kiwi berries (hardy kiwi)

habitat_gardener · November 5, 2008

I don't like hairy-skin kiwi fruits -- they have an acid edge and an off-taste that I find unpleasant -- but I bought a marked-down punnet of "kiwi berries" the other day and loved them. Turns out they're in the same genus (Actinidia arguta) and look exactly the same inside, but are smaller and have smooth green skins and no acid edge -- quite sweet. Now I want to grow them! I saved seeds from the ones that were overripe, and I wonder if it'll be worth my while to grow them from seed, since all the commercial growers use cultivars. (I'll have lots of extra seed, if anyone else wants to try.)
http://www.garden.org/articles/artic...?q=show&id=656

The only downsides seem to be the huge size of the vines and the high water need, and of course you'd need to grow enough vines to make sure you have at least one male.

Has anyone tried growing kiwi berries from seed? Or should I just get an 'Issai' cultivar from Raintree or wherever?

Sherry_AK · November 5, 2008

Not sure if it's the same thing, but I grow Arctic Beauty Kiwi here. The vine is very large. The berries are about the size of a grape, and do have a smooth skin.

I bought these as bare-root plants (male and female). I have discovered they are easy to propagate from cuttings, but have never tried seeds.

Good luck!

Sherry

Tomaat · November 6, 2008

It is possible to grow them from seeds but it will take years to fruit. Plus certain type need male and female plant (don't know which plant will be male or female).
If you can get the establish plant it will be faster. I also grow hardy kiwi, the cultivar is Issai, this type has male and female flowers on the same vine.

November 5, 2008	#1
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	kiwi berries (hardy kiwi) I don't like hairy-skin kiwi fruits -- they have an acid edge and an off-taste that I find unpleasant -- but I bought a marked-down punnet of "kiwi berries" the other day and loved them. Turns out they're in the same genus (Actinidia arguta) and look exactly the same inside, but are smaller and have smooth green skins and no acid edge -- quite sweet. Now I want to grow them! I saved seeds from the ones that were overripe, and I wonder if it'll be worth my while to grow them from seed, since all the commercial growers use cultivars. (I'll have lots of extra seed, if anyone else wants to try.) http://www.garden.org/articles/artic...?q=show&id=656 The only downsides seem to be the huge size of the vines and the high water need, and of course you'd need to grow enough vines to make sure you have at least one male. Has anyone tried growing kiwi berries from seed? Or should I just get an 'Issai' cultivar from Raintree or wherever?

November 6, 2008	#3
Tomaat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 154	It is possible to grow them from seeds but it will take years to fruit. Plus certain type need male and female plant (don't know which plant will be male or female). If you can get the establish plant it will be faster. I also grow hardy kiwi, the cultivar is Issai, this type has male and female flowers on the same vine.