Hardy Kiwis for wine

[Cracked Cork]

Has anyone had any luck growing hardy kiwis to make wine with? So far our experience has been less than exciting growing them. I have huge females that the bark splits off of the trunk when they get to be 3 years old, my first male died and his replacement didnt bloom yet so I have a bunch of females with flowers but no male. The vines are nice and strong but at 3 years old the dam bark just splits off and the vine dies. I was thinking this year maybe to get pipe insulating foam to cover them to keep the bark from coming off over the winter. We are in zone 6, I dont think the growers should advertise these things are hardy to zone 6 when the bark just falls off of them even when you dont get a bad winter!!

Havent had any fruit yet so cant tell how thats going to turn out.

Cracked Cork in WV

 

[NorthernWinos]

You make Elderflower wine...maybe Kiwi flower wine is on tap..


So far I have just one Elderberry that is of blooming age...I might just pick the flowers this year...they are really pretty.

 

[jobe05]

Sorry CrackedCork, I too can not help with the Kiwi question, however, I would have to agree that zone 6 would seem a stretch far north for this type plant, but I have never grown them.


NW: I too haveelderberries that are flowering out a couple of heads, but I'm traveling around and marking a few spots that have a ton of Wild elderberry bushes. I will travel back around this fall and collect all the beries and see what can be made with them. Even though I have heard that wild elderberries are not as good as .... domestic? Is that what their called? but they are free, so I won't complain if they arn't as good.