Do commercial kiwi cultivars actually produce viable seed? I mean, could one just go down to the store, pick up some kiwifruit and follow that process? (if they need four months of stratification then surely they can take refrigeration during shipping...) I had just assumed that, like commercial bananas, they'd been bred to the point of infertility.
If it were possible, even if ones odds of getting a good plant were low, it could still be a way to get a male for pollination since kiwi is monoecious.
i was going to ask this myself.
Kiwi does have seeds
banana from the store do not - im pretty sure.
i dont know if that seed is viable or not?
also, the variety i think is the "Hayward "
Hayward, does best with a winter rest of 800 hours of chilling (defined as total hours between 32° and 45° F.)
(such as southern California, southern Texas, and Florida), cultivars such as Elmwood, Dexter, Abbott, or Vincent would be more suitable. In very mild winter areas the vines may retain their leaves and fail to flower the following season. Kiwi vines can be successfully grown in large containers.
Seeds from store bought fruit may be planted in the spring
http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/kiwifruit.htmlThey do need a winter chill in order to produce fruit, so you can’t grow kiwi anywhere warmer than zone 8.
Different varieties have different temperature requirements, so you should try to buy plants that suit your climate.
http://www.gardeningblog.net/how-to-grow/kiwi/Fuzzy Female varieties need Fuzzy Males to set fruit
Fuzzy Varieties (Actinidia deliciosa)
http://www.justfruitsandexotics.com/JFE/product-category/berry-plants/kiwi/Vincent Female Kiwi – Low Chill Kiwi!
Even though she’s named Vincent, this is the female fuzzy kiwi looking for Tomuri. She’s a tasty egg-sized fruit, similar to what you are accustomed to buying in the grocery store. Bred for warmer climates, she requires only 100 chill units, and a growing season of 240 frost-free days to sweeten the fruit. Fruit set is most successful when the winter temperature drops below 32, and Vincent is hardy to 10-15 degrees when mature. Can be grown successfully in a large pot if trellised adequately. Harvest in October. Zones 8-9.
http://www.justfruitsandexotics.com/JFE/product/vincent-kiwi/How to Grow Kiwi From Store Bought Kiwi Fruit!
http://foodiegardener.com/how-to-grow-kiwi-from-store-bought-kiwi-fruit/