Growing hardy kiwi

vine fruit

Pollination

Dioecious - you need one male vine for every six to eight female (fruiting) vines. 'Issai' is a partly self-fertile exception with smaller crops.

Growing it

Zones 4-8. A vigorous vine needing a strong arbor and yearly hard pruning. Fruit is grape-sized and smooth-skinned.

Will you get enough chill?

Hardy Kiwi needs roughly 400–800 hours between 32 and 45 °F over winter to break dormancy evenly. Check your area with the chill hours calculator. Low-chill breeding has pushed many varieties well below the figure here, so read the plant tag.

Chill and pollination are given at the fruit-type level; specific cultivars can differ. Values are typical ranges for home-garden planning.