Kiwi Growing Guide
Kiwi is a great next step in your growing journey. Follow this guide from planting to harvest and you'll do great.
At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Vine Fruit
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -10°C
Plant Family
Actinidiaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
Also grows well as
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
The reliable route: one male plus one or more female vines on a sturdy pergola or wires. Only the females fruit.
A big, vigorous, long-lived vine. KEY: most kiwis are dioecious — you need a MALE and a FEMALE vine (one male pollinates up to 6 females) to get fruit; only the female fruits. Self-fertile varieties (e.g. 'Jenny') exist if you have room for just one. Hardy kiwi (smooth, grape-sized) is far tougher than the fuzzy supermarket type. Needs a strong support.
When To Start
First Chance to Plant
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Last Chance to Plant
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When should you plant Kiwi?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Kiwi Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
The Journey Ahead
Kiwi's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
300 cm
Plant Spacing
400 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
Yes – a strong pergola, arbour or post-and-wire system is essential.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Give kiwi a big, strong support — these vines are heavy and vigorous.
- 2Prune in winter and again in summer to keep them in bounds and fruitful.
- 3They need plenty of water in summer and shelter from late frosts, which can kill the spring growth.
- 4Patience pays: first fruit takes 3–4 years.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
400 cm
Mature Height
500 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
21 days
When to Pick
Pick firm in mid–late autumn before hard frost, then ripen indoors like a pear
How to Harvest
- 1Kiwis are picked firm and unripe in autumn (before a hard frost) once the seeds inside turn black — cut a test fruit to check.
- 2Then ripen them indoors over days to weeks (a banana nearby speeds it up).
- 3They store firm for months in the cold.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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