In Portland: Plant hardy kiwi vines Mar 15 – May 3. In Bend: May 12 – Jun 30. Find your city below.
Difficulty
Moderate
Sun
Full sun to light shade
Spacing
10 to 15 feet apart
Planting depth
Same depth as in the pot
Frost
Hardy perennial; comes back every year
First harvest
First fruit in three to five years
Grape-sized, fuzzless kiwis you eat skin and all. Most varieties need a male plant for up to eight females, and the vines need a sturdy arbor. Late spring frosts kill new shoots, so avoid frost pockets.
Pick a sunny spot with soil that drains well, and mix in an inch or two of compost.
Plant hardy kiwi vines on your city's dates, 10 to 15 feet apart. Same depth as in the pot.
Plant one male for up to eight females unless you grow Issai. Build a strong arbor or T-bar trellis. Prune hard in winter and again lightly in summer to tame the vines.
Harvest: Pick in September when a few fruits soften on the vine, then ripen the firm ones at room temperature or store them in the fridge for weeks.
Key numbers
3–5Years to fruit
1 per up to 8 femalesMales needed
SeptemberHarvest
Late spring frostBiggest risk
Growing notes
What makes the difference in Northwest gardens, in plain language.
Males, females and Issai
Hardy kiwi plants are either male or female. Only females bear fruit, but they need pollen from a male that blooms at the same time, so plant one male, such as Meader, for up to eight females like Ananasnaya or Ken's Red. Nurseries label plants by sex because you can't tell them apart until they flower.
Issai is self-fertile, so a single vine can fruit on its own. It's smaller and less vigorous than other hardy kiwis, which suits small gardens, but it's also a bit less cold-hardy.
A strong support and regular pruning
Hardy kiwis are enormous, vigorous vines that can grow 20 feet in a season. They need a sturdy arbor, pergola or T-bar trellis built before planting; a light trellis will collapse under a mature vine.
Fruit grows on new shoots that sprout from last year's wood. In winter, cut back the previous summer's growth and remove tangled, old or weak canes. Then in summer, trim long, whippy shoots that aren't bearing fruit to keep the vine manageable. Young vines can be attractive to cats, so a wire cage around the base the first year helps.
Frost, harvest and storage
The dormant vines are very cold-hardy, but tender new shoots and flower buds are killed by late spring frost. Avoid low spots where cold air settles, and cover young vines on frosty spring nights. A vine that loses its first flush of shoots usually regrows but won't fruit much that year.
Pick in September when a few fruits soften on the vine. The firm ones ripen at room temperature in a few days or keep for weeks in the refrigerator, so you can ripen small batches as you go.
Common questions about growing hardy kiwi
Do you need a male and female hardy kiwi?
Yes, for most varieties. Plant one male for up to eight females. Issai is the exception: it's self-fertile and fruits on its own.
Can you eat hardy kiwi skin?
Yes. Hardy kiwis are grape-sized and fuzzless, with smooth, thin skin you eat along with the fruit. They taste like a sweet, intense version of a grocery-store kiwi.
Why isn't my hardy kiwi fruiting?
Young vines often take three to five years to start. Other common causes are a missing male plant, a late frost that killed the flower buds, or a male plant that blooms at a different time from the females.
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