Hardy kiwi can be allowed to "vine ripen," at which time they will have about 18 to 25 percent sugar. Male Summer Pruning. Remove tangles and again restrict the vine to its allocated space. There are three types of kiwifruit, Strik explained, the most common being the fuzzy kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) available at the grocery store, usually the cultivar called ‘Hayward.’ Joining the lineup are hardy kiwifruit ( A. arguta ); and kolomikta kiwifruit ( … Select one branch, the largest and most vigorous one, to become the main trunk and structural branch. Pruning cuts in dormant season of year 2 also are shown by; Harvest and Postharvest Care. Cultivation. Kiwi gets its common name from its resemblance to the kiwi bird of New Zealand, the location where the fruit was first widely grown for commercial production. Prune canes to maintain a manageable length. Train against a wall or through a tree in a sheltered area in full sun. Proper pruning of newly planted kiwi vines, along with ongoing annual pruning for both male and female plants, helps increase fruit production while improving the health and shape of the plant. Cut off half the new growth of each branch every few weeks to train the hardy kiwi plant to grow more as a bush than a vine. The right time to prune your kiwi plant is after the harvest, anytime from December to February while avoiding frost spells. Suggested uses. Pruning kiwi plays an important part in fruit formation for your actinidia. Kiwis are best grown as an espalier. Prune only when vines are dormant; pruning after buds begin to swell in spring can cause excessive sap flow which can weaken the vine. Wallside and trellises. Cut the vines that form the lateral arms back to about 7 feet each winter. Soil type Once the male plant has flowered and the fruit has set on the female, cut the male canes back to remove the flowered wood. This will depend on the structure you have built. Remove 3-year-old fruiting canes at the end of harvest to make way for new canes that will grow next season. 1. Growing Actinidia deliciosa in your home garden is not difficult but requires careful training and pruning to ensure robust vines and plentiful fruit. Pruning kiwi, timing and method. Will only bear fruit in a sheltered site or in a cool greenhouse. Prune vines about four times during the growing season. Actinidia deliciosa 'Hayward' (Kiwi fruit 'Hayward' ) will reach a height of 10m and a spread of 5m after 5-10 years. Mature kiwi vines are very much like a mature grape vine. Don't lose heart, though, because they can be pruned back into a usable shape and will produce delicious fruit within one or two growing seasons. They grow voraciously each year and can become a huge mass of woody vines if not pruned consistently. Hardy kiwi grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8, while kiwifruit grows in USDA zones 8 and 9. A single mature hardy kiwi plant will can yield between 50 and 100 pounds of fruit, though 50 pounds is closer to the average. Pruning and training. First establish a training system against a wall or fence; our web profile about espaliers gives more details of a suitable framework.. Alternatively, kiwi fruit can be trained over a pergola, allowing laterals to develop once the … Maintenance Pruning Kiwifruit. Shoot growth, year 2.