Anyone grown hair free kiwi fruit?

sb44

I saw these in Wilkinsons the other week and thought they were some kind off fig or something, has anyone tried growing these?



http://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/ProductDetails.asp?ProductID=2924

I think they were about £4 in Wilkinsons but they were quite small.

Money_maker

Got that plant year before last. It flowered that year but flowers never set. Didn't do much last year - think it was too wet. Perked up this spring so heres hoping for this year.
£4 is a good buy.

daska

Is it self pollinating? I thought Kiwi was one of those where you need more than one variety.

sb44

daska wrote: »

Is it self pollinating? I thought Kiwi was one of those where you need more than one variety.

Well the one on that site is self pollinating, don't know about the ones in Wilkinsons, I would guess they are all the same.

ginvzt

I went to Kiwi farm in New Zealand, and we were told that you need 1 male tree for 4 female trees... I am sure that there are self-pollinating varieties, but not all of them!

Money_maker

Most of the large kiwis need a pollinating partner. This variety is claimed to be self pollinating. Looking at the size of the fruits, I would also expect it to taste somewhat different to what we know as kiwis in supermarkets.

zoe33

Weird!! Lolol. I had no idea you could get them hair free. The ones in the pic look like gooseberries!!!

Where can I buy the hairless variety from then?! Sounds goooood...!
x

Lotus-eater

I panted the Arguta from DT Browns at the beginning of this year, it's just beginning to shoot now.
This looks like it's the same one.

Everyone says it is self pollinating.

Monymaker, how big did yours grow last year? That was its first year presumably?

£4 sounds very cheap btw, I think I paid £17 from Dt Browns.

sb44

Lotus-eater wrote: »

£4 sounds very cheap btw, I think I paid £17 from Dt Browns.

There weren't very big.

I am popping into Wilkinsons this morning so I shall see if they say anything about them being self pollinating on the box, if they do I a may buy one.

I would think the one that you paid £17 for was a decent size in a pot, the ones in Wilkinsons aren't in a pot, just in one of those cardboard sleeves. I think they are only a few inches tall.

Will let you now later when I get back.

sb44

sb44 wrote: »

There weren't very big.

I am popping into Wilkinsons this morning so I shall see if they say anything about them being self pollinating on the box, if they do I a may buy one.

I would think the one that you paid £17 for was a decent size in a pot, the ones in Wilkinsons aren't in a pot, just in one of those cardboard sleeves. I think they are only a few inches tall.

Will let you now later when I get back.

Ok, the ones in the cardboard sleeve are the hairy kiwis and they were £4.

I bought one that wasn't in a sleeve for the same price which looks like it has gone mad!

I couldn't see anything on the label about polination but decided to buy one.

Just put it in a bucket of water before I plant it and noticed that at the bottom of the tag it says ' female '.

Haven't got a clue about male and female plants etc, does this mean I have to buy another one?

Lotus-eater

sb44, I don't know enough about kiwi fruit to answer you. It might be a female and need a male.
That's the problem with buying fruit from wilkinsons et al, you never know what you are really getting and there is no one to ask.