We have 3 kiwi bush/vine and after 5 years we finally have fruits but had grown so huge. When will the fruits be ready--What month?? They are still very hard and I think i have over 50 fruits. I appreciate your expertise. Thanks Belle
Kiwi in Virginia!!
Aloha Belle,
Sorry, I don't know the answer to your question as it is too warm in my area for Kiwi. It sounds like a wonderful crop after waiting so long for them to fruit. I am sure someone will come along with the answer for you soon. I am sure you will enjoy those fruit when they are ripe!
Maybe this answer, from CRFG.org will answer your question:
"Harvest: Ripening depends both on cultivar grown and local climatic conditions. Commercially, the fruit is harvested mature-ripe when its soluble sugars reach 6.5 brix on a refractometer. For the home grower it is best to wait for harvest until at least November 1, but November 15 would be preferable. Seed inside should be fully black by this time. If available, a specifically designed fruit ripening bowl can be used to quickly ripen a few fruit to see if the rest of the crop is ready to be picked. Once harvested, place the hard fruit into plastic bags and put into the refrigerator for keeping. When needed, the fruit can be taken out of the refrigerator and ripened on the counter for a few days in a plastic bag. Well stored fruit can last for several months. The long keeping qualities of the fruit made world wide shipment possible and heavy planting of the Hayward variety brought the fruit into recognition.
I thank you for your response. I will wait till Nov and I hope the squirrels does not eat them. we have vicious squirrels here. I wish some one from Australia reads the thread. Belle
Kiwifruit are just Chinese Gooseberries that some enterprising New Zealander put a new name to and made a fortune. When Kiwis (also the name of a flightless New Zealand bird, and the name we Australians call any New Zealander) took off land prices sky rocketed and it became more economical for New Zealanders to buy land in southern Australia and plant Kiwis there.
Where I am it's far too hot to grow Kiwis, but if you put your question up on the Australian Forum you should get plenty of advice.
I thank you for your reply and post my ?? at the Australian forum .Belle
Sounds like a good harvest! Enjoy!
Just an update with my kiwi. We had snow here 3 times already and before the it got cold DH kept reminding me to harvest the kiwi. I found few that was half eaten by birds or squirrels but still have over 50. I had tasted them and are sweet and are organic!!! Belle
Congratulations. The best fruit are always the home grown ones.
That's great Belle, 50 is a large crop - how many vines do you have? Sorry to hear that you are having snow this early in the season but a white Christmas is always so nice!
I have 2 females and 1 male and it took 4 years to bear fruits. They grow wild which we were not aware of so the trellis that my husband built was not sufficient. Till next year!!! Belle
Fifty is a lot of kiwi! Congrats!
Happy Holidays!
Jeanne
Yeah and a lot of my friends were surprised too!!!