Friday, October 8, 2010

Kiwi In Wisconsin

So I'm starting to get over the slump I was in yesterday.  But just a little bit.  Stress is a funny thing and sure takes a lot out of a person.  But anyway, no more whining on here, that's not what this blog is about.   

One of the things I can't wait for when we move is to be able to plant the garden I've always wanted.  Right now I have a potted garden (not a pot garden people, come on get your minds out of the gutter).  I don't mind using the pots, but I'm limited in ways to what I can grow, so I can't wait to have a large garden with all the yummy veggies and fruit I can imagine.  Believe me my list is long.  With almost everything you can think of.

And the most exciting thing that I found out was that I can grow Kiwi in Wisconsin.  It's a special Kiwi plant called the Hardy Arctic Kiwi and it produces a kiwifruit that sweeter then the New Zealand Kiwi.  You have no idea how excited I am about this.  I mean I can grow sweet, wonderful Kiwifruit in Wisconsin, that's pretty awesome.

They grow as vines and you need a male and a female plant to produce fruit.  And from what I've ready, they are really beautiful plants that many people just grow for their colorful leaves and flowers.  They are also insect and disease resistant and will grow in poor soil.  That sounds like and awesome plant.  I can grow them on trellises along the house.   

And look at that fruit.  The best part is the fruit is sweet and it doesn't have the brown skin.  You eat the skin on these.  It's like the skin of a cherry.  That is super awesome.  And from what I've read so far, they said the fruit is best off the vine, but can be canned or used in jellies and pies.  Even better.  

I found a few places online that sell the plants.  You do need a female and a male plant to make fruit, but most places sell two or three plants, so that's great.  I'm going to do a little bit more research and then check out some local nurseries, but I will have kiwifruit growing next year, I promise this.

1 comment:

Anti-State said...

I just read about the Arctic variety and cannot wait to grow them myself. I never thought Wisconsin could produce kiwi!