When Do Kiwis Ripen? A Full Breakdown of Ripening Times

Kiwifruit is a large deciduous woody vine of the genus Actinidia in the family Actinidiaceae. The fruit is generally oval-shaped, greenish-brown in its early stage and reddish-brown when ripe, with a dense covering of fine hairs on the skin, a soft texture, a sweet-and-sour taste, and rich nutrition. Its flavor has been described as a mix of strawberry, banana, and pineapple. Let's take a look below at when kiwis ripen!

When do kiwis ripen?

Kiwifruit blooms in June and the fruit ripens from August to October. The berry is ovate to oblong, with a cross-sectional radius of about 3 cm, densely covered with yellow-brown branched long soft hairs. A ripe fruit is about the size of a duck egg; the dark brown, hairy skin is generally not eaten, while inside is bright green flesh and multiple rows of black seeds. It gets its name because the hairy skin resembles a macaque.

When are kiwis harvested?

The best time to harvest kiwis is before 10 a.m., when the temperature has not yet risen, and they must be handled gently during picking. The storage life and quality of kiwis are greatly affected by their ripeness at harvest; harvesting too early or too late will affect the quality and flavor of the fruit, and they must go through the quality formation period to fully ripen. According to the fruit development period, the suitable harvest time is when the soluble solids content of the fruit is 6-7%, while fruit intended for long-term storage is required to reach 7-10%.

What environment do kiwis need to grow?

1. Climate: Kiwifruit tolerates partial shade and prefers a cool, humid environment. It fears drought, waterlogging, and wind. It is cold-tolerant but not tolerant of late-spring frost. It is best to choose areas with a mild climate, ample sunlight, abundant rainfall, fairly even precipitation during the growing season, high air humidity, and few early- and late-frost and freeze injuries.

2. Soil: Kiwifruit grows best in deep, fertile, well-aerated sandy soil with a water table below 1 m and high organic matter content, with a slightly acidic pH of 5.5-6.5. Strongly acidic or alkaline soils need to be improved before planting.

3. Light: Kiwifruit likes light but fears scorching sun, and has a very strong ability to use diffused light. It can even grow twining around and clinging to a large tree without any problem, but it cannot be too heavily shaded; if it is severely lacking in light, the branches will die. In plain terms, it likes sunlight but fears high temperatures.

4. Temperature: Kiwifruit likes warmth. In fact, temperature is the main factor limiting the distribution, growth, and development of kiwifruit. Each species has a suitable temperature range; beyond this range it grows poorly or cannot survive, but most species require a warm, humid climate.

5. Fertilizer: Kiwifruit likes fertilizer but fears burning. Once it lacks inorganic nutrients, it shows yellowing, small leaves, and stopped growth, but its fleshy root system is also very sensitive to soil salt concentration. In production, the method of applying small amounts of fertilizer many times is required, which can meet the nutrient needs without causing fertilizer damage.

6. Water: Kiwifruit likes water but fears waterlogging. However, the kiwifruit root system is a fleshy root with strong respiration and needs a relatively high oxygen content in the soil, which means the necessary soil aeration is required. Therefore, according to the balance between soil water and air, it should not be watered excessively.