| How do I plant and cultivate, fertilize etc., kiwis in coastal British Columbia? |
| Fuzzy Kiwis (Actinida deliciosa) will grow as far north as Vancouver Island in British Columbia, if given a warm site, protected from winds. The south or west side of a building is ideal. Kiwis tolerate any kind of soil, as long as it drains well, and require full sunshine and ample moisture during periods of growth. They cannot support their own weight, so you'll need to provide a trellis or other strong support systems for the vines. Kiwis require special training and pruning to produce good crops. Prune the vines back to 4 or 5 buds annually to promote new flowering shoots. You'll need both a male kiwi and a female kiwi to produce fruit. Fruit ripens in October and is usually picked after the first frost while they're still hard, and then refrigerated, where they will keep for months. Kiwis are vigorously growing vines and do not need fertilizing. They're also relatively disease and pest free. |
