Vincent Female Kiwi Vine

Growing Fuzzy Kiwis in Cold Climates

The arguta types are hardy to zone 4 so if you are in a very cold climate those are much easier to grow, however if you want the full sized fruit of a Fuzzy Kiwi you can grow them into zone 5. This species is easily grown in medium to large containers and because of its low chill hour requirements it will still produce fruit if you bring the plants into your garage in the winter. When growing Kiwis in containers we recommend using a fabric pot (ideally 10-15 gallons) rather than plastic as this increases the soil aeration significantly, and use a shredded bark for your potting soil instead of a peat or compost based mix. Apply a slow release fertilizer like Osmocote in the spring, but only use at half the recommended dose as Kiwis don't like high nitrogen soils. Keep the plant in a sunny area where it stays warm into the fall, like against the south side of a building, to help the fruit ripen by fall. Leave the plant outdoors through the fall while it will get a few frosts so the plant can go dormant naturally, but bring the plant inside before it is supposed to get below 20 degrees. Keep the plant inside a cool, dry location like a garage and check it occasionally to see if it needs water. Bring the plant out in the spring after the danger of frost has passed.