The following information on vineyard establishment applies to all the aforementioned species unless differences are noted. It takes 3 or more years after planting to produce a commercial crop. Planting Design For a T-bar trellis, vines commonly are planted 15 to 18 feet apart, in rows 15 feet apart, resulting in 160 to 190 plants per acre. Kiwifruit vines are extremely vigorous. Canes grow 6 to 12 feet per year, and occasionally 20 feet.
Male vines are essential for pollination and crop production.
In general, plant the same species of male as the female vines. Although A. deliciosa males are reported to be good pollinators of A. arguta females, they are much less cold hardy than arguta males, and thus increase the risk of crop loss to cold damage. Male and female vines must be present in a block and must flower at the same time. In general, plant about 1 male plant for every 6 to 10 female plants. For more information on cultivars available see Kiwifruit Cultivars .