Kiwi fruit

[Froglegs]

Morrison are selling Kiwi plants a variety called Solo.....any thoughts....

[Froglegs]

[galina]

Morrison are selling Kiwi plants a variety called Solo.....any thoughts....

Don't know the variety, but usually you need to buy a male and a separate female plant with kiwis.  There are a few varieties that don't need separate plants to produce and the name 'Solo' would suggest, this is one of them and does not need a partner.

[goodlife]

I don't want to throw 'wet towel' in....but I'm yet to hear anybody who has successfully grown 'normal' (large type) kiwis.
I had male and couple of female plants growing several years..and although the plants did grow..they never really produce anything or frosts got the new growth and slowed the growth process down back to 'square one' again...
Couple of years ago I finally got enough...dug the kiwis up and got other species on the family....kiwi berries...more and less same taste but in tiny 'packages'...and the plants are much hardier too. They haven't produced anything yet, being still 'young', but already they are looking much more promising than their bigger cousins ever was.

[BarriedaleNick]

I recall OllieC having some success!!

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,56615.msg576992.html#msg576992

[goodlife]

Wow....I'm glad you corrected me..though ACE's and Ollie's kiwis are in much warmer region.
I'll have a good rummage through that post now..

[OllieC]

You rang?! 

Evening all, that thread takes me back  Well, we were much warmer back then - I haven't tried any since we moved up here to the Highlands. Certainly well worth it darn sarf.

FWIW I also had a self fertile one called Jenny on the plot & it was nowhere near as vigorous and never fruited in the few years we had it.

[goodlife]

 ...eye....

Have you got any kiwi's growing in 'tundra' area now... ?
Sucking frozen kiwi lollies...?

[squeezyjohn]

I've seen the proof that kiwis can succeed when visiting Glemham hall in Suffolk ... they have the whole south facing wall covered n them up to the second floor and they seemed absolutely healthy and established.  I was told that they were very old plants and they were producing masses of fruit.

Now I planted one in a similar position ... and it died within the year ... but that happens for me with quite a few things.

[winecap]

My friend has one on his allotment, and each year he threatens to dig it up because it produces no fruit. It finally set a few fruit last year, but they fell off before they were any size. I think I heard they wont fruit til at least 7 years old, but not sure where I heard it, or maybe just imagined that.

[artichoke]

Oh dear - I planted two Jenny kiwis last year, one on my plot to scramble though a hedge, and one on my daughter's Greenwich plot to scramble along a railway fence. Has anyone had any success with Jenny?

Greenwich plant looks lovely and healthy; mine accidentally got a dose of roundup last year but appears to be growing through that rather slowly but successfully.....

[Plot69]

I've just planted a Kiwi called Solo in my 35 foot tunnel. It is supposed to be self fertile. It's my first year with it though so if I get any fruit or not only time will tell.

[Jayb]

You rang?! 

Evening all, that thread takes me back  Well, we were much warmer back then - I haven't tried any since we moved up here to the Highlands. Certainly well worth it darn sarf.

FWIW I also had a self fertile one called Jenny on the plot & it was nowhere near as vigorous and never fruited in the few years we had it.

Shame Jenny doesn't sound more promising. I moved mine last year, so not expecting anything for a while. It does look to be alive though

I've also got a baby size Kiwi, I think Issai. Fruit tastes good although the vine is still quite young, no idea if they store as not had a glut!