Growing Your Own Kiwi: A Comprehensive Guide

Care Tips

• Pruning:
  • Female vines: Prune in winter during dormancy.
  • Male vines: Prune after flowering.
  • Self-pollinating plants: Winter pruning is best.
• Mulching: Helps retain moisture. Use compost or shredded leaves, but keep it away from the vine’s base to prevent rot.
• Pest and Disease Management: Rarely affected by pests, but organic neem oil can be used if needed. Protect from pets, especially cats.

Overwintering

• Mature Plants: Can withstand temperatures as low as -15 F (-26 C).
• Young Plants: Protect by wrapping stems with cloth or blankets and providing some daylight.

Harvesting and Storing

• Fruit Bearing: Typically, kiwi plants begin to bear fruit within three years from seeds. Some varieties, like Arctic, may fruit earlier.
• Yield: Mature vines can produce 40-50 pounds of fruit annually for 45-50 years.
• Ripeness: Kiwis are ripe when they soften slightly. Harvest and store them in a refrigerator for up to five weeks.

Summary

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