Kiwi - Female Michigan State

Hardy Kiwi (Actinidia arguta) produce smaller, very sweet and flavorful fruit that has a smooth skin and can be eaten just like grapes. It is also a very vigorous vine and depending on the variety is hardy to minus 25F or below. 

All Kiwis like well-drained, with a 1/2 day to full sun. Kiwis are twining vines; they need a strong arbor trellis or other support. Avoid planting in frost pockets. Sites with northern exposure are good because they delay early growth in spring, which can be damaged by late frosts. 

Dig a hole approximately 12" wide and 6" deep with 10 ft apart from each other. Place the plant in the hole, fill with soil and water thoroughly. The top of the potted portion of the plant should be slightly lower than the top of the hole. Be sure that the potted plant is completely covered with your native soil, or it may act as a wick and cause the roots to dry out more.

This will harden the developing canes and condition them for the first fall frost  and the winter. Never let the plants go through the fall in a too dry or too moist condition. Hay, straw, or compost are good materials for mulching. While the plants are hardy the new hoots and flowers of all Kiwis can be damaged by temperatures below approx. 31 F. Make sure you protect any new growth in the spring. 

Because of their vigor and rapid growth rate, kiwis can use abundant amounts of nitrogen. Do not fertilize kiwi fruit the year of planting. After the first year, sprinkle 2 ounces of 10-10-10 around each plant annually in early spring. Increase the amount by 2 ounces each year until the plants are receiving 8 ounces, then do not exceed this amount.  

Prune the first year of planting. Hardy Kiwi plant needs to be pruned at least two or three times during the growing season and once during overgrown. If not pruned and trained, the vines will grow up trees and over fences and become overgrown.

It is important to select one or two new canes and train them to grow vertically. Do not allow them to twist around the support pole or wire. As new shoots grow to a height of 2 to 3 feet pinch the tips. This will harden the stem for the cold months. A new shoot will grow where you previously pinched and hopefully 1 month before normal frost the growth will be 12 to 18 inches.

Pinch the tip off again. Harvest is in the fall just before apples. If the fruit is allowed to stay on the vine during mid-fall frosts, it will tend to be sweeter.