Kiwi Issai

[Hector]

I see some of you grow this successfully...are you growing it against a wall/sheltered? We are in N Wales in a windy area...south west facing

[Hector]

[Baccy Man]

I have grown them both in windy & sheltered locations around Machynlleth it makes no real difference, once they are established they seem happy to produce fruit anywhere.
Normal kiwis on the other hand need to be grown in sheltered locations around here if you want fruit.

If you take a look at http://www.agroforestry.co.uk they have several other varieties of hardy kiwi available too (most would require a male plant to pollinate them) or I think I have seed for a few varieties if you want some.
Make sure you have plenty of space for them they grow fast & need regular hacking back to keep them in check. After some idiot sprayed weedkiller over my plot the year before last killing mine someone here was kind enough to send me a few cuttings which I overwintered & planted out last spring, they grew from around 6" to 7'+ in a single year.

[Hector]

I overwintered & planted out last spring, they grew from around 6" to 7'+ in a single year.

My goodness, that's a tremendous growth rate! How many seasons before they bore fruit?  I have a bare shed wall, South West facing one could grow against. It's quite sheltered.
That's a great site link. I will look to getting one of that variety....see it crops better if a polinator available...sorry to be ignorant but does that mean two of same variety or one of another, like Dumbarton???

I like the sound of quite a few plants on there, and we need some soft fruit plants and a Damson oo. Did you see this
Decaisnea fargesii...intriguing...then you read this guys taste test :)
http://www.npr.org/programs/talkingplants/profiles/decaisnea.html

[Baccy Man]

I think my original plants were 3 or 4 years old before they first produced any fruit.

As far as pollinators go Issai is self fertile but does produce higher yields if there is more than one plant or if there is a male plant available, it doesn't have to be a male hardy kiwi any male actinidia will pollinate any female wether it is a normal kiwi or a hardy one.
Specifically with the plants agroforestry sell 'Actinidia arguta Meader' & 'Actinidia arguta 74-32' are both male hardy kiwis 'Actinidia deliciosa Atlas' is a male normal kiwi any of those 3 will pollinate any of the female kiwis they sell as long as they flower at the same time.
The male plants do not produce any fruit they just grow massive & produce flowers which pollinate the flowers on any nearby female kiwis. Any varieties marked as self fertile shouldn't need a male plant to pollinate them but will often produce more fruit if there is a male plant around.

[Vinlander]

I have Issai self fertile and Jenny self fertile - they are different species though - will they cross and produce better crops than each would alone?

They are both in my greenhouse bulking up at the moment but it would be nice to know my chances...

Cheers.

[Baccy Man]

If I recall correctly then Issai is almost finished flowering by the time Jenny flowers there would be some cross pollination but not as much as if there was a male plant flowering at the same time as the others.