Varieties of Kiwi for Growing in Oklahoma

Know Your Frost-Free Days

• To be successful with kiwifruit in Oklahoma, choose varieties that don’t require long growing seasons. The growing season in Oklahoma depends on where in the state you live. Gardeners in the panhandle area have a substantially shorter season than those in the southern part of the state -- 170 days in the western panhandle, increasing to 180 days eastward. Southern Oklahoma growers -- such as those in Bryan, Atoka and Cole counties and as far north as Mayes and Rogers counties -- can typically count on from 210 to 230 frost-free days. In the central and western part of the state, gardeners have a 200- to 210-day season. Kiwifruit starts ripening in August and harvest begins in September, lasting until the first freeze.

Select Hardy Varieties

• If you have your heart set on growing kiwifruit with a flavor similar to that of the grocery store variety, consider Actinidia chinensis, a close relative. An almost hairless species, this Chinese native kiwifruit produces a sweeter kiwi than the subtropical variety available commercially. It is well suited to growing in southern Oklahoma, according to the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. The hardy kiwi (Actinidia arguta) will also do well in Oklahoma, especially in the colder regions. It is completely smooth and substantially smaller than other kiwifruit. The arctic kiwi (Actinidia kolomikta) is another species recommended, and it tolerates temperatures to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Get Them off to a Good Start

• Kiwifruit is planted in Oklahoma in late winter or early spring. Most kiwi varieties require at least a half day of sun and will thrive with more. The exception is “Arctic Beauty” (Actinidia kolomikta “Arctic Beauty), which requires a half day of shade. Space the plants 18 to 20 feet apart and grow six to eight female plants for each male plant, unless you are growing “Issai,” (Actinidia arguta “Issai”), which is self-fertile. Add a 4-inch layer of mulch to the soil around the base of the kiwi to help insulate the soil and discourage weeds.

Keep Them Well-Fed and Watered

• Water the kiwifruit to a depth of 6 to 10 inches when the soil under the mulch feels dry to the touch. The vine may require up to 25 gallons of water a day in the summer, according to the Oklahoma University Extension Service. Wait until the vine’s second season to apply fertilizer. Apply 5 ounces of 10-20-10 fertilizer per plant just after the buds break. In subsequent seasons, use 1 ounce of 0-46-0, 5.5 ounces of ammonium nitrate and 1/2 pound of potassium sulfate per plant just after bud break and apply the ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate, at the same rate, again after flowering.

Outwit Winter Damage

• If you live in one of Oklahoma’s colder regions and are growing one of the less cold-hardy kiwifruit varieties, plant the vine on the north side of the house or other structure to avoid cold winds. In fall, mound pine straw around the base of the vine and 18 inches up the trunk to protect it from freezing temperatures.