I've recently acquired some large cuttings from an "Anna" variety of hardy kiwi, and a male hardy kiwi as well.
According to the OSU extension service:
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalo ... submit.y=0
there are two basic styles of trellis construction: pergola and trellis. I'm interested in doing a trellis. The OSU publication seems to be commercially oriented -- and indeed, the trellis design seems pretty similar to what I've seen in a commercial orchard.
Basically, it is a post sticking 6 feet above the ground, with a cross-post 5-6' wide, and wires between the two posts.
Questions:
1) The article does not distinguish between hardy kiwi trellises and fuzzy kiwi trellises. How long does this trellis need to be? I'll need, I guess, one end to have a male and one a female. Probably start the male 1/3 of the way in, and the female 2/3 of the way in?
2) Do you think instead of using wires I could use copper or steel piping?
3) How long do the fruiting laterals get? How far away from other trees and things do I need? The fuzzy kiwi vines I've seen at the arboretum are so vigorous I call them muscle vines. They look like they can reach out and snap trees in half. I imagine the hardy kiwis are less vigorous, but I'm not sure what to expect.
4) Anybody have any pictures of their trellises they would care to share?
5) Anything you would do differently if you were building your trellis again?
Thank you!
Hardy and fuzzy are two different animals. You want a giant beefy one for your fuzzy. Many people have told me that trellis.1, .2 and .3 all broke and they had to keep making them stronger. The other one you mentioned should work for the hardy. Remember, you can have 3, 4,5 or 6 females for one male. Don't tell my wife. She'll get angry. 
John S
PDX OR
1) Trellis length depends on how many kiwi's you're planting and the spacing, I planted several different types of hardy kiwi's last year and think I ended up putting them about 13' apart - though that was partly determined by where they went; along near our road frontage and interrupted by our walkway going out to mailbox! I'm planning on building a T shaped trellis, doubling as an occasional horse fence (2 x 1hp lawnmowers, but you have to keep them from wandering out onto the road!); and will probably do an arch over the walk so I can just train the vines over it. Have 2 vines on one side of the walk, 4 on the other side....but no trellis yet; kiwi's are still small and have way too many larger projects to get done first! Think one vine will end up being on and end of the trellis, so I'll just train it toward the center.
2) You probably could, but why? Lots heavier, also more expensive and harder to work with; much easier to just get some 9G galvanized wire and use that - I used a bunch of it recently tensioning wire fence corner braces, and it's pretty easy to work with. Was planning on calling the person that's been advertising on the Salem Craigslist, had thousands of feet of several year old wire (photo of 5' tall pile of rolls of wire!) that had been used in a berry field.
3) I've only seen the old hardy kiwi's at One Green World, pretty gnarly since they only prune for cuttings; but they didn't seem in danger of reaching out and grabbing anything near the trellis! Don't think they are as vigorous as the fuzzies.
4) Might try stopping past One Green World and checking out their trellis, think it's pretty much what OSU described - simple T-bar with several wires between the T's, I was going to add some lower wires to help keep horses in:)
Good luck!
Dave
…let me take a stab
1) I like your 1/3 – 2/3 plan. Do note: a male Fuzzy kiwi can pollinate both Fuzzy and Hardy females… so if you ever plan to get a Fuzzy female, you may want only one male… The male Fuzzy did an amazing job with my Hardy girls last year, but I’m not sure if a male Hardy will do the trick with a Fuzzy female – any experience out there?
I’ve got two, 4 & 2 years-in Hardy kiwi with a 4 foot by 12 foot trellis exposure. They’d love twice that… Both Hardy and Fuzzy kiwi remind me of the description of one grape plant (in time) covering an entire acre! I suspect much depends on just how many little kiwi you want?
2) I use a combination of wood and wire; the rigidly of the wood keep the wires from pulling the posts toward each other due to wire tension. All is pressure treated, and though wood will ‘bend’ we've reached a compromise. ¾ inch galvanized steel pipe would likely be rigid enough… wouldn’t need wires or wood… Just balance it well on a “T†post.
3) The Hardy’s are tame in comparison to the Fuzzy’s, without looking, I’ll guess I’ve got Hardy laterals 5 foot long; with Fuzzy’s nearly twice that. Yours is a very good question on spacing from other plants; I’ve got a real battle going between some Glenora grapes, a Desert King Fig and my kiwi! I think 8 foot between the kiwi and anything else would be fine, that grape is an aggressor, too!
4) Try this: 
With four, 4X6 PT posts with cantilevered extensions set a couple feet beyond them, it’s a ‘custom frame’ of my own making. And note, this was several years ago, I notice my Hardy's were just started at the posts up front.
5) As mentioned, I’d give more room for the Hardy Kiwi; though my plan ‘is’ working: to prune between my male & female Fuzzy kiwis leaving enough surface area on the trellis for a decent amount of Hardy kiwi production. …and as I had more Hardies than I could eat last fall… maybe I should leave well enough alone 
Thank you all for your responses, especially Viron for posting your photo and the details on spacing.
I saw on the Burnt Ridge or Raintree site that you can often plant the male closer to the end and prune it more vigorously. So maybe my 1/3 2/3 spacing is giving too much to the male.
This seems really simple, but how did you all learn how to stretch the wires and keep them tense? Part of the reason I am thinking of going with the pipe is that it seems like less work: you just have to drill a hole at both ends, and you never have to worry about tightening the wire.
[quote="jadeforrest":3jfm1u7y]This seems really simple, but how did you all learn how to stretch the wires and keep them tense? Part of the reason I am thinking of going with the pipe is that it seems like less work: you just have to drill a hole at both ends, and you never have to worry about tightening the wire.[/quote:3jfm1u7y]
I ran 3 wires then ‘wood’ on edge; as mentioned, the wood was to help keep the sides from bowing in. The wire tensioners were tricky; they are cone-shaped wire locks placed on the outside of 2X6 side boards, I actually drilled a matching shape into the wood to accept the devices. They are from a local vineyard supply, with 3 sizes for different gauge wire. I secured them on the outside edge of the opposite 2X6 side board, drilled them through the center of that board – across the trellis span – and out through the self-locking devices, only needing to tension them on one side due to their one-way internal lock.
I like the pipe idea, for the reasons you mention. They may sag some, and would be quite heavy. If I went with pipe I'd plant four posts, for more stability. The frame would definitely support the weight and fruit load of Hardy kiwi vines... it's the weight of the pipe I'd be concerned with. They'd also have to be perfectly balanced with "T" posts. I've got those, too, and with a lopsided pile of unpruned grapes, let alone last years massive snow load, 'through-bolts' have been twisted and the T's are tipping!
The hevy duty versions posted here are great information. I have the idea of using a table grape trellis system that has insted of a "T" shape has a "Y" shape. I'm hoping the "Y" shap will alow the fruit to hang down the way the grapes do. OVS has the demention details now and are going to be carring these assemblies. Like kiwi table grapes are extreamly heavy and the trellis has 4 wires over head and I would add a training wire below as well.
I'm in the process of building this trellis now so I'll post the success or failure here.
Randy Williamson
I recently rediscovered Burnt Ridge's kiwi article. It gives very a very precise description of what to do for an arbor, including placement of the male and female. What I found interesting is that they recommend giving the male kiwi only 5 feet of space, and the female kiwi 15 feet of space, even though the male kiwi is more vigorous. I assume that means you just hack back at the male more frequently. Here's the article:
http://www.burntridgenursery.com/plantA ... /index.asp
[quote="jadeforrest":1k8u2rb3] What I found interesting is that they recommend giving the male kiwi only 5 feet of space, and the female kiwi 15 feet of space, even though the male kiwi is more vigorous. I assume that means you just hack back at the male more frequently. [/quote:1k8u2rb3]
I’m sure that’s what they mean, but I’m not so mean to mine… He’s vigorous, and to limit him to only 5 feet seems a gamble. I allow mine about a third as much trellis space as the female, giving both a 15 foot run along side each other …they appear to like that. I just neck-down the males space to several main tendrils or cordons, where the female is allowed 3 times as many.
To ‘chop back’ the male to that, or 'their extent,' leaves a marginal energy gathering surface, to me... My fuzzy male puts out several 10 foot tendrils a season and appears to need about ‘that’ to feed himself. He’s too important to the harem to chance losing for an extra few square feet of production.
Here’s Burt Ridge’s actual kiwi link: http://www.burntridgenursery.com/plantA ... gguide.pdf
I love their trellis plan; you really need the stability of at least four posts. But I also re-read the same confusing Info I’ve seen regarding kiwi fruiting… describing them as fruiting on last year’s growth … after describing them developing ‘fruit spurs.’ They do both – but you need to keep that in mind when pruning. As tricky as they are to establish – wait till the pruning begins 
They were first described to me ‘like grapes,’ only fruiting on last year’s growth and needing total yearly renewal. But unlike grapes - they also form fruit spurs! I’ve watched production from the same kiwi fruit spurs for up to four years; if you tried to ‘renew’ that wood every year you’d lose vine structure and the additional crop. I tie over one or two ‘new’ runners and remove around the same volume of 'old growth' every year. And get on their pruning fast or they’ll bleed to death.
There needs to be more clarity on Fuzzy (if not Hardy) kiwi culture, but as they’re still fairly unusual around here, there appears little all-inclusive information on them, though this was as good as I’ve seen – just contradictory.
[quote="jadeforrest":56ozjtk3]Would it be crazy to grow the male hardy kiwi up a closeby Doug Fir? Then the trellis could be dedicated to the female?[/quote:56ozjtk3]
Probably 
But that’s what we do – crazy stuff with fruit! …let’s see… there’d be some competition for root space, watering the Kiwi as needed would draw the fir roots into the zone. There’d be lots of acid forming needles… Not to mention the lack of full sunlight.
A male fuzzy could consume a small fir! I suspect ‘in the wild’ kiwi just twine their way to the top of whatever’s in their way. Grapes will do the same… Even with a Hardy, I don’t think it would be a good long-term solution.
I was out pruning mine today …as much as I love pruning fruit trees… Fuzzy kiwi are a real challenge. They’re so prolific! …and now I’ve got those little hardy vines intertwining and competing – I need more room, too!
Idyllwild
jafar
Marsha H
Viron
John S
1 Guest(s)