CORVALLIS, Ore. — If you have a strong trellis, a little gumption and a love of kiwifruit, you can grow your own. Just don’t expect to plant and walk away.
Proper siting, fertilizing, watering and, most importantly, cold protection keep vines healthy and productive.
Hardy kiwifruit — often called kiwiberries — produce grape-size fruit with smooth, edible skin and a fragrant flavor. Vines are very winter hardy, and fruit ripen on the vine from mid-September into mid-October. You’ll sometimes find them at farmers markets and some grocery stores in fall.
Kiwifruit need attention to reach their potential, said Amanda Davis, berry research assistant with the Oregon State University Extension Service. Proper siting, fertilizing, watering and, most importantly, cold protection keep vines healthy and productive. For step-by-step guidance, consult OSU Extension’s Growing kiwifruit in your home garden.
There are three main types of kiwifruit. The fuzzy kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) is the kind most often sold in grocery stores, usually the cultivar ‘Hayward.’ Hardy kiwifruit (A. arguta) — kiwiberries — and kolomikta or arctic kiwifruit (A. kolomikta) round out the group. Kolomikta is grown more as an ornamental for its pink-variegated foliage.
Best all-around choice: Hardy kiwifruit are the most reliable for home gardens across most regions of Oregon, from the Oregon Coast to the valleys and into many colder inland areas.
Warm-site option only: Fuzzy kiwifruit grow best in warmer parts of Western Oregon and protected coastal microclimates. Vines in most other areas can suffer winter injury; the golden kiwifruit (A. chinensis) is generally not recommended for Oregon conditions.
Coldest sites: A. kolomikta tolerates even colder winters but is typically planted for its ornamental foliage rather than fruit quality.
Among hardy kiwifruit, look for ‘Ananasnaya’ (‘Anna’) with jade skin, bright green flesh and a pineapple-like flavor, and ‘Ken’s Red,’ a New Zealand selection with olive-green skin and deep red streaks in the flesh.
When to plant
Plant in early spring — as soon as the soil can be worked and while vines are still dormant. Spring planting helps vines establish before summer heat and lets you watch for late frosts on tender new growth.
How fuzzy and hardy kiwifruit ripen
Fuzzy kiwifruit do not ripen on the vine. They are harvested “green ripe” in fall and can be stored for months at cold temperatures, which is why they are available year-round in stores. They grow best in warmer regions like California; vines in most areas of Oregon can suffer winter injury.
Hardy kiwifruit (kiwiberries) ripen on the vine from mid-September into mid-October; fruit are smooth skinned and bite size.
Protect tender shoots from frost
Kiwifruit break bud early — often by late February to early March in the Willamette Valley — and the young growth is fragile.
“The young shoots and fruit of all kiwifruit species are sensitive to frost injury,” Davis said. “Temperatures of 30°F or less for only 30 minutes can severely damage newly emerging shoots in the late winter through spring.”
Choose a warm, protected site and avoid low, frosty pockets. When a freeze is forecast at 32°F or lower, drape vines with a row cover before sunset and remove it after temperatures rise above freezing.
Planting, training and care
Key points from the OSU Extension guide include:
- Plant both sexes. Vines are either female (fruiting) or male (for pollination). Plant one of each — of the same species — unless a suitable male is nearby.
- Build a strong support. Use a substantial arbor or T-bar trellis tall enough to stand under at harvest. Vines can span 15 feet and produce up to 100 pounds of fruit.
- Site and spacing. Plant in spring, 10 to 15 feet apart, in deep, well-drained soil and full sun with wind protection. Kiwis are susceptible to root rot, so don’t skimp on drainage.
- Irrigate consistently. Provide about 2 inches of water a week during the growing season. Drip irrigation works well.
- Fertilize as vines mature. Increase rates carefully each year; follow the guide’s recommendations for amounts and timing.
- Prune on schedule. Prune female vines heavily in December. Late pruning causes heavy sap flow — alarming but not harmful — and can discourage needed cuts. Prune male vines after bloom in late June. On mature plants, remove about 70% of last season’s growth; much of what you remove is older wood that has already fruited.
Harvest and storage
- Fuzzy kiwifruit — In warmer parts of Oregon, harvest in late October to early November while fruit are still firm and seeds are black. Store at 32–40°F for several months. To ripen small batches, place fruit in a slightly vented plastic bag with apples or bananas.
- Kiwiberries (hardy kiwifruit) — Fruit do not all ripen at once. Pick when soft to the touch and eat right away. For short storage, harvest when still firm but with black seeds (early September) and refrigerate for a few weeks. Overripe fruit may tear at the stem. For winter enjoyment, freeze and partially thaw before eating.
With a sturdy support, the right varieties for your Oregon region, timely spring planting and diligent frost protection, homegrown kiwifruit can be a reliable, delicious crop.
Previously titled Growing vigorous kiwi takes care and a strong trellis
