North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Richard Moyer <ramoyer@gmail.com>]

Steve,
At my Zone 6 location in SW VA, 'Anna' was far superior to 'Ken's Red'.
 Much more vigorous and therefore productive.  Much easier to get going
when young.  Much less affected by late freezes.  'Anna' fruit keeps very
well under refrig, whereas 'Ken's' rotted sometimes on the vine at stem
attachment, and also under refrigeration.  Ken's much more stressed by
drought; this was noted by other NAFEXers as well.  We much preferred the
flavor of 'Anna', a nice mix of sweet and tart with other flavors.  All
'Ken's' had going for it was red blush and reddish flesh, but flavor very
bland.  I can't think of a single area where 'Ken's' was better.

There may be locations where 'Ken's' is superior, but in our
mid-Atlantic/upper south zone 6, definitely not the case.
Can't comment on DO, for have not grown it.
Mike McConkey has been growing all these and more for years in VA closer to
you, and sells them for a living.   I'd ask him if not already.

As for a male, all you need there is reliable blooming at same time as your
females.

Chad Finn, USDA-ARS researcher put in a plot of hardy kiwis at the USDA
Germplasm Repository in Corvallis, OR.  He collected data on a number of
selections.  But Willamette Valley weather quite different than ours.  They
may have compared some males, and might send your cuttings for your own
rooting and use.

Richard Moyer
Zone 6
SW VA

> Message: 10
> Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:32:09 -0500 (EST)
> From: Steven Covacci <filtertitle@aol.com>
> Subject: [nafex] Recommendation for hardy-kiwi (female and male) -
>        Actinidia       spp.
> To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
> Message-ID: <8CEC0B3A4369426-19B4-56BD7@webmail-d022.sysops.aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> I'm looking for a best recommendation for a female hardy-kiwi.
>
>
> 1. I suppose, of the hardy species, it would be Actinidia arguta  - and
> not any of the other varieties, or hybrids with A. arguta.  I wonder if
> there are some significant taste differences between the hybrids and/with
> A. arguta.  I think that for someone with limited growing space, one should
> probably stick with the common A. arguta - if in zone 6.
>
>
> 2. Of the typical hardy kiwi species (A. arguta), I know that a lot of
> people like the very productive, commercially popular 'Anna' cultivar, but
> I think that it's been said that this variety has now been surpassed.  I've
> heard good reviews of 'Ken's Red' and 'Dumbarton Oaks'.
>
>
> 3. I see that a lot of the nurseries offer a nameless A. arguta male for a
> pollinator; is it far better to go with a named selection of male, such as
> 'Meader - male' and '74/46'.
>
>
> 4.  Would it be a practical endeavor to grow a chain of A. arguta hardy
> kiwi varieties on a single, contiguous succession: in a single vine-branch
> running the entire length of a fence.  I could prune all but the one chain
> of cultivars: one variety per 9 feet.  Bad (impractical) idea?
>
>
> Thank you,
> Steve; Zone 6b/7a - NJ
>
>
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