How to grow your own kiwis with gardener's simple step-by-step guide
A gardener has revealed that it's relatively easy to grow kiwis in the UK. Simon Akeroyd, who imparts his horticultural knowledge on TikTok, recently posted a detailed guide video.
He began with a regular supermarket kiwi, cutting it in half to expose its seeds. Simon then removed some of those seeds and let them dry on kitchen roll for "a few days". Once they were ready, he scattered them over compost in a plant pot before covering the entire pot with a freezer bag.
"Leave on a window sill and in a few weeks you'll have baby kiwi plants," he suggested, adding that they should be "pricked out" [of the plant pot] when they sprout true leaves and moved to a larger pot when necessary.
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The final step - replanting outdoors - happens when the plant develops full-sized leaves. One of Simon's followers asked in surprise: "Really? You can grow these in UK?" He responded: "Yes kiwi are fairly hardy and usually grow okay in most areas of the UK."
Another follower wrote: "I'm blown away by that, no way. I have to do this." A third commented: "Wow never thought of growing kiwis, thanks a million." And when a fourth follower asked: "What time of year?," Simon advised: "You can sow now if you have somewhere warm for them to germinate. Or spring is good too."
Others took to the comments section of Simon's clip to share their success stories with kiwi cultivation – like a Somerset local who joyfully claimed: "I have a huge plant that grows hundreds of kiwis every year!"
Another seasoned grower chimed in, adding: "I grew some last year and got five plants. They overwinter under an upturned plastic storage box outside. Two are planted in large pots on my south facing wall and are a good size now."
For aspiring kiwi fruit growers, the Royal Horticultural Society states: "Varieties [of kiwi fruit] are either female, male or self-fertile. Most of the widely available varieties are self-fertile, but do check. If you buy a female variety, you will also need a male or a self-fertile variety nearby in order for it to crop. Male plants produce flowers but no fruit. If you only have room for one plant, make sure it’s a self-fertile variety."
