kiwi's from Baker Creek

Ordered these in Jan 2016, they arrived yesterday with instructions on hydrating before planting.
I have one already for year that has done very nicely, however kiwi's need two  to tango.
I enjoy kiwi fruits and hope they mature.

How fun! I love them too, yum! Get ya right in the back of your mouth with the tang! I will be interested in hearing how they do, Jimmy!

Well this is very interesting, Jimmy! I love kiwis, too. I didn't know we could grow them this far north. (I always think of you and I as having a similar climate)
Keep us updated please?  I wonder if I can start a few from the seeds from one of the fruits I have...? OMG, I have to go open one right this second...

Can I share in your thread while doing this experiment? Or do you think it would be better if I started a new one?
CC

Zone 4 to 9 is recommended.  Sure do with it what you want or need to..I'll get some pictures of the one out back, it's a wild thing and I cut it back drastically last fall.
It never had flowers so I couldn't tell the sex. but the growth was phenomenal

I researched it and found out that kiwis can be grown from the seeds of the store bought fruit but it would take four to five years before it develops any fruit. Forget it. I'll be on the lookout for mature plants. Thanks for the heads up about the 4  -9 zones, Jimmy!  I had no idea.

CC

Me either! I always think of them as tropical!

I bought some of these too.  They arrived a couple months ago and they're still sitting in the box because I'm still undecided about where I want their home to be.  I need to get going though and make a decision. 

Is this the type for we who live in zone 4?

https://www.directgardening.com/392-edibles/5940-kiwi-collection-2-female-1-male#/quantity-1

greatgranny wrote:Is this the type for we who live in zone 4?

https://www.directgardening.com/392-edibles/5940-kiwi-collection-2-female-1-male#/quantity-1

Sounds about right.  Not sure why Baker Creek no longer has a listing for their offering, but here's the cached page of what they had: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:lSpcAK8jTZoJ:www.rareseeds.com/kiwi-hardcollection-3-plants-ships-april-june-/%3FF_Keyword%3Dpineapple+&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

The fruit sounds like it is much smaller and apparently now fuzziness to them, so I'm wondering if they would still need to be peeled.  They sound tasty, but it'd be chore to have to peel something so small, especially if they're abundant.

EDIT: If trying to access the link I posted, you'll have to copy and past the entire URL text, starting with "http", into a new browser tab.  Clicking on the forum generated link will just take you to a page that doesn't exist.

Still interested....probably have to be situated in a good spot right off the bat.

I placed 3 plants about 3 weeks ago, Their not doing very well.

Scorpio Rising wrote:Still interested....probably have to be situated in a good spot right off the bat.  

Kiwifruit needs a solid trellis, also. The vines grow very fast and the fruit is heavy, if you have a good crop. The fuzzy kiwifruit needs one male pollenizer to every five or six females, and it needs a high concentration of pollinators, because the flower is not very attractive to bees. 

Commercial growers use a technique called "saturation pollination," where they overstock honey bees at a higher level than they would ever be placed for honey production. This is to ensure competition for the floral resources, which guarantees that kiwifruit flowers will get bee visits.

Fuzzy kiwifruit is not a tropical plant. I requires a minimum number of chilling hours, in order to set fruit. But it also is not very hardy in cold winter areas. 

I have not worked with the self fertile variety, which is more hardy, for northern growers. Fruits are smaller, and not fuzzy. I've heard many reports on the lack of serious production from those who've tried growing it. I assume that it would also require pollinators (bees), and either type may well need hand pollination in a home growing situation. Poorly pollinated fruits typically run small or drop off without developing very much.

BTW, "kiwi" is a bird. I once got reamed out by a New Zealander for calling kiwifruit, kiwi.

Ooohh... What a wonderful idea to grow kiwi's.  My daughter loves them.  I'm going to be watching this thread with much interest.  Thank you for sharing!

Us Northerners art waiting on the Jimmy Report!

Scorpio Rising wrote:Us Northerners art waiting on the Jimmy Report!  

As I recently stated, I am sorely disappointed.
I cleared out a hole with a post hole digger. filled it with Mel's Mix. Added some compost tea in a week. Their just sitting there waiting I hope..will keep this updated

Windmere wrote:Ooohh... What a wonderful idea to grow kiwi's.  My daughter loves them.  I'm going to be watching this thread with much interest.  Thank you for sharing!

Windmere - There is a very old nursery near me called Ison's Nursery.  They specialize in fruit trees and grapes.  Check them out. They know our growing environment and I bet they could recommend the appropriate variety.  When I start my perennial fruit garden, I plan to go over there and talk with them.  I have never been before but I think it is a place to start.

http://store.isons.com/catalog/search?keyword=kiwi

Thanks so much for the link!  And to think, you have this place in your own back yard!  I'm going to try to check it out some day.

Windmere wrote:Thanks so much for the link!  And to think, you have this place in your own back yard!  I'm going to try to check it out some day.

Yes, I just mapquested it.  It is 6.7 miles south of me - about 12 minutes.  My daughter and I plan on going down there and talking to them to see what we should plant and when and where and how to deer proof it all.

yolos wrote:

Windmere wrote:Thanks so much for the link!  And to think, you have this place in your own back yard!  I'm going to try to check it out some day.

Yes, I just mapquested it.  It is 6.7 miles south of me - about 12 minutes.  My daughter and I plan on going down there and talking to them to see what we should plant and when and where and how to deer proof it all.

Please let me know it goes.  I noticed Asian Pear trees... sold out, but we REALLY, REALLY like Asian Pears.   They're so expensive imported from Korea.  I'm thinking about calling them.

Windmere wrote:

yolos wrote:

Windmere wrote:Thanks so much for the link!  And to think, you have this place in your own back yard!  I'm going to try to check it out some day.

Yes, I just mapquested it.  It is 6.7 miles south of me - about 12 minutes.  My daughter and I plan on going down there and talking to them to see what we should plant and when and where and how to deer proof it all.

Please let me know it goes.  I noticed Asian Pear trees... sold out, but we REALLY, REALLY like Asian Pears.   They're so expensive imported from Korea.  I'm thinking about calling them.

Stop by land see me if you make a trip to Ison's.

In my experience, these vines are sensitive and susceptible to transplant shock.  Earlier this year, I purchased vibrant, healthy kiwi vines only to have them both appear to die after transplant.  Just as I was giving up, I noticed green shoots at the base of one of the plants, and now both are bouncing back.  I expect they'll really take off now that warmer temps are setting in.

It's been about two months since I put them in the container. Here's what they look like now:



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yolos wrote:

Windmere wrote:

yolos wrote:

Windmere wrote:Thanks so much for the link!  And to think, you have this place in your own back yard!  I'm going to try to check it out some day.

Yes, I just mapquested it.  It is 6.7 miles south of me - about 12 minutes.  My daughter and I plan on going down there and talking to them to see what we should plant and when and where and how to deer proof it all.

Please let me know it goes.  I noticed Asian Pear trees... sold out, but we REALLY, REALLY like Asian Pears.   They're so expensive imported from Korea.  I'm thinking about calling them.

Stop by land see me if you make a trip to Ison's.

Will do!  Might not be soon though, I don't have room for anything right now.

Ginger Blue, thanks for sharing your experience with transplanting, that is good to know.

Ginger Blue wrote:In my experience, these vines are sensitive and susceptible to transplant shock.  Earlier this year, I purchased vibrant, healthy kiwi vines only to have them both appear to die after transplant.  Just as I was giving up, I noticed green shoots at the base of one of the plants, and now both are bouncing back.  I expect they'll really take off now that warmer temps are setting in.

It's been about two months since I put them in the container. Here's what they look like now:



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Thanks for that, Ginger. Helps me feel a bit better. I am keeping an eye on them. Since they have developed slightly, I'll hope for the best. I have one growing in a corner that's turned into a beast. Wasn't doing well years ago so instead of throwing it out I just moved in back to a corner, it has taken off like crazy. Probably there for around 10 years and going in all directions. Never had a partner so I never had fruit..