Topic: kiwi fruit

[ACE]

I have a long trellis that has white jasmine, clematis and a kiwi vine growing through it. I had to give it a very serious trim today and found loads of kiwi fruits hiding in the thick of it.

I have picked all the fruits and they are still a bit on the hard side, so I put them in a couple of apple crates with some bananas to see if they will ripen off.

Has anybody else grown these fruits and have they tried ripening them with any success.

[cambourne7]

all i have heard is that its very difficult to get them to fruit in the country so kudos!

[Merry Tiller]

I dug my Kiwi plant up this autumn, all I ever got was a load of small hard fruit that never ripened :'(

[saddad]

I keep toying with the idea of planting one... so perhaps not!
 ???

[ACE]

I don't think it is a good idea to plant one for the fruit. I grow mine for its beautiful scented flowers and as a good screen on a trellis. The fruit this year is a bonus.

[cornykev]

I have passion fruit growing in my garden, I'm not really into flowers but the white and purple flowers are very striking but can you eat the fruit it looks very edible but I was told the garden growers are poisnious, not kiwi sorry I was just curious.   :D :D :D :D ;D ;D :P

[ACE]

do not eat, they are horrible. Made the same mistake myself years ago.

[cornykev]

Cheers  Ace.   ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[ACE]

Just to let you know, the banana trick has worked, checked them this morning and at least 70% are ready to eat. Too many to get through, so next time it will be a few at a time as I understand they will keep unripe for quite a few months.

Never mind they will not be wasted, I shall be making smoothies for brekkie and some will be starting of the rumtopf pot for next xmas.

[Hyacinth]

Good Lord! An unexpected bonus of a very hot summer, eh? Nice one ACE 8)

[manicscousers]

I've got great hopes for our kiwi fruit, grown from seed last year, like triffids in the poly now, supposed to be banana flavoured so will see this year  :D

[blight]

@ace,
I´ve been growing kiwi for the last ten years or so (southern germany).variety is called "hayward".
I pick mine as late as possible- before the first frosts though. I store them in the cellar, cool but frrostfree. they keep till april. If you want to speed up ripening, take some and store together with apples at room temperature.
they benefit from a prolonged warm and sunny autumn.

[Amazin]

cornykev,

The passion fruit you're growing sounds like passiflora caerulea. The fruits are definitely edible - but they're just so insipid and tasteless that they're worth more as an ornamental feature - the seeds, however, are really crunchy - and won't break your fillings like other seeds can!