If your “Issai” hardy kiwi’s over three years in it lasted longer than mine… I’ve fuzzy kiwi (and can’t recommend them enough!), as well as some ‘newer’ “Anna” Hardy’s. Pruning was a puzzle and an adventure! I began tending them like my arbored grapes; leading and relying on their newest growth for next seasons crop. As they filled out their trellis I noticed they also produced fruit from yearly flowering spurs; very much like apples! Totally confused by conflicting information from books, nursery catalogs and fellow HOS members… I winged it!

I’d describe both hardy and fuzzy kiwi as fruiting from both ‘spurs’ and last seasons growth. But they need heavy yearly thinning and training … which brings me to your 'mat'… If I knew you were digging them out, I might not bother, but since I’m often talked into sorting out messes like that for neighbors and friends – I’ll give it a shot ~

First; you need to finish that Arbor! Next; If you follow the vine up from the base, untangling, then laying and securing it across the arbor, you’ll eventually run out of arbor. You'll also want to establish side shoots or branches, if only to fill out the arbor. Just do the same with them; once you’ve established the main trunk, lay its side-shoots across and secure them. I use a loose tie of green plastic floral ‘tape.’

I actually took on just such a project for a friend last spring. After pruning his city-lot fruit-menagerie (he planted the right stuff, just rarely follows up), I easily spent equal time de-constructing his kiwi vines. Like grapes, you have to give serious thought to each cut or you're likely to sever something important! Take your time; the vines lay over nicely, so you can untangle them on the ground (if they aren't already). Remove most (if not all) of the one-year ‘water shoots.’ Trim back spindly and tangled ends; don’t waste your time attempting to unwrap shoots that have wrapped themselves tightly to another shoots or objects – they’ll never ‘straighten out’ our bulk up. Eventually - what’s left begins to look like it should!

And yes – starting kiwi from cuttings work great! So well, I’m surprised nurseries continue to sell them, or grapes… So if you’d like to bring some to the Exchange, please do! And funny, as I was peeling and enjoying several of my home-grown fuzzy kiwi yesterday, I considered writing up some sort of encouraging testimonial (if I haven’t already?) around here… And if you ever have serious problems with the “Issai’s” (as I did), don’t think it was your fault. Actually, allowing them to sprawl (while feeding, mulching and watering them) they likely have prospered, whre my highly restricted Issai’s died off? …If yours ever do the same (Issai are not that “hardy”) – convert your trellis to Fuzzy’s; though you’ll need two for pollination, and they’re slightly more vigorous - if only ‘bigger boned’ - I think you’d be glad you did. The only tricky thing about kiwis is their pruning and training, once you’ve figured that out - they’re constant producers. I wouldn’t be without them!

As for the Vine maple, I’d move it. If it’s a native, just bury it deep; they’ll root from wherever they touch soil. Even in the woods, I cut them less and less - they’re beautiful Oregon natives.