a mall's 2 days before xmas. In their produce section I found hardy kiwis, I have never seen this before, everyone has the fuzzy kiwi which I like. They where smooth skin about size of grape. I had planted 7 vines 2 male and 5 female around hot tub, but never tasted the fruit. At $6.99 for 4 oz I clenched my teeth and added them to my cart. WOW where they good, I had planted the vines for privacy, fruit added bonces.

 

[thistlebloom]

Nice! The vines should take off this year for you. Good idea to have a dual purpose plant.
Do you remember which variety you planted? I have been thinking about planting some kiwi, I just need to settle on a permanent place for them. I was thinking of some sort of arbor with a couple of benches underneath....

 

[Nyboy]

Don't remember what variety, but purchased at lowes so sure not rare. The containers where clearly marked male and female.

 

[catjac1975]

Last night I went to whole foods supermarket, I don't like going there because it is always a madhouse. Their parking garage is like a mall's 2 days before xmas. In their produce section I found hardy kiwis, I have never seen this before, everyone has the fuzzy kiwi which I like. They where smooth skin about size of grape. I had planted 7 vines 2 male and 5 female around hot tub, but never tasted the fruit. At $6.99 for 4 oz I clenched my teeth and added them to my cart. WOW where they good, I had planted the vines for privacy, fruit added bonces.

Be careful with kiwi. They grow fine for the first 10 years and then go crazy invasive. They are delicious and sweet. Getting fruit was hit or miss for me. We added a shed to the side of the barn and the vines were removed with a backhoe. There is no other way the could have been removed. I doubt I will replace them-just a time factor and I never found the secret to getting fruit every year.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

i've wanted to get some for my own garden but hadn't heard how they tasted. i'll be keeping them on my list. I think there are a few different types of Arctic Kiwi we can grow this far north. i don't think this is a complete list since i know there is one called Ken's Red & Kolomikta and they're not on here. http://extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/fphg/hardy-kiwi/variety-selection

 

[thistlebloom]

deleted
Oops, posted the same link as Chickie!

 

[journey11]

My MIL has a huge hardy kiwi bush/vine/thing. Cat is right, they can get a little out of control as they get older. You have to prune them back a lot. They don't reseed or anything like that, just become a monstrous tangled clump of a thing. On the years where an early frost doesn't get the fruit before ripening, we get bumper crops of little kiwis. We mostly freeze them or dehydrate them and use them in quick breads like you would rhubarb or raisins or whatever.

 

[Nyboy]

I was eating them like grapes. All where same size and color, but different taste, some very sweet some more tart. Not sure if that has to do with ripeness or each plant's fruit different.

 

[majorcatfish]

older kiwis get out of control..never

but thats my fault for it.....
@Nyboy plant some ivy and not poison ivy

 

[the1honeycomb]

I love your vines, a little pruning would make them produce more? how can you start Kiwis? I know you need to have a pair, male and female is there a minimum number of plants that you have to start? thinking of giving them to my daughter in SC Sumter, She loves Kiwis!!