banana berserker

I just tried my first kiwi! I know it's crazy that I've never tried a kiwi before but now I love them ! I'm dying to get a tree but have no clue what so ever as how to take care of one. Any tips on taking care of a kiwi tree would be very helpful.

Richard

Kiwis grow on vines, not trees silly! The better types are dioecious (male/female). Here's some more info:

KIWI, HAIRLESS (Actinidia chinensis). Requires one male from any Actinidia to intertwine with up to seven females – which bear the fruit. Good in low winter chill areas. Fruit often has yellow flesh. Sometimes called “Golden Kiwi”. Hard to find. Excellent taste.

KIWI, HAIRY (Actinidia deliciosa). Requires one male from any Actinidia to intertwine with up to seven females – which bear the fruit. Fruit has green flesh. Cultivars:
* Hayward. Requires extensive winter chilling (approx. 500 chill hours). Most common commercial cultivar.
* Vincent. Low chilling requirement, adapted to Southern California.

KIWI, HARDY [TARA VINE; ISSAI; SELF-FRUITFUL] (Actinidia arguta). Self-pollinating. Sold under many names, this Kiwi is self-fruitful. However, persons familiar with the fruit produced by this species in Spring Valley, El Cajon, Poway, and Fallbrook complain that the fruit is less tasteful (to a fault) compared to chinensis or deliciosa.

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CookieCows

Before I got interested in wanting to grow one, I thought they grew on trees too ! LOL

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banana berserker

That shows haw much I know!

banana berserker

Thanks CookieCow that makes me feel better.

Richard

I noticed that several seed suppliers sell Actinidia chinensis. Has anybody tried growing these? Looks like a great plant for USDA zone 9. It is supposed to like partial shade. Note that you hope for females and at least one male to sprout.

Hmm ... I just might try it in my yard!

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banana berserker

How do you tell a male from a female vine and will they tell you if your buying a female or male vine at a nursery? Also how close do the vines need to be to each other. Just close enough to pollonate?

STEELVIPER

Yeah Richard is right on. You will need more then one vine. The more the better.

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Richard

At nurseries, they are marked male, female, or self-fertile (avoid these). I have also seen them in 5 gallon pots with 1 male and 1 or 2 females.

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mskitty38583

if you do get the kiwis and you plan to plant them outside you need to do a fence around the female vine. the female kiwi emits a smell that outside cats love and they will pee all over them and it will kill the plant. i know this because my parents bought 2 male and 5 females and the neighbors cat peed all over the female vines and they have been dead almost 2 yrs. the male vines are great, but with no females they are just another pretty vine.

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Richard

While looking up some plant references, I was reminded that these folks have imported dozens of kiwi varieties over the years:

Roger & Shirley Meyer, Fountain Valley CA. 714-839-0796. xotcfruit@yahoo.com

Drop them a line for a list of currently available plants.

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