The
fruit grows on a vigorous vine with large, nearly round leaves
the size of a saucer. The fruit is the size of a hen's egg and
is brown on the outside and covered with fuzz. The pulp is green
and white with black seeds. The fruit has an acid flavor reminiscent
of strawberries and watermelon. The vines are extremely cold-sensitive
when young and may be damaged or killed to the ground by early
fall freezes or late spring freezes. In midwinter, the vines are
about as cold hardy as figs, withstanding temperatures to 10 degrees
F.
The
second type of kiwifruit is cold hardy enough to be grown in New
England. Several species will grow in Georgia, including Actindia
arguta, A. kolomikta and A. polygama, but there
are few reports of heavy fruit production in Georgia. Most of
the named varieties are derived from the A. arguta species.
The fruit also grows on a vine, but these leaves are pointed and
smaller than those of commercial kiwifruit. The fruit is usually
green, smaller than commercial kiwifruit and fuzzless. Fruits
may be eaten like seedless grapes.
Like
muscadine and bunch grapes, kiwifruit produce flowers on current
season's growth that sprouts from last year's buds. Male and female
vines of commercial kiwifruit must be planted to produce fruit.
Usually one male is planted for every eight female vines. There
are a few varieties of self-fertile cold hardy kiwifruit, such
as the 'Issai' variety, but male vines are usually needed for
cold hardy kiwifruit production.
Kiwifruit
require careful attention to water management. Irrigation is a
must in growing kiwifruit to keep the vines from dying the first
year. They are the most drought sensitive fruit grown in Georgia,
but they are also one of the most sensitive to overwatering. Kiwifruit
grow best on a soil such as a sandy loam or sandy clay loam with
good internal drainage. Raised beds are suggested in areas with
marginal soil drainage at any time of the year. Adjust soil pH
to 6.0 to 6.5 before planting.
Fertilize
kiwifruit with 4 ounces of 10-10-10 in March, May and July of
the first year. Scatter the fertilizer over a circle 24 inches
in diameter around the plant. Increase this amount to 8 ounces
the second year and to 1 pound the third year if the plants are
growing well. Increase to 2 pounds per application for plants
4 or more years old if they have filled the trellis. Increase
the area of fertilizer distribution as the plant grows. Kiwifruit
need a strong trellis and require a significant amount of pruning.
They may be grown on an overhead arbor (pergola) or on a T-bar
trellis (Figure 1).
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