Kiwi growing

[dirtyboots]

Hi all, I went to the GC yesterday and came back with 2 kiwi plants,they were only 5.90 euro's each! Has anybody grown them outside in the UK?

[andy]

I've grown them but never got them to fruit. If i remember correctly, you need to get a male and female plant if they are to fruit unless there are now self pollinating varieties.

They are rampant growers and will probably need treating the same as grape vines.....cut back all long growth to one or two flower sets to allow them to develop better.

Good luck

[Rosefriend]

Andy is right in that you need a male and a female, although I do happen to know that there are some self-pollinating ones that have come on the market - last year if I remember rightly. There was something about the fruits as well - smaller I think. Sorry bad memory.

As far as the UK is concerned - well why not - there are people here that grow them and our temperatures are a lot worse. Having said that, I don't know what they do with them in winter for protection.

RF

[dirtyboots]

I hope it will be alright to train them over a picket type fence, I want them to hide the manure pile
I bought one of each so fingers crossed ;D

db

[oldmoleskins]

DB, not quite sure from your question if you're going to be growing these in France or the UK - but if it helps in any way - I remember seeing a small field of them on a hillside near Agen, grown on frames/wires a bit taller than for vines - more like you'd have for raspberries.

I'd have thought a picket fence would be ideal, I had a hop once that covered one annually, and that's not dis-similar, vine-wise. Wove in and out it nicely.
OM.

[dirtyboots]

I want to grow them in France oldmoleskins, the site can be windswept at times,still for the price I paid I want to try it. They came with a 1year guarantee too ;D

DB

[Deleted]

Hello i've just planted a Kiwi Jenny in the garden....it's survived so far over the winter...although not sure if i'll get fruit. If it survives it'll be enough though.