Ardis (your first name? – I like it), Viron here;

“When is the best time to prune them??” --- I’d say about 2 weeks ago … but it’s not too late.

“Is this normal?” --- Yes. They will “bleed” once their sap’s begun to rise. I don’t know how much that weakens the plant? It eventually “coagulates” or jells, then seals & heals. Like grapes, deep dormant pruning is best.

I’ve Fuzzy’s, a bit older than yours; do you get fruit? I love my Fuzzy Kiwi’s! I’d never consider moving them though… Have you considered ‘aiming’ or training them in another direction? They’re basically a vine, ‘just’ (the hard part) build them a support trellis aimed away form the cherry tree and attach them to it.

For all I get from my Kiwi’s - and what little I’ve gotten from various cherry trees … if one had to go, for me, it would be the cherry tree…

You must keep kiwi’s in check. Given what they want, rich soil, thick mulch and plenty of summer water - they’ll go wild! My Kiwi live in my richest soil; next to a Glenora grape trellis and a Desert King fig – you should see the aftermath of those battles! Both grape and kiwi will put out 15 foot ‘shoots’ in a year, wrapping up with each other and climbing high into that fig tree. The good thing: you rarely have a use for those vigorous shoots, unless reestablishing or filling an arbor; so simply snip (with big loppers) them off at their base.

I’ll watch for how this sounds to you before blathering on… but I’d fear for the survival and loss of production if moving my female fuzzy, she’s the Queen!

Ardis, A trunk “9 or 10 inches in diameter”? That’s magnificent! …Most people I know are ‘just starting out’ - only dreaming of such a well established ‘vine.’ Again, I’d sure try to ‘guide it,’ as opposed to move it. They do need full sun though… that may be part of your ripening problem?

Now, if you moved the plant ... wouldn’t you still need to build a trellis..? I ‘gave away’ (dug up) a well established grape years ago; actually donated it to the HOS Exchange so I don’t know who got it, but it was easly the largest / longest plant drug through the doors that year! I captured plenty of root and severly pruned the top, but can only wonder how it did? Too late a variety, it wouldn’t ripen for me – but grew like crazy!

Fuzzy's can set very heavy; I thin mine most years, the last being a rare exception. If you thinned them they might ripen a bit sooner. Also, I purposely grow “Saanichton” Fuzzy’s; they’re grow up into British Columbia, Canada, and ripen earlier than the typical “Hayward’s” you’ll find in most grocery stores.

“I heard that if the seed turn black you can pick them and rippen them in a brown paper bag.....is this correct???” --- there’s no way you could stomach my Fuzzy Kiwi’s straight off the vine as I harvest them in late November. I’m at 350 feet, nestled among the eastern foothills of the (Oregon) Coast Range, where mountain air drainage on summer nights leaves me about 3 weeks behind family & friends in Portland… So I’m definitely pushing the boundaries of ripening with Fuzzy Kiwi. I just set the boxes in an unheated basement/garage, eventually working a box or two into a spare refrigerator. It works perfect, as my persimmon's are consumed, we’ll bring the non-refrigerated Kiwi’s into the kitchen and they’ll ripen up and eventually the same with the refrigerated ones…

There are various methods of hastening ripening, a past friend bought a special plastic doomed device for locking in their gasses at room temperature. But we’re usually trying to finish up other fruit, so having something that keeps so well on its own works wonderfully!

Hey, lumber prices should be inching down… Do your major cuts on the Kiwi ASAP and let it lay until you build (not plant!) something to hang it on. I occasionally admire (after I prune down to it) the elaborate cantilevered trellis, with 4 X 6 pressure treated posts and heavy galvanized wires, I built for my two Fuzzy kiwi … wondering if I’d make that same effort again... but that initial effort was well worth it!