Season of Bearing

The kiwifruit blossoms and sets its fruit from early May to June. Fruit are almost fully developed by August, but sugar content will not reach acceptable levels until early October or November. Fruit of the Blake variety, however, usually reach acceptable sugar content in early to mid-September. Kiwifruit of any variety that are picked too early will not sweeten as they ripen.

Yields

The low-chill varieties, including Abbott, Allison, Tewi, and Vincent, fruit earlier and more consistently than Hayward. A fourth-season vine of an early variety can produce 30 to 50 pounds of fruit in one year. Mature (8- to 9-year-old) vines will produce up to 250 pounds of fruit per year.

The later-flowering Hayward variety is slower to produce, and tends to produce fewer fruit. On average, third- year Hayward vines will produce as much as 25 pounds of fruit each. A mature Hayward vine can produce up to 200 pounds of fruit.

Harvest

Harvest from mid-October to November, or before the fruit softens. Blake fruit may be harvested as early as mid-September. Maturity is measured by a change in seed color from white to brown to black. If in doubt, pick a few and ripen in a covered fruit-ripening bowl. When the fruit softens adequately, taste it. You may have to wait until early to mid-November before you can pick.

Remove the larger fruit from the vine first. Allow smaller fruit to increase in size and quality before picking. Some fruit can remain on the vine into December and still be picked ripe. If you harvest in December, be aware of the risk of frost damage. Fruit freezes at 28.50F, so it can remain on the vine until a cold snap is imminent. However, you may lose some fruit to sunburn once the change of season has caused the vi

Storage

After you have harvested the fruit, cull out soft, cracked, or shriveled fruit from those to be stored. Store fruit promptly in a cool place. For prolonged storage (up to 8 weeks), keep the fruit uncovered in your refrigerator's crisper. Fruit may also be placed in sealed plastic bags in the refrigerator. Periodically check to remove rotting fruit. Do not store apples, pears, or other ethylene-producing fruits with kiwifruit. At room temperature, fruit will keep from 2 to 4 weeks. Avoid physical damage, since damage may hasten ripening and spoilage.

Kiwifruit may be frozen and stored whole in a sealed plastic bag. Remove excess fuzz before storage. Fruit stored in this way are best used in cooked desserts or in savory casseroles. Peel and cook the frozen fruit without waiting for it to thaw.

To store fruit that you plan to use in salads or on cakes, slice unpeeled fruit at least 4/4 inch thick. Arrange in a single layer, cover, and freeze. Once frozen, place slices in an airtight container. To use frozen slices, remove them from the freezer and thaw at room temperature for 5 minutes before use, or thaw in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Kiwifruit can be pulped and frozen for later use in drinks or as a topping for cakes and ice cream. For each cup of pulped fruit, add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Sieve to remove seeds, and freeze. Kiwifruit may also be pickled, bottled, or made into jam.

Kiwifruit soften quickly when stored with apples. If you want to soften fresh-picked kiwifruit, put an apple in a plastic bag with four to twelve kiwifruit and leave them at room temperature for about a week.