Actinidia deliciosa 'JENNY'

Jenny is another self-fertile variety of kiwi. This means that it does not need a male and a female plant to produce fruit. Apart from tasty fruit it is a nice plant, too, with deep green leaves and scented flowers in June.

It is a vine that bears hairy, brown fruit of the same taste and shape like kiwi, some 5-7cm long. They ripen in October. It needs good timing if you want the fruit for storing. Once it starts changing colour to brown pick it up and store it in the fridge for many weeks. Leaving it at room temperature will provide earlier ripening and fruit has to be eaten immediately after it has turned soft. This variety fruits two years from planting.

Pruning is necessary for reliable crop. Only two-year old canes bear fruit. Leave freshly planted kiwi for 2 years and then start trimming it to maximize number of 2-year old branches. Remove all canes older than 3 years to keep the plant young. Any pruning is best done in late winter or late summer to prevent from bleeding sap. Kiwi needs a sunny and warm site with semi-fertile, acidic, fresh soil. Do not over-fertilize: such plants flower very reluctantly. This is hardy to -24°C (USDA zone 6).

Last update 16-02-2008.