Kiwi

Many years ago, my friend Mary Marshall gave me two kiwi vines. I planted them up behind the barn for the time being not knowing what to do with them or for them. Over the years I have become somewhat educated about the culture of kiwi. I learned that you must have both male and female plants. I discovered that you did not need a one to one ratio of male to female plants, one male can fertilize many female blooms. Also, the male blooms before the female. The bloom is a cream color with many stamens inside of five petals, as shown in the photo. Around the first of May I start looking for the little "knobs" on the branches to open and expose the pretty blooms, promising to follow with fuzzy brown fruit. I learned that my plants were called Hayward and over the years I have increased my holdings to 11 plants.

One male plant I moved to a new spot about 40 feet away from the main group. It had been in
that spot for about 7 years when an acquaintance wanted a male kiwi ,so I told him he could dig that one up but be sure he got all of the roots. The guy came with a machine and dug up a tremendous amount of roots. I thought that I had seen the last of that vine. Yet the next spring it came back up with a flourish. It must be kin to the rugged kudzu which will cover anything in its path. Since that digging I have replaced the trellises for all of the vines. It is much sturdier and needs to be for these vigorous growers.

The first year that they bore fruit I got eleven kiwi. I was so elated I took a picture of them to save. Each year the number has increased except for last year when they did not bloom, thus had no fruit. The reason was that I had them severely pruned as they were such vigorous growers. My plan was to retrain them onto three parallel wires, making them easier to control. This year it will be a lean harvest but knowing the habit of these vines I expect them to come back next year like gang busters ! Being in a drought for the past few years has not been helpful at all to encourage a good harvest. The leaves on one plant have begun to turn yellow and dry up. Usually they stay green until the first frost.

I had to learn the best time to harvest these fruit by trial and error. It seems that the best time is before the first frost. My daughter-in-law was the first person to alert me to the merits of this fruit. I took some to her and she let them sit on her kitchen counter for a few weeks to ripen. She was so enthusiastic about the taste of them that I began to be a believer also. When the harvest is prolific I share them with whomever wants them.

Early on I had intentions of making kiwi jam, but gave up on that plan. They are tasty enough fresh. My grandson showed me how he likes to eat them. He simply cuts them crosswise and using a small spoon scoops out the inside, eating as he goes. That is much more sensible than trying to peel them. And who in his right mind would attempt to eat the skin ! That skin may be why the four legged critters of the woods around me leave them on the vine. Occasionally I will find a kiwi with a spot showing obvious teeth marks. So, one of those critters has had the thought of tasting them and was deterred by that fuzzy tough skin.

I suppose the lesson to be learned with the story of the kiwi is that life has many surprises along the way. Before moving to Georgia I had little knowledge of the kiwi. Most people are surprised that I can even grow them here. I think the kiwi like the little mini climate where they grow on this place. I do not attribute their survival to any gardening skills on my part. I am just happy to have had the experience of growing and sharing them with my friends.

These are from last years crop. The larger one is probably about 4 ounces. The others have some more growing to do.